India has flagged off its first hydrogen-powered passenger train, which operates on the Jind-Sonipat stretch in Haryana. The train is designed as a clean-transport demonstration for Indian Railways and as a pilot for future hydrogen rail deployment.
How the train works
The train does not draw electricity from overhead wires and does not burn diesel. Instead, it uses a proton exchange membrane fuel-cell system in which hydrogen stored in cylinders reacts with oxygen to generate electricity on board.
The main by-products are water vapour and heat, which is why hydrogen fuel-cell trains are treated as a low-emission alternative in rail transport.
The train is a 10-coach set with two driving power cars and eight trailer coaches. The two power cars together generate 2,400 kW, and the design speed is 110 km/h. The train can carry around 2,600 passengers.
