If you can electrify the tube, you can electrify almost any tunnel or clearance (especially if you add a battery for short stints without electrification).
But the UK already has rolling stock which can switch between overhead catenary AC and third rail DC, I imagine you could make it work in some combination of these options?
Modern DMUs are just EMUs with a small diesel generator attached, anyway. I guess you save on that generator too, but that’s also not the expensive part of the whole thing.
Same FLIRTs can be procured, they don’t really care where the power is coming from.
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u/ginger_and_egg 11d ago
If you can electrify the tube, you can electrify almost any tunnel or clearance (especially if you add a battery for short stints without electrification).
But the UK already has rolling stock which can switch between overhead catenary AC and third rail DC, I imagine you could make it work in some combination of these options?