EnviroTO
Senior Member
Electric locomotives are very expensive. The purchase of electric locomotives would be a mistake.
Electric-multiple-units, however, are a lot cheaper per trainset than diesel locomotive trains. The savings here would be huge. EMU can also push unpowered GO bi-levels, without the need for a locomotive.
I'm wondering what your sources are.
MP40 diesel locomotive = $5M approx.
ALP-46A locomotive = $8M approx.
BiLevel coach = $1.75M approx.
Train of 12 cars = 8 + (1.75*12) = $30M approx.
MI09 12 car double-deck EMU = $50M approx.
Class 480 12 car single-deck EMU = $30M approx.
So it would seem to me an electric locomotive is more expensive to purchase than a diesel locomotive and EMUs are, per passenger, significantly more expensive.