Der Hindenberg has entered the chat

Trains Magazine Locomotives
1

Oh the Huge Manatee!

Germany going with Hydrogen fuel cell trains.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/coradia-ilint-hydrogen-trains/index.html

I have questions. Like, I assume that for now the hyrdogen is mostly being produced via fossil fuels. So…CO2 not withstanding, that’s a geopolitical hot potato.

Makes me more curious how the Canadian experiments are going. I know in the US there are some non-hydrocarbon based Hydrogen generating schemes. In particular wind during off peak hours which seems quite promising.

I assume, perhaps incorrectly that Hydrogen fuel cell based locomotives would have more moving parts than a battery or full electric would. is that true?

2

Hydrogen fuel cells are a well developed mature and safe technology having been developed in the 1960’s to power the US manned space missions. Hydrogen can be extracted from water using eloctrolysis and with wind or solar power to provide the electicity to get the hydrogen it is totally carbon neutral. What they are talking about is hydrogen gas in a steel container NOT in fabric airbags surronded by a flammable outer fabric shell like the Hindenburg.

3

My dad jokes and bad puns are lost on the Locomotive forum. [:D]

4

Too many (non-locomotive) engineers around here…[:)]