Recently, Indian Railways has successfully tested the first hydrogen -powered coach at Chennai’s Integral Coach Factory (ICF). This is a major step towards making India’s first hydrogen train. Only a few countries of the world have built such trains and most are still in the testing stage.
This railway project is also important because it is part of the attempt to clean the environment of the country and promote clean sources (such as hydrogen) for energy. Hydrogen is more clean than diesel like fuel and it also reduces pollution. The project is currently in its last phase, where different parts of the train are being tested and tested so that it can be run for the passengers.
The project started under the Northern Railway Zone and started in 2020-21. This includes two big tasks:
Transforming two diesel engines into a hydrogen -powered engine
Hydrogen store and filling facility in Jind, Haryana
The cost of this entire project is around ₹ 136 crore. It is being designed by the Railway RDSO department investigating, testing and security.
A railway ministry official said that the train will be of a total of 10 coaches and will have two power engines. This train will be able to take more than 2,600 passengers at a time. This train will run between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana and will cover a distance of 356 km every day. For this, a system of storing 3,000 kg hydrogen is also being made in Jind.
Now the question comes, how will this train run?
Hydrogen is a very light and fire -catching gas, so it has to be handled very carefully. Special cylinders have been installed in each engine to fill about 220 kg of hydrogen. Tests have been done several times for them so that there is no leak or accident.
The train will have special safety features like –
Pressure release valve
Gas leak and fire catch sensor
Temperature checking system
And good ventilation (air movement) arrangements
Its safety check is conducting TUV-SUD, an independent agency in Germany. The full design of the train has been done in the Chennai factory and is helping Hyderabad’s Medha Servo Drives Company.
Hydrogen filling facility is made in Jind and gas will be kept in two parts –
The entire place will be made according to the rules of the Petroleum and Explosives Security Organization (PESO). Along with this, the railway is also making arrangements like electricity, roads, water and fire safety so that the facility works properly.
