Why will the trains be diesel powered rather than electric?
The entire MBTA commuter rail system, virtually all freight railroads, and most of the commuter rail systems in the United States, are powered by diesel locomotives. The use of electric trains on the Greenbush was considered early in the planning process, but was found to be impractical and not prudent. The substantial additional cost required to construct the overhead power lines and to purchase electric locomotives could not be justified as it would not have resulted in significant additional ridership Additionally, while noise impacts would be reduced somewhat, there would be additional visual and aesthetic impacts from the overhead power lines and their support structures. However, all of the bridges and tunnels over the Greenbush Line have been built with enough height over the tracks for the overhead power lines so that the line could in the future be converted to electric operation.
