New Delhi, July 16 -- India is all set to welcome a new era in the history of railways through its maiden Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Trainset today, which will act as a harbinger of India's journey to more sustainable rail travel. The train, set to run on the Jind-Sonipat track of Northern Railway, is much more than just another innovation. It has witnessed many advancements since its inception, from steam locomotive trains powered by coal and diesel to an almost completely electrified system.
This train arrives during a time when Indian Railways has already electrified over 99 per cent of its Broad Gauge track in the past decade. With Indian Railways having reduced its dependency on imported diesel, hydrogen fuel is set to become the next big thing, especially in those areas where overhead electrification may not always be the best option.
Unlike traditional electric trains - which depend on overhead electrical wires for energy, the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trainset produces electricity using an electrochemical process in which hydrogen combines with oxygen in what is known as Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells, thus producing electricity to run the trains' traction motors without any harmful emissions other than water vapour and heat.
It means that the train carries its own power source just like how steam and diesel trains used to. The only major difference is that there is no need for burning fossil fuels since the energy conversion process does not involve combustion of any kind.
The train is made up of two Hydrogen Driving Power Cars placed at both ends and eight trailer coaches, thus being the first hydrogen-powered passenger train of 10 coaches in India. Both Hydrogen Driving Power Cars produce 1,200 kW (1,600 hp), which is enough to enable the train to run at 110 kmph as the design speed, whereas its operational speed on the Jind-Sonipat route is 75 kmph.
The train will carry 2,600 passengers, thus being much larger than any other hydrogen passenger train that operates anywhere else around the globe. The majority of hydrogen trains that operate in Europe and Asia have just two to four coaches each.
The inaugural run will connect Jind and Sonipat in the state of Haryana on an 89-kilometre stretch from Gohana, Jind City, Pandu Pindara Junction, Bhambhewa and Mohana among other intermediate stops. This route has been chosen to test the performance of the hydrogen-fuelled passenger trains and their safety in normal railway operations.
The train has the support of an infrastructure, which is described by the Indian Railways as India's first hydrogen railway ecosystem. The railway, further, in Jind has set up the biggest railway hydrogen generation and refuelling station in the country. Hydrogen gas is generated through electrolysis of water using electricity in a process that involves separation of the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen.
Designed to international safety standards, the indigenous hydrogen train features leak detectors, automatic shutdown systems and comprehensive monitoring. Developed under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, the project marks India's entry into hydrogen-powered rail transport and could pave the way for similar trains on heritage railway routes.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.