What type of fuel to Amtrak trains run on?

Question

What type of fuel to Amtrak trains run on?

Answer 1

Most of them are diesel.On a few spots they are straight electric.

Answer 2

Boston to Washington-  also, Philadelphia to Harrisburg,   electric.

Other routes, diesel

Answer 3

Most of Amtrak is powered by diesel-electric engines, so diesel fuel is your answer.

Answer 4

Amtrak engages in diesel commodity futures just like a private company.

Diesel

Answer 5

I disagree that diesel is the correct answer. The correct answer is electricity for most Amtrak trains and passengers. Consider the number of trains and number of passenger miles on the NEC and Harrisburg line and clearly most of Amtrak' service is by electricity.

Answer 6

Diesel of course is the correct answer.

All Amtrak trains and in fact all freight trains are run by electric locomotives but most carry their own onboard diesel engine powering a large generator, these are the most common and are known as diesel/electric locomotives.

There are some corridors, particualrly in the Northeast operating straight electric locomtives that get their power via overhead or on ground "3rd rail" systems.

The electricity for those systems comes fromt he nationwide power gird, so in an indirect sense you might say that trains are also powered by nuclear, hydro and coal.