Hydrogen trains might be the future of Canadian rail

Hydrogen fuel is sometimes called the fuel of the future, and it’s being used in a number of ways around the world. The rail giant CPKC is trialling a new hydrogen train in Alberta, that it hopes can replace diesel-fuelled freight locomotives in delivering goods across the continent.
The Globe’s Alberta and energy reporter, Kelly Cyderman, joins us to discuss hydrogen trains, how they work, and how this development might lead toward a greener Canada.
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[@jptrainor]

Why not just power the damn train directly with electricity like the rest of the world has done for decades.

[@CicadaSong576]

Sad to report that trains in America run predominantly on diesel fuel.

[@stickynorth]

@@CicadaSong576 North America tend to be outliers...

[@stickynorth]

CP and CN don't want to spend billions on creating power infrastructure that's why which is stupid because it's way cheaper and cleaner overall... Perhaps a joint venture between the federal government and the railways needs to happen to both double-track and electrify all the main routes in Canada for upgraded passenger and cargo services like it should have done decades ago...

[@treinenliefde]

Because overhead wires are a headache for rural or lightly used railways. It's an expensive system that needs power stations and transformers at regular intervals. It can get damaged easily and needs checks and replacements over time. Unless you have a large volume of traffic or are in a more built up area with electricity and m oraintenance easily available going the overhead wire route isn't actually that good of an idea. Here in Europe there are many lines that are run with diesel or hydrogen trains because going all electric simply isn't practical, often still with more frequent traffic in more built up areas.

[@LoneHowler]

From what I've heard. The route that they want to run this train on, they considered electrification, but since it would be going through downtown and into an existing decommissioned station that goes under a building. That the clearance wasn't enough for electrical lines

[@roger1818]

The biggest problem with using hydrogen as an energy source is it is very expensive to produce in the required elemental form and most ways of producing it still produce carbon dioxide. Carbon capture and storage further adds to the cost and energy required to produce. For hydrogen to be financially viable, the carbon tax will need to be significantly higher than it is today.

[@ianleslie6971]

Why do people not understand the electricity must come from somewhere. Also why do people limit and confuse models. You can run flatland trains for thousands of miles, then use diesel to run through the mountains. The catalysts are expensive and toxic. Other countries are using train technology hydrogen power. On an experimental basis but still run into sourcing costs effectively problems.
Clean energy can be confusing if you add the toxic and expensive sources of catalysts.

[@stickynorth]

Hydrogen is better than diesel but not as good as full electrification... I propose the federal government create a joint venture with the railroads to double track and electrify the mainlines of Canada so that we can have both expanded cargo and passenger rail services with a much cleaner footprint...