Bi mode vs electric?

[TheWalrus]

Hi

How will the running costs compare between a bi mode and diesel in terms of maintenance and track access? Will a bi mode need as much maintenance as a diesel? And will the track access be cheaper than a diesel and more expensive than an electric? Or will it be the same as an electric?

Help will be much appreciated!

Cheers

Ryan

 

[ChrisCooper]

Bi-mode will be heavier than pure electric due to having the weight of the engines and fuel, so will have higher access charges than a pure electric of similar design. I'm not sure if electric use is factored into track access or if it's seperate, but electric cost for bi-mode will be higher due to the extra weight.

Maintenance wise bi-mode will be more expensive than a pure electric as the engines will need maintaining aswell as the electrical equipment. Should be cheaper than a diesel though as the engines will not be running as much. Then again some bi-mode proposals involve running engines under the wires, in which case maintenance costs would be higher.

 

[LE Greys]

Will people please start calling them electro-diesels! Bi-mode refers to some locos that run in the USA, primarily diesels that can shut down their power unit and run temporarily on electric power for underground stations. This is closer to the Class 73, an electric loco with a backup diesel engine, and those are electro-diesels. What's more, the new units are going to run over here, and should fit in with our terminology. They are EDMUs!

 

[WatcherZero]

However they are capable of running without any diesel engines at all now (Transformers strengthened from 4 to 4.5MW) and reflect the bi-mode terminology used by the government in its specification to industry. They are indeed EDMU but the terminology has changed from 'Dual Mode' in the 70's to 'Bi-Mode' today.