In transportation, the original (2003) generic term "hydrail" includes hydrogen trains, zero-emission multiple units, or ZEMUs—generic terms describing rail vehicles, large or small, which use on-board hydrogen fuel as a source of energy to power the traction motors, or the auxiliaries, or both. Hydrail vehicles use the chemical energy of hydrogen for propulsion, either by burning hydrogen in a hydrogen internal combustion engine, or by reacting hydrogen with oxygen in a fuel cell to run electric motors, as the hydrogen fuel cell train. Widespread use of hydrogen for fueling rail transportation is a basic element of the proposed hydrogen economy. The term has been used by research scholars and technicians around the world.
Hydrail vehicles are usually hybrid vehicles with renewable energy storage, such as batteries or , for regenerative braking, improving efficiency and lowering the amount of hydrogen storage required. Potential hydrail applications include all types of rail transport: commuter rail; passenger rail; freight rail; light rail; rail rapid transit; mine railways; industrial railway systems; trams; and special rail rides at parks and museums.
The term hydrail is believed to date back to 22 August 2003, from an invited presentation at the US Department of Transportation's Volpe Transportations Systems Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[Grey, Eva. "German state thrusts hydrogen-powered hydrail into the spotlight." railway-technology.com, 21 June 2016.] However, according to authors Stan Thompson and Jim Bowman, the term first appeared in print on 17 February 2004 in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy as a search engine target word to enable scholars and technicians around the world working in the hydrogen rail area to more easily publish and locate all work produced within the discipline.[Stan Thompson and Jim Bowman (2004) "The Mooresville Hydrail Initiative", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 29(4): 438, in "News and Views" (a non-peer-reviewed section)]
Since 2005, annual International Hydrail Conferences have been held. Organised by Appalachian State University and the Mooresville South Iredell Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with universities and other entities, the Conferences have the aim of bringing together scientists, engineers, business leaders, industrial experts, and operators working or using the technology around the world in order to expedite deployment of the technology for environmental, climate, energy security and economic development reasons. Presenters at these conferences have included national and state/provincial agencies from the US, Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, the EU, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United Nations (UNIDO-ICHET). In its early years, these conferences were largely dominated by academic fields; however, by 2013, an increasing number of businesses and industrial figures have reportedly been in attendance.[ "Hydrail comes of age." railengineer.uk, 5 January 2018.]
During the 2010s, both fuel cells and hydrogen generation equipment have been taken up by several transport operators across various countries, such as China, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Many of the same technologies that can be applied to hydrail vehicles can be applied to other forms of transport as well, such as road vehicles.
Technology
Hydrogen is a common and easy to find
Chemical element, given that each molecule of
water has two
of hydrogen for every
oxygen atom present.
Hydrogen can be separated from water via several means, including steam reforming (normally involving the use of
) and electrolysis (which requires large amounts of
electricity and is less commonly used). Once isolated, hydrogen can serve as a form of fuel.
It has been proposed that hydrogen for fueling hydrail vehicles can be produced in individual maintenance depots, requiring only a steady supply of electricity and water; it can then be pumped into pressurised tanks upon the vehicle.
The development of lighter and more capable fuel cells has increased the viability of hydrogen-powered vehicles. According to Canadian company Hydrogenics, in 2001 its fuel cell weighed and had an efficiency range between 38 and 45 percent; however, by 2017 their fuel cells weighed with an efficiency of 48 to 55 percent, a roughly five-fold increase in power density.
A key technology of a typical hydrogen propulsion system is the fuel cell. This device converts the chemical energy contained within the hydrogen in order to generate electricity, as well as water and heat.
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.
According to Rail Engineer and Alstom, a 10 MW wind farm is capable of comfortably producing of hydrogen per day—enough to power a fleet of 14 iLint trains over a distance of per day.
It was observed by Railway Technology that the rail industry has been historically slow to adopt new technologies and relatively conservative in outlook; however, a successful large-scale deployment of this technology by an early adopter may be decisive in overcoming attitudes of reluctance and traditionalism.
Hydrolley
A
hydrolley is a term for a
streetcar or tram (trolley) powered by hydrail technology. The term (for
hydrogen tro
lley) 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
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In 2002, the first , , hydrogen-powered mining locomotive powered by Nuvera Fuel Cells for Placer Dome was demonstrated in Val-d'Or, Quebec.
[ "Fuel-Cell-Powered Mine Locomotive." Sandia National Laboratories, 2004.]
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In April 2006, the world's first hydrail railcar, which was developed by East Japan Railway Company, was developed.
[ "Development of the World's First Fuel Cell Hybrid Railcar." East Japan Railway Company, 11 April 2006. Accessed 6 February 2011.]
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In October 2006, the Railway Technical Research Institute in Japan conducted tests on a fuel cell hydrail, a intercity train powered by Nuvera Fuel Cells.
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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.
[ "World's first hydrogen fuel train tested in Taiwan." People's Daily, 13 April 2007.]
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In 2007, the Railway Technical Research Institute in Japan built two passenger cars, each with a PEM fuel cell and a 150 kW battery.
[Adamson, Kerry-Ann "2007 Niche Transport Survey." July 2007. (PDF). Fuel Cell Today.]
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In 2008, the East Japan Railway Company in Japan tested its experimental "NE Train" hybrid train fitted with two PEM and lithium-ion batteries for a short period in the Nagano area.
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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.
[ "BNSF Railway and Vehicle Projects Demonstrate Experimental Hydrogen-Fuel-Cell Switch Locomotive." BNSF Railway, 29 June 2009.] It reportedly performed its first run during 2010.
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In 2010, a high-speed hydrail line was proposed in Indonesia.
[ "Hydrail: Preliminary Proposal". interstatetraveler.us.] The rail link, now under feasibility study, would connect several cities in Java with a hydrogen-powered maglev system.
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In 2011, FEVE and the University of Valladolid (CIDAUT) launched the FC Tram Project in Asturias using a converted FABIOLOS series 3400 from SNCV.
[ "FEVE hydrogen tram." vialibre-ffe.com.]
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During 2012, the Hydrogen Train Project in Denmark commenced its efforts to develop and build Europe's first hydrogen powered train using hydrogen in an internal combustion engine.
[ "Europe's first hydrogen powered train." The Hydrogen Train Project.][ "Denmark wants Europe's first hydrogen train." trb.org.]
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In 2012, the mini-hydrail Hydrogen Pioneer Train from the University of Birmingham, a scaled powertrain for configuration testing.
[ "First UK hydrogen train takes passengers for a ride." New Scientist, July 2012.]
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Between 2012 and 2014, testing was conducted on the hydrail concept in China.
[ "China introduces first light-rail train with new-energy fuel cells." People's Daily, 29 November 2010.]
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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.
[ "Amplats testing fuel cell-powered loco at Rustenburg mine." engineeringnews.co.za, 9 May 2012][ "Partnership to produce five fuel cell mine locomotives." fuelcelltoday.com, February 2012.]
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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 for trials with two fuel cell Alstom Coradia trains by 2018.
[ "Alstom to develop a new emission-free train for passengers in Germany." Alstom, September 2014.]
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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.
[ "Dubai-streetcar" applrguk.co.uk.] In 2015, CSR Sifang Co Ltd. showed its first 380-passenger tram in Qingdao, China.[ "Powered future starts in trams, not cars." Bloomberg, 25 March 2015.]
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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.
[Doll, Von Nikolaus. "Erster Wasserstoff-Zug der Welt fährt in Deutschland." welt.de, 20 September 2016.]
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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.
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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 1,100 km network using a fleet of 60 iLint hydrail vehicles by 2025.
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In September 2017, Alstom proposed a trial of Hydrogen Fuel Cell powered train on the new Liverpool to Chester line in England, which is scheduled for opening in December 2018. Alstom have a new facility in Halebank on the edge of Liverpool adjacent to the line, with hydrogen available from the nearby Stanlow Refinery.
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In March 2018, the Sarawak state government in Malaysia proposed that the Kuching Kuching LRT will be powered using hydrogen fuel cells and is expected to be completed by 2024.
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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 Toyota Mirai cars.
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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.
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On 17 March 2021, SNCF 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.
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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).
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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.
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Hydrogen locomotives - BNSF Railway, Caterpillar, Progress Rail, and Chevron partnered up in 2021 to develop a hydrogen fuel cell locomotive prototype.
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The proposed Valley Link commuter rail service in Northern California is planning to use zero emission hydrogen trainsets for its operations.
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/ref>
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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.
[ talgo.com]
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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.
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.
Japan
The FV-E991 series hydrogen train entered fare paying service in 2022 on the
Tsurumi Line between
/ref>
United States
A hydrogen train is scheduled to operate between the cities of Redlands and
San Bernardino in
/ref>
Drawbacks
In October 2022, the German state of Baden-Württemberg announced that it would not be considering further use of hydrogen trains, as a study it commissioned found them up to 80% more expensive than electric trains powered by batteries or overhead wires.
See also
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Combined cycle powered railway locomotive
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Hydrogen vehicle
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Hydrogen fuel cell power plant
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List of fuel cell vehicles
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Timeline of hydrogen technologies
External links
