First US Hydrogen Train With Zero Carbon Emissions To Begin Operation Soon
The H2-powered vehicle is able to operate for up to 46 hours before the need to refuel
The United States is expected to see the start of the operation of its very first zero carbon emission hydrogen train before the close of this year, in a move aligning with decarbonization goals.
Public transportation and cargo transport are seeking to decarbonize
While smaller vehicles such as passenger vehicles are broadly turning to battery electric technology to decarbonize, larger vehicles such as buses, planes, boats, and heavy equipment are looking to H2 for its range, rapid refueling time and greatly reduced downtimes. It is these advantages, among others, that the hydrogen train – called the FLIRT H2 – is expected to demonstrate later this year when it begins its operation in southern California.
The commuter train has already managed to break records, and when it begins operating to move real passengers, it will travel along the Metrolink train’s Arrow line run by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority. It was that authority that announced the upcoming introduction of the H2-powered vehicle.
The hydrogen train will travel along a 9.6-mile route
The FLIRT H2 will be running the 9.6 mile stretch between San Bernardino and Redlands, California. Aside from operating carbon emission free, it will also provide its passengers with a quieter ride, as these vehicles run considerably more quietly than the currently used diesel-powered locomotives.
Stadler’s FLIRT H2 Train – Image Source: Stadler Rail YouTube
“When you’re on the [FLIRT H₂] train, you can sit across from one another, either at a table or facing seats on the train and have a very quiet, pleasant, normal conversation uninterrupted by what typically we experience with train noise,” said San Bernardino County Transportation Authority’s Tim Watkins, the Chief of Legislative and Public Affairs.
A Stadler Rail locomotive
The hydrogen train was made by Stadler Rail, a Swiss company that is already breaking records with the locomotive even before it has ever taken any commercial passengers. In March, it set the record for the longest prototype H2 fuel cell multiple unit train distance between refueling sessions. This earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
