Yes. I know for a fact that diesel locomotives of trains are kept running even if its next trip is hours later.
I don't know the underlying reason for that though. I always assumed it was some combination of using too much fuel for starting (more than what it would consume if it was just idling) and the starting itself being a complicated process. But I could be wrong.
But then, for trains there exists fully electric locomotives, so this looks like a solved problem in that industry. All that's left to be done is phase out the diesels (apart from electrifying the tracks itself).
Ya, if we would just electrify our rails like they do in Europe, the problem would be solved. Battery is also an option, though it seems only viable for auxiliary locomotives (the ones that push carriages together in yards) for now.
I don't know the underlying reason for that though. I always assumed it was some combination of using too much fuel for starting (more than what it would consume if it was just idling) and the starting itself being a complicated process. But I could be wrong.
But then, for trains there exists fully electric locomotives, so this looks like a solved problem in that industry. All that's left to be done is phase out the diesels (apart from electrifying the tracks itself).