Indian Railways has taken a big step towards running the country’s first hydrogen-powered train. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha that the construction of the country’s first hydrogen train-set has been completed. This train-set has been developed as per the standards set by Research, Design and Standards Organization (RDSO). A green hydrogen production plant based on electrolysis process is also being set up in Jind, Haryana to supply hydrogen required for the operation of trains.
The Railway Minister said that this hydrogen train-set is the longest and most powerful hydrogen train-set in the world. Furthermore, this train-set has been completely indigenously designed and developed, highlighting Indian Railways’ commitment towards the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
The world’s longest and most powerful hydrogen train
According to the Railway Minister, the country’s first hydrogen train-set is the world’s longest (10 coaches) and most powerful (2400 kW) hydrogen train-set running on broad gauge. This train-set consists of two driving power cars (DPC), each with a capacity of 1200 kW, for a total of 2400 kW.
Hydrogen train with 8 passenger coaches
The hydrogen train-set consists of eight passenger coaches. It uses eco-friendly technology. This hydrogen-powered train-set produces zero carbon dioxide emissions, releasing only water vapour. This is a significant leap for Indian Railways in the development of clean, green and alternative fuel-based technologies for next generation railway fuel systems.
The Railway Minister in his reply said that this is the first effort of Indian Railways, right from the initial phase of the project to prototype manufacturing and development of hydrogen traction technology. Since it is currently a pilot project, it is not appropriate to compare its cost with existing conventional traction systems.
