Get ready to ride the first zero-emission hydrogen train in the US by 2025
Zero-emission cars may be a familiar concept, but expect to hear more about sustainable trains. The first zero-emission, hydrogen-powered passenger train in the U.S., called FLIRT H₂, is set to go into service later this year in Southern California, the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority announced last week.
The record-breaking train will serve as a commuter train on Metrolink’s Arrow Line. But don’t expect to travel across the country, or even from one end of the state to the other. The train will travel a 9.6-mile route between San Bernardino and Redlands, California.
FLIRT H₂, produced by Swiss company Stadler Rail, has already set a world record before it even welcomed passengers on board. In March, it set the record for the longest distance traveled by a prototype hydrogen fuel cell electric multiple unit train without refueling, surpassing the Guinness Book of World Records by driving 1,742 miles straight on a test track in Colorado. It began driving with full tanks on March 20 and stopped when the tanks were empty on March 22.
“Stadler is consistently focusing on the future of rail transport with alternative propulsion systems by continuously developing innovative technologies,” said Martin Ritter, CEO of Stadler US, in a press release. article posted on the company’s website. “By using hydrogen as a clean energy source, we are actively contributing to environmental protection and shaping the sustainable and emission-free travel of tomorrow.”
The US train industry is moving toward sustainability. In a Release in AprilAmtrak said it is aiming for net zero emissions by 2045. And in its statement, Stadler said it is the first train manufacturer in the world to produce narrow-gauge hydrogen trains, and that the company has a contract to deliver a total of 15 hydrogen vehicles in Italy. The ferry industry is also on board with similar sustainability efforts. first hydrogen powered ferry is expected to debut in San Francisco this year.
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The FLIRT H₂ not only runs emission-free, but is also quieter than the current diesel trains in the region.
“If you are on the [FLIRT H₂] “On the train, you can sit across from each other, at a table or across the train, and have a very quiet, pleasant, normal conversation without being interrupted by what we normally experience with train noise,” said Tim Watkins, director of legislative and public affairs for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority. LAist.
