Hydrogen Powered Trains Explained: Could They Be The Future Of Travel?
Locomotives are responsible for a huge portion of the transportation sector, demonstrated in stark fashion during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A single freight train can be several miles long, and that’s a lot of goods no matter how you look at it, so an argument can certainly be made about their superior fuel efficiency compared to over-the-road freight. But there’s no denying that the sheer amount of fuel they burn is tremendous. For Class I North American railroads, it’s not uncommon for fuel to be their largest expense, second only to payroll. But could there be another way?
French railway vehicle manufacturer Alstom seems to think so, and they’re demonstrating their solution in North America for the first time this summer with their Coradia iLint passenger train. What sets this train apart from other North American trains is that it’s powered by hydrogen, a clean and sustainable resource that emits only water vapor as exhaust.
Hydrogen can be made from water molecules by separating it from oxygen. This process does take energy, but — as reported by the CBC — the hydrogen for this particular train is produced by a Canadian company using electricity from hydropower and wind. Hydrogen can be used to power not only trains but also cars and even airplanes. The technology is not only cleaner but quieter than its diesel counterparts. So how soon before you might board a hydrogen-powered train?
Hydrogen Powered Trains Explained: Could They Be The Future Of Travel?
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