Indian Railways (IR) has envisaged to run 35 Hydrogen trains under “Hydrogen for Heritage” at an estimated cost of Rs 80 crores per train and ground infrastructure of Rs 70 crores per route on various heritage/hill routes. The trial of its first hydrogen-powered train is scheduled for December 2024. This initiative will make India the fifth country in the world to operate eco-friendly hydrogen trains, joining the ranks of Germany, France, Sweden, and China.
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India’s first hydrogen train: Trials to begin from…, check distance, route, top speed to be…
Indian Railways has enlisted Germany’s TUV-SUD for a third-party safety audit of the country’s first hydrogen-powered train.
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According to a report by The Economic Times, officials expect trial operations for this innovative rolling stock to commence in December 2024. In addition to the train, five Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Based Tower Cars (maintenance vehicles) are being developed, with each unit estimated to cost Rs 10 crore. “Indian Railways (IR) will have 35 trains under the Hydrogen for Heritage initiative at an estimated cost of Rs 80 crore per train, with an additional Rs 70 crore investment in ground infrastructure per route on various heritage or hilly routes,” an official was quoted as saying Economic Times.
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The first prototype will be tested on the 89 km Jind-Sonipat route in Haryana, with integration efforts currently underway at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.
Hydrogen fuel for the trains will be obtained from a 1-megawatt Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) electrolyser situated in Jind, which is anticipated to generate around 430 kg of hydrogen each day. The refuelling infrastructure at Jind will feature a 3,000 kg hydrogen storage facility and dispensers designed for quick refuelling.
