The primary hydrogen-powered passenger prepare not too long ago rolled into the station.
San Bernadino Depot Practice Station has welcomed the arrival of its first ever hydrogen prepare. The H2 passenger prepare – often called ZEMU (Zero Emission A number of Unit) – was inbuilt Switzerland by Stadler and is a hydrogen gas cell-powered FLIRT H2 trainset.
San Bernadino’s H2 prepare has been a very long time coming.
The hydrogen prepare arrived on the Southern California station after greater than a decade of planning. This included 4 years of prepare improvement by the San Bernadino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), which acknowledged the necessity for environment friendly, sustainable clean-powered passenger rail as a part of the regional transportation ecosystem. As such, the arrival of the H2 train marks a major milestone on its superb journey from idea to ready-to-transport-passengers actuality.
“ZEMU’s arrival in San Bernardino is a significant milestone recognizing years of strategic planning for a greener rail system and a commitment to innovative transportation solutions in San Bernardino County,” SBCTA President Ray Marquez stated in a current news release saying the prepare’s arrival.
The hydrogen prepare is the primary FRA compliant rail car of its variety in North America.
The brand new self-powered prepare makes use of hybrid hydrogen and battery technology to drive the prepare and energy onboard electrical methods. The one emission generated from the prepare’s propulsion system is water vapor. To emphasise this reality, the ZEMU encompasses a blue and white coloured water vapor design that wraps round its two passenger automobiles.
ZEMU Hydrogen-powered passenger prepare on the San Bernardino Depot Practice Station – Picture Supply: SBCTA
ZEMU is a clear transit different and the primary Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) compliant rail car of its sort in North America.
The brand new hydrogen prepare will run between San Bernadino and Redlands, California. Within the coming weeks, ZEMU will conduct the ultimate stage of testing. These checks will embody runs on the Arrow line and Metrolink system verify. If all goes in response to plan, the prepare is predicted to soundly enter into service later this yr.
Stadler’s H2 prepare has set world Information.
Whereas not the one hydrogen prepare in existence, Stadler’s FLIRT H2 is a Guinness World Records title holder.
Again in March of this yr, the prepare set a Guinness World Document for its achievement of getting traveled the longest distance by a pilot H2-powered electrical a number of unit passenger prepare on solely a single tank of gas.
