Western Railroad Discussion > Sierra Northern and Hydrogen

From Railway Age this morning, news of the new Sierra Northern hydrogen fuel cell switcher ptoject:
Interesting project and you'd wonder who of the builders or rebuilders of note will follow suit.
https://www.railwayage.com/freight/supply-briefs-socalgas-sierra-northern-clearblade-phoenix-contact/

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I should add a PS - From the picture and considering the number that SN owns, looks like they might finally
make something useful out of a Genset!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/21 12:14 by callum_out.

It should be as successful as a Toyota Mirai, a car that's been around for 6 years.  In that time, the worldwide sales has averaged a 1,700 a year.

And those 6 X 1700 are still looking for the fill points that were promised.

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Zero emission -
It is powered by starlight and moonbeams.
...Lorenzo

567Chant Wrote:
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> Zero emission -
> It is powered by starlight and moonbeams.
> ...Lorenzo

Actually not "zero" emission, it does produce H2O.

That's good, there is a water shortage up there.

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Are they using electrolysis or steam-methane reforming to make the hydrogen?

They are not making hydrogen, they are using it. But, downstream your point is very important. Hydrogen is not
going to catch on as a fuel until the energy input for production is much reduced as is the overall cost.

Out 

EricSP Wrote:
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> Are they using electrolysis or steam-methane
> reforming to make the hydrogen?

Hydrogen is usually already contained inside the fuel, whether it be in liquid or gaseous form.

Hydrogen fuel cell is just another way to "store" electricity. Technology relies on chemical reaction to produce electricity (2H2 + O2 --> electricity + 2H2O) with water as a byproduct as mentioned above. Basically, it's an electric vehicle with different "fuel" (as opposed to battery).

I rode fuel cell buses at the 2005 World Expo near Nagoya, Japan where hydrogen-powered prototypes already existed:

http://www.expo2005.or.jp/jp/A0/A6/A6.7/A6.7.2/index.html

It was funny watching the buses "spit out" water out the exhaust. It was actually a "hybrid" with NiMH battery used as additional energy storage. The buses were "self-driving" with extensive road side sensors to assist the buses in a closed system. Off topic, but limitations of "self-driving" technology was already clear 15 years ago, and alleged "progress" since then hasn't changed it that much. Financial media is too stupid or too greedy to let you know.

This is around the time the 43rd U.S. President touted the "Hydrogen Economy" without explaining the technology. Always takes a politician to confuse people.

Perhaps "make" was not the best word to use. I am aware both water and methane contain hydrogen. Either way they have to separate the hydrogen atoms from non hydrogen atoms and combine two to make a hydrogen molecule.