North America’s first hydrogen powered train is in Charlevoix, Quebec
Published May 3rd, 2023
As automotive travel sees the largest change since its inception over a century ago, train travel is also changing. The majority of alternative propulsion stems from electricity and hydrogen is part of the mix.
A quick aside: I recently spent time in Antwerp, Germany, to learn about how BMW is using hydrogen as an alternative fuel for their vehicles.
In-depth articles on hydrogen powered cars can be found here and here, along with a video on a hydrogen car here.
Let’s dig into North America’s first hydrogen-powered passenger train, which debuts in charming Charlevoix, Quebec.
In partnership with the Government of Quebec, Chemin de fer Charlevoix, Harnois Énergies and HTEC, this project will test a first-ever green hydrogen ecosystem dedicated to rail transportation in North America.
A key player is Quebec-based Alstom, a global leader in smart and sustainable mobility.
Their innovation centre in the Americas is dedicated to the development of rail mobility solutions with low or zero emissions for the North American market and based in St-Bruno-de-Montarville.
The hydrogen-powered train, called the Coradia iLint, makes its debut on June 17th, 2023, and will run Wednesdays to Saturdays until September 30th as part of the debut.
The route the Coradia iLint will use is on the Réseau Charlevoix rail network, along the St. Lawrence River, between Parc de la Chute-Montmorency and Baie-St-Paul.
The green hydrogen it uses will be produced by Harnois Énergies at its Quebec City site.
Photo credit: Alstom and Studio A&CD
Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas says "Unlike Europe or Asia, the rail network in Canada and the US is barely 1% electrified. It is used by 27,000 diesel locomotives every day, which is a significant proportion of the carbon footprint of our companies. Efforts to make this mode of transport greener must be stepped up, in particular by providing public decision-makers and our customers with proven electric propulsion technologies.”
For comparison, Europe’s rail network its over 50% electrified.
The cost to electrify a train track is staggering at between CAD 2.38 and 6.11 million dollars per km. The infrastructure costs, let alone the maintenance costs, won’t allow Canada to electrify its tracks.
Enter the hydrogen-powered train, which runs on regular, existing rails and requires no retrofitting.
Why Charlevoix?
Alstom says “The Charlevoix region of Quebec is part of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, so it is important to protect it. The lines of the Charlevoix network are non-electrified and are particularly suitable for this project…this a great source of pride and proof of our determination to decarbonize mobility serving local communities.”
Where will it be refuelled?
The train will be refuelled with hydrogen in gaseous form at the Baie-Saint-Paul depot. Harnois Énergies will provide Alstom with hydrogen. HTEC will provide Alstom with the necessary refuelling equipment and Alstom’s teams will manage the safe hydrogen refuelling.
How fast will the train be?
The Coradia iLint has a top speed of 140 km/h. Acceleration and a braking performance is comparable to a standard regional diesel train.
What is the history of the Coradia iLint?
The initial Coradia iLint started commercial service in Germany in 2018 and has travelled over 220,000 kilometres in eight European countries. It’s propelled via a hydrogen fuel cell that emits only water vapour and offers a quieter atmosphere for passengers and those close to tracks.
Do train operators need special training for this hydrogen-powered train?
Yes. Training will be in Salzgitter, Germany, Additional training in Quebec and a period of pre-passenger service preparation when the train arrives in Quebec completes the training.
Where is the Coradia iLint made?
It’s produced by Alstom in Salzgitter, Germany. The traction chain, powered by hydrogen fuel cells, was developed in France at Alstom’s site in Tarbes.
It’s notable for its combination of innovative elements including clean energy conversion, flexible energy storage in batteries and intelligent traction and energy management.
To get it from Germany to Charlevoix, it’ll be transported by rail from the Salzgitter site to the port of Hamburg to then travel on a regular commercial shipping line.It’ll arrive in Canada via Halifax and be shipped by rail to Quebec City.
To date, 41 train sets have been ordered by clients in Europe.
How far can the train travel?
This unit has a range around 500 kilometres; about two round trips between the Parc de la Chute-Montmorency and Baie-Saint-Paul. Interestingly, the hydrogen tanks hold up to 135 kg of hydrogen.
How exactly does this hydrogen passenger train work?
Alstom explains it this way:
The traction of a hydrogen train combines conventional electric traction with two embedded systems:
• a fuel cell that produces electrical energy from hydrogen stored in tanks
• a battery capable of providing additional energy to the train during acceleration and recovering energy during braking
To operate the train, an energy management system is incorporated to manage the different flows to optimize the performance of the train according to the real profile of its mission while saving energy. The only emissions produced by the train will be water vapour and condensed water
What is green hydrogen?
Energy is used to create a chemical reaction, called electrolysis, to break water molecules (H2O) and separate dihydrogen (H2) from oxygen (O). In the case of green hydrogen, this energy is produced from renewable resources.
What progress has been made since its inception?
After nearly four years of experience in passenger train operation and testing with pre-series trains, improvements include:
• New tank arrangements, increasing capacity by almost 25%
• Optimized fuel cell composition architecture reduces active components by 30%
• Improved heating and cooling concept for increased passenger comfort
• Improved acceleration and traction performance
• Improved passenger experience - interior design for greater comfort
• Reduced maintenance and cleaning costs
Why now?
The” Alstom in Motion 2025” strategic plan looks at sustainable and green mobility needs around the world. They aim to set new standards for green and smart mobility for decarbonization, sustainability, innovation and profitability.
Cost of ownership for hydrogen is competitive with diesel, and the investment of installing refuelling stations and the decrease in the price of hydrogen with a higher uptake aims to make it easier to accept and implement.
The competitiveness of the hydrogen solution in relation to electrification will depend on Alstom predicts that the total cost of ownership could be lower than diesel over the life of the train.