The first use of electric trains occurred in Berlin in 1879 when Werner Von Siemens demonstrated that electricity could power trains. In 1895, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad became the first company to regularly employ electric locomotion.
Almost all electric trains also use some fossil fuel for locomotion. The first exclusively electric train, the Norfolk Southern NS 999 Electric Locomotive, did not appear until October 2009.
Although they were innovators in electric train technology, U.S. railroad companies never adopted many electric trains for use on main lines, mostly due to the initial costs associated with setting up an electric rail system.
Electric trains emit very little pollution, are more efficient and require much less maintenance and stops for refueling. In addition, they give the passenger a much quieter ride.
Electrifying a rail line and building new trains usually does not outweigh the benefits of keeping diesel or steam engine cars and rail tracks. In addition, electric rails require specialized maintenance personnel and pose an electrocution hazard.
Many regions, such as Houston and Los Angeles, have built electric light-rail train system--like the electric passenger cars of the early 1900s--as a clean and efficient replacement for buses. Many more, such as Oklahoma City, are planning such systems.
