Passenger Trains > Redlands Hydrogen Unit to Begin Testing Saturday

From the San Bernardino County Transportation Aithority:
https://www.gosbcta.com/zemu-testing-advances-in-november-with-start-of-test-trips-through-arrow-corridor/

San Bernardino County Transportation Authority’s ZEMU(Zero Emissions Multiple Unit) fuel
cell-powered FLIRT H2 train from Stadler will start testing this Saturday Nov. 2 on Metrolink’s 
Arrow line between San Bernardino and Redlands, CA. 

Testing will occur in two phases. The first phase will include weekend test trips, which are 
scheduled to take place the weekend of Nov. 2-3, 2024, between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. each day.
Testing will again take place Nov. 9-10, 2024, between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. each day. 

During this phase of testing, normal Metrolink Arrow service will be suspended and railroad
crossing bells and train horns will be sounded at all crossings as the ZEMU passes through to 
validate the communications technology between the train and the detection systems at the 
crossings. During the validation period, safety personnel will be positioned at all intersections.  

After the weekend validation phase, the second phase of testing is expected to begin Monday, Nov. 11, 
and take place overnight on weeknights between 9:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. through January 2025.
Riders should expect evening service to end early during this phase.

Railroad crossing bells will sound at each crossing when the train passes. No train horns are
expected. However, the engineer may blow the horns, on an as needed basis, if deemed necessary
for the safety of motorists and pedestrians. 

Upon entering service the ZEMU will be North America’s first self-powered, zero-emission passenger
train that meets Federal Railroad Administration requirements. The train uses a hybrid hydrogen 
and battery technology to propel the train and power onboard electrical systems. Water vapor is 
the only emission generated from the propulsion system, making this a clean transit alternative.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/24 06:58 by milepost20.

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>North America’s first self-powered, zero-emission passenger
train

The train itself may be zero emission, as is an electric train, but the production of the hydrogen it uses is propbably not since most current hydrogen production uses natural gas as far as I know. Producing the hydrogen using electricity could be depending on the power source. Hydrogen is really an energy stortrage medium, not an energy source. There aren't any hydrogen wells or mines - it takes as much energy to produce as it provides. . It may still be a good idea, but they should be honest about what they are doing.

Jim B

That is an ugly paint scheme attempt.

The myth of current "no-emissions" technology is more properly, "No-emissions-that-you-can-see".  I recall similar silliness when the "smokeless" jet engine appeared in the early 1970s. It was a small change in the burner section of the DC-9, 737, and 727 engines and presto, the smoke disappeared!  Great...except the particulate content of the exhaust actually increased, but no one could see it!  Same with all the no-emission electric and hydrogen locomotives.  There's as much pollution...but nobody can see it.  Great!

The San Bernardino - Redlands area is very sensitive to particulate pollution from diesel engines, mostly because of all the warehouses and distribution centers that have sprung up during the past decade. All of the trucks that serve them have greatly added to the particulate pollution problem so this "zero emissions" EMU is a way for SANBAG (San Bernardino Association of Governments) to look like they're doing something about the problem. 
In the past there was problems about all the particulate pollution from all the diesel locomotives at the Santa Fe San Bernardino and SP West Colton yards and the stuff coming from the old Kaiser Steel Mill in Fontana. So they're just a bit sensative about this stuff.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/24 15:03 by PHall.

The goal is to work towards "green" hydrogen which is produced by using electricity
from renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power, to electrolyse water.
"Grey" hydrogen from natural gas or methane is currently the most common.  A review 
of the hydrogen color spectrum:
https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/hydrogen-colour-spectrum

Caltrans has a lot riding on this Redlands line demonstration being successful as they
have ten Stadler hydrogen units on order to be built to intercity standards with options
for up to 19 more:
https://dot.ca.gov/news-releases/news-release-2024-007

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milepost20 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The goal is to work towards "green" hydrogen which
> is produced by using electricity
> from renewable energy sources, such as solar or
> wind power, to electrolyse water.
> "Grey" hydrogen from natural gas or methane is
> currently the most common.  A review 
> of the hydrogen color spectrum:
> https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explai
> ned/hydrogen-colour-spectrum

Correct. And in that clean electricy paradigm the production of hydrogen can actually remove unwanted methane from the environment. CP seems to be learning this with their hydrogen locomotives. A hydrogen infrastructure makes a lot more sense for railroads to me than battery powered locomotives or adding overhead wire over every track in North America. Curious how hard it was for CP to convert their locomotive to hydrogen, given they did in "in house." I did read CSX wanted to collaborate with them on the project as well.

jimB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hydrogen is really an energy stortrage medium, not an
> energy source.

So is fossil fuel.  In that case it is storing sunlight that grew the plants that fed the critters millions of years ago.  Anything we use for fuel that involves burning something is just solar energy several times removed, if you think about it.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

a737flyer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The myth of current "no-emissions" technology is
> more properly, "No-emissions-that-you-can-see".
>  I recall similar silliness when the "smokeless"
> jet engine appeared in the early 1970s. It was a
> small change in the burner section of the DC-9,
> 737, and 727 engines and presto, the smoke
> disappeared!  Great...except the particulate
> content of the exhaust actually increased, but no
> one could see it!  Same with all the no-emission
> electric and hydrogen locomotives.  There's as
> much pollution...but nobody can see it.  Great!

Do you have any source for that? I’ve been subscribed to Aviation Week since 1970 and never recall reading that.

Posted from iPhone

One British study looks at particulate matter from jet engines, and related airport sources (tugs, fueling vehicles, landing and takeoff activity, etc) and notes that the 1970s regulations from ICAO changed the way aviation sources are viewed.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7108289/