Indian Railways to run its first hydrogen train to demonstrate 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'
New Delhi, December 10
Indian Railways has taken up a state-of-the-art project for running its first hydrogen train, on a pilot basis, as per specifications framed by the Research, Design & Standards Organisation (RDSO) to demonstrate the use of hydrogen-powered train technology in Railways.
The information was provided by the Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
In his reply, the Minister said that the manufacturing of the Hydrogen Train-set has been completed. To supply hydrogen for this train set, a hydrogen plant has been proposed in Jind. At this plant, hydrogen is produced via electrolysis, a key step in green hydrogen generation.
The Minister said that the Hydrogen Train-set features many prominent elements, including a train designed and developed in India, demonstrating Indian Railways' commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Vaishnaw stated that it is currently the world's longest (10 coaches) and most powerful (2400 kW) Hydrogen Train Set on a Broad-Gauge platform. Also, the train set comprises two Driving Power Cars (DPCs) rated at 1200 kW each, totalling 2400 kW, along with eight passenger cars.
The minister said that one of the crucial features of this train is zero CO2 emissions; the only emission is water vapour.
Vaishnaw said this project is a significant step toward developing next-generation fuel technology for the Railways. This project involved designing from the outset, manufacturing prototypes, and producing hydrogen traction technology for Indian Railways for the first time. As the Hydrogen Train-set and its infrastructure have been developed on a pilot basis, a direct comparison of the cost of hydrogen-fuelled trains with established traction systems at this stage would not be fair.
According to the Minister, the project demonstrates Indian Railways' commitment to advancing alternative-energy-powered train travel, helping ensure a cleaner, greener future for the country's transportation sector.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Wonderful initiative! But I hope the focus remains on making regular train travel better too. Clean tech is great, but we also need punctuality, cleanliness, and safety for the millions who travel daily. This should complement, not distract from, core improvements.
World's longest and most powerful hydrogen train on broad gauge? That's seriously impressive. Jind plant producing green hydrogen is key. Hope this tech can be scaled up cost-effectively for wider use. The future looks clean!
As someone who travels frequently by train between Delhi and Chandigarh, I'm excited by this. If it means cleaner air at stations and a quieter ride, I'm all for it. Hope the pilot is successful and leads to real deployment.
The tech sounds promising, but the cost factor worries me. The minister himself says a cost comparison isn't fair yet. We need to be practical. Will this make train tickets more expensive for the common man? Innovation is good, but affordability is crucial for India.
Designed and developed in India! That's the best part. We have the talent and capability. This pilot project in Haryana (Jind) could boost local industry and create skilled jobs. A step in the right direction for energy independence. ðŸ‘
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