On March 20th, the manufacturer of a hydrogen train announced that it traveled almost 3,000km without needing to refuel, earning it a spot in the Guinness World Records.
The Flirt H2 model, created by Swiss train manufacturer Stadler, completed a 1,741-mile journey in Colorado, United States. The test took place over 46 hours, starting in the evening and continuing throughout the night and the next day. The hydrogen train began the test with a full tank of fuel and did not stop to refuel. Drivers from Stadler and Ensco alternated operating the machine during the world record attempt.
Guinness World Records certified the effort as the longest distance traveled by a hydrogen-powered multi-car passenger train on a single tank.
The train was able to travel a distance of 2,803km, which is significantly more than its advertised range of 460km. This was likely achieved because the manufacturer was able to optimize the train’s operation on a test track without any interruptions or inclines.
In 2022, Alstom reported that the hydrogen-powered Coradia iLint traveled 1,175km in Germany without needing to be refueled during regular operation.
Stadler did not reveal any details of the size of the fuel cells fitted to the record-breaking train, however the Flirt H2 model supplied to the San Bernadino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) in California this year — set to be the US’s first hydrogen train — is fitted with 12 fuel cells of 100kW each, implying an overall hydrogen powertrain of 1.2MW.
The train is currently undergoing testing ahead of its scheduled entry-into-service this year. The state of California has since ordered four four-car hydrogen fuel cell trains from Stadler for the California State Transportation Agency, with the option to order a further six in 2024.
Reference- Stadler Newsroom, Hydrogen Insight, Railway Technology