Featured In a first, the US government unveils a plan to decarbonize all transport

https://electrek.co/2023/01/10/in-a-first-the-us-government-unveils-a-plan-to-decarbonize-all-transport/
"The US departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency today released a plan that lays out how they’re going to decarbonize all US transport.

The four agencies have together created the “US National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization: A Joint Strategy to Transform Transportation.” It’s a first-of-its-kind strategy for federal leadership and partnerships to decarbonize the entire US transportation sector."
The embedded link there goes to the 88 page blueprint.

"The Blueprint is built around a three-pronged strategy:

• Increase convenience. Community design at the local and regional level so that work and the amenities people need are located near where they live.
• Improve efficiency. Expand options like public transport and rail, and improve efficiency of all vehicles.
• Transition to clean options. Deploy zero-emission vehicles and fuels. This is the key strategy that will drive the most emissions reductions."

Some of the plan's thinking on the fuels part.

 

"The rail industry is currently exploring opportunities
to maintain its comparative energy-use advantage on a
ton-mile basis by transitioning to direct use of electricity
(e.g., overhead catenary charging, third-rail systems),
batteries, hydrogen fuels, sustainable fuels, or hybrid
solutions. Full electrification via catenary systems
used in other countries has been hindered by the long
distances and relatively low traffic on U.S. railways."
page 67, https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/EERE-Decarbonization-Transportation-Report-508.pdf

Batteries are being considered, but I think it would be less useful for rail. For short haul, direct power through catenary will be more efficient in energy and cost. Long haul rail might be a case where hydrogen is better than batteries. How many batteries or tanks of hydrogen will it take to replace the diesel a current locomotive uses for such journeys?