FLIRT H2 - Trend reversal: Stadler builds hydrogen trains for the USA, traditionally a car country

The employees of the tech and internet giants in Silicon Valley are building robots with artificial intelligence, working on self-driving cars and revolutionising the Internet. However, their journey to work takes them back to the early days of the railway: smoking diesel locomotives rumble through the country’s epicentre of technology.

Nowhere is the gap between the billions in private investment in the digital future and the marginal public funding for the railways more drastic than here. However, a trend reversal is inevitable: from 2030 onwards, California – and many other states – will only be allowed to operate trains that do not emit any pollutants. This can only be achieved with considerable investment in the electrification of the rail network and with new rolling stock. At present, less than one percent of rails in the USA are equipped with overhead contact lines. Almost all rail transport is diesel-powered

The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) in California has recognised the signs of the times and taken an important, if not visionary, step towards decarbonising its rail transport by ordering the first hydrogen-powered train from Stadler, the FLIRT H2 . This model is the latest addition to Stadler’s portfolio of alternative drive systems.

Following its initial presentation in 2022, the first hydrogen train in American passenger transport is scheduled to be put into service in California in 2024.

The first FLIRT H2 for SBCTA consists of two electrically-powered end cars and a modular “Powerpack” in the centre. This “Powerpack” contains the fuel cells and hydrogen tanks. The fuel cells convert the hydrogen into electricity. This current is passed on to a drive battery. The battery supplies the vehicle’s drives with the power they need. This configuration also allows energy to be recovered during braking. Thanks to this drive solution, the FLIRT H2 is able to operate all day without refuelling. The train provides seats for 108 passengers and has additional standing room. The vehicle can reach a maximum speed of 130 km/h. The train is also designed for operation at high ambient temperatures of up to 49 degrees Celsius

Other countries are also opting for Stadler’s hydrogen train for their decarbonisation strategies. The Italian railway operators Ferrovie della Calabria (FdC) and Azienda Regionale Sarda Trasporti (ARST) each ordered six new hydrogen trains for narrow gauge tracks in the reporting year. This makes Stadler the first train manufacturer in the world to produce narrow-gauge hydrogen trains. Both operators have since exercised an option for three more vehicles, meaning that Stadler will supply a total of 18 vehicles for the Italian narrow-gauge market.