Hydrogen train

, pictured in 2024 Hydrogen is a common and easy to find element, given that each molecule of water has two atoms of hydrogen for every oxygen atom present. Railway industrial publication Railway Engineer has theorised that the expanding prevalence of wind power has led to some countries having surpluses of electrical energy during nighttime hours, and that this trend could offer a means of low-cost and highly available energy with which hydrogen could be conveniently produced via electrolysis. Hydrolley A hydrolley is a term for a streetcar or tram (trolley) powered by hydrail technology. The term (for hydrogen trolley) was coined at the Fourth International Hydrail Conference, Valencia, Spain, in 2008, as a research-simplifying search engine target word. Onboard hydrogen-derived power eliminates the need for overhead trolley arms and track electrification, greatly reducing construction cost, reducing visual pollution and eliminating the maintenance expense of track electrification. The term 'hydrolley' is preferred to 'hydrail light rail' or other combinations which might connote external electrification. Safety Hydrogen is combustible in a wide range (4–74%) of mixtures with air, and explosive in 18–59%. ==Projects and prototypes==

• In 2002, the first , , hydrogen-powered mining locomotive powered by Nuvera Fuel Cells for Placer Dome was demonstrated in Val-d'Or, Quebec. • In April 2006, the world's first hydrail railcar, which was developed by East Japan Railway Company, was developed. • In April 2007, the mini-hydrail from the Taiwan National Science and Technology Museum and Taiwan Fuel Cell Partnership combination made its first educational ride. • In 2007, the Railway Technical Research Institute in Japan built two passenger cars, each with a PEM fuel cell and a battery. • In 2008, the East Japan Railway Company in Japan tested its experimental "NE Train" hybrid train fitted with two PEM fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries for a short period in the Nagano area. • In 2009, BNSF Railway unveiled its Vehicle Projects HH20B, a switcher-locomotive powered by hydrogen fuel cells and developed in conjunction with the US Army Corps of Engineers and Vehicle Projects Inc. It reportedly performed its first run during 2010. The rail link, now under feasibility study, would connect several cities in Java with a hydrogen-powered maglev system. • In 2011, FEVE and the University of Valladolid (CIDAUT) launched the FC Tram Project in Asturias using a converted FABIOLOS series 3400 from SNCV. • In 2012, the mini-hydrail Hydrogen Pioneer Train from the University of Birmingham, a scaled powertrain for configuration testing. • Between 2012 and 2014, testing was conducted on the hydrail concept in China. In November 2010, Southwest Jiaotong University demonstrated their first hydrail prototype. • During 2012, Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) in South Africa and Vehicle Projects Inc. launched 5 PEMFC Trident new era locomotives at the Dishaba mine with reversible metal-hydride storage for testing. • In 2014, the German states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg and the Public Transportation Authorities of Hesse signed a letter of intent with Alstom Transport for trials with two fuel cell Alstom Coradia trains by 2018. • During 2015, the University of Warwick started work on a hydrogen powered locomotive. That same year, the Downtown Oranjestad streetcar in Aruba went into service; the Downtown Dubai Trolley Project is intended to go into service around Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall in Dubai. In 2015, CSR Sifang Co Ltd. showed its first 380-passenger tram in Qingdao, China. • During September 2016, Alstom revealed their newly developed iLint train, produced at their factory in Salzgitter. In November 2017, the state of Lower Saxony's local transportation authority ordered an initial fleet of 14 iLints. Testing and approval by the German Federal Railway Authority Eisenbahn-Bundesamt commenced in late 2016. • 2016 – CRRC TRC(Tangshan) developed the world's first commercial fuel cell hybrid tram and completed its first test run on Nanhu industrial tourism demonstration operation in 2017. • 2018 – A pair of prototype Ilint trains are to enter regular revenue service on the Buxtehude–Bremervörde–Bremerhaven–Cuxhaven region. Schleswig-Holstein intends to electrify the entirety of its network using a fleet of 60 iLint hydrail vehicles by 2025. • In March 2018, the Sarawak state government in Malaysia proposed that the Kuching Light Rail Transit system will be powered using hydrogen fuel cells and is expected to be completed by 2024. However, in September 2018, the Sarawak Chief Minister announced that the project has been placed on hold, citing that the funds were needed elsewhere. • In June 2019, East Japan Railway Company announced that it is investing into developing a two-car trainset using hydrogen fuel-cell technology from Toyota, hoping to start trials by 2021 and have commercially viable technology ready by 2024. Toyota has been using fuel cell technology in the Mirai cars. • In June–July 2019, Italy's Ministry of Economic Development gathered stakeholders input on hydrogen rollout projects in various sectors, including rail transport. These included the conversion from diesel to hydrogen of a railway link across four regions of central Italy, from Sansepolcro (Tuscany) to Sulmona (Abruzzo). Developed by Italy's Cinque International together with US AECOM, Spain's Iberdrola and other local partners, the project was included in the priority list of Italy's Ministry of Transport and in the project pipeline of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance. On 20 December 2021, the Prime Minister's office allocated €50M for the purchase of rolling stock and for three renewable hydrogen production sites alog the railway, albeit limited to the Terni-Rieti-L'Aquila-Sulmona route. • In November 2019, the first hydrogen fuel cell train in the United States was ordered from Swiss manufacturer Stadler Rail for service on the soon to open Arrow commuter rail service between Redlands, California, and San Bernardino, California. • On 17 March 2021, French Railway Company announced that 15 Hydrail would be operated on the Caen-Alençon-Le Mans-Tours line (northwest France) in the next 5 years. The line exclusively used diesel-fuelled X 72500 and XGC. • In April 2021, 14 Hydrail (two of which optional) were ordered by French Railway Company from Alstom for an amount of 200 million euros. The trains will be operated by 2025 in four regions (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Grand Est et Occitanie). These trains have 600 km of autonomy without direct emission. • In September 2022, Caltrans and CalSTA placed an order for 29 (four on official order and 25 optional) Hydrogen Fuel Cell transits from Stadler. These trains will be used on Amtrak California services. • Hydrogen locomotives – BNSF, Caterpillar, Progress Rail, and Chevron partnered up in 2021 to develop a hydrogen fuel cell locomotive prototype. CSX and Canadian Pacific teamed up in 2023 to develop hydrogen conversion kits to retrofit diesel locomotives to hydrogen. • The proposed Valley Link commuter rail service in Northern California is planning to use zero emission hydrogen trainsets for its operations. • 2024: A hydrogen fuel-cell passenger train developed by Swiss rail vehicle maker Stadler Rail has achieved a new Guinness World Record, travelling nonstop for a distance of over two days. • Project Hympulso is a Spanish initiative announced in 2024 and lead by Talgo focused on the development of the world’s first hydrogen-powered high-speed train. Furthermore, the project seeks to analyze the feasibility to power Spain’s entire rail network, which represents the second largest high-speed network in the world. • The Integral Coach factory, in association with the Indian railways, plans to convert one DHMU into a hydrogen fuel cell based train.It is planned to be rolled out in late 2025 and be used on the heritage Kalka-Shimla route. • The Indian Railways has begun a series of tests for a Hydrogen train prototype in Jind, Haryana. Built with eight coaches, the hydrogen train reached a top speed of during its inaugural test run on March 2nd 2026. ==Operating trains by country==

Germany In September 2018, the world's first commercial hydrogen-powered passenger train entered service in Lower Saxony, Germany. The Alstom-developed train uses a zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell. In August 2022, the first rail line entirely run by hydrogen-powered trains debuted in Bremervörde, Lower Saxony, where the route's 15 diesel trains are being gradually replaced. India On August 13, 2025, India unveiled a hydrogen train. The first hydrogen train will run between the Jind-Sonipat section of India’s Northern Railway Zone, and will have a maximum speed of . The fuel cell systems are provided by Tata Advanced Systems. Indian railways and R.D.S.O. were expected to conduct final trials between Jind and Sonipat by Mid March 2026. After successful trials and a green lot from the PMO it will continue daily operations. A hydrogen plant has been set up in Jind and already operational with he help of Spanish company named Green H. Once operational the train is capable of carrying a maximum of 2,500 passengers a time. The coaches are based off of urban metro coaches with built in DC air conditioning units and automatic doors along with public announcement system. During the First week of March 2026 the hydrogen train (now being called) "Namo Green Rail" went through extensive trial under supervision of Indian Railways technical staff and experts. During the trial various faults were caught regarding operating efficiency and due to this further trials were postponed. As of April various top brass of Indian Railways are inspecting the trainset at Jind Railway Station. As the technology is in its early stages of development many minor threats to operations are being resolved. Japan The FV-E991 series hydrogen train entered fare paying service in 2022 on the Tsurumi Line between Yokohama and Kawasaki, as a test service. South Korea In July 2024, 38 hydrogen fuel cell trams manufactured by Hyundai Rotem were selected to operate on Daejeon Metro Line 2. The supply contract has already been signed, and delivery is scheduled to begin in 2026. The line is expected to enter service in 2028. United States The first hydrogen train in the United States began operations on Arrow between San Bernardino and Redlands, California on September 13, 2025. The train runs through an area with poor air quality. Canada In 2024 and 2025 CPKC (Canadian Pacific Kansas City) Railway has introduced 3 new H2 locomotives into commercial operations as part of a long term pilot project to move to a carbon free locomotive fleet (with support from the Province of Alberta). A paper was produced for the province looking at the viability H2 powered locomotives. The conclusion was that it is a viable solution, and in fact as part of the report, it was concluded that battery powered heavy duty locomotives are just not practical for a variety of reasons, including the economics. As of mid 2025, CPKC continues to operate 3 types of H2 locomotives including one that has transitioned to commercial coal hauling using its highest power locomotive type (CP 1200). In May 2025 the company supplying the fuel cells announced further orders for CPKC for building out a further 4 CP 1200 sized locomotives for a total of 7 units (1 existing 1200, plus 2 smaller sized units). ==See also==