The first hydrogen train on the Spanish railway network!
The FCH2Rail project, in which a bi-mode demonstrator train with hydrogen fuel cells is being developed, has achieved an important milestone by obtaining authorisation to run in tests on the Spanish National Railway Network, and having completed the first of the routes planned with the arrival of the unit at Canfranc station, in the Aragonese Pyrenees. The demonstrator train is the first hydrogen train to achieve this milestone. This is an outstanding highlight, because the Canfranc line is a particularly demanding line due to its steep and high gradients, which involve a great challenge for the new power generation systems. To this end, the demonstrator train, a Renfe’s Civia commuter unit, has run on the Zaragoza-Canfranc line both in electric mode, in the electrified area, and in hybrid mode, combining energy from hydrogen fuel cells and batteries in the non-electrified sections.
Video resources:
- Project overview: https://youtu.be/_EvkyMoHYfo?feature=shared
- Testing the Fuel Cell PowerPack at CNH2: https://youtu.be/mC7EGb9VA7w?feature=shared
- H2 refuelling station in service: https://youtu.be/RkGnYSADNO0?feature=shared
- Train Transformation: https://youtu.be/bFBR6nhyEVI?feature=shared
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