Spanish hydrogen train enters its on-track testing phase
28 June, 2023The FCH2Rail project, whereby a two-mode hydrogen-powered demonstrator train is being developed, has reached an important milestone in its on-track testing phase by obtaining authorisation to run on the General Interest Railway Network (RFIG), and having completed the first of the planned routes with the arrival of the unit at Canfranc station, in the Argonese Pyrenees.
The demonstrator train was the first to achieve this. This is an important milestone, as the Canfranc line is particularly demanding due to its steep and high gradients which pose a great challenge for the new on-board power generation systems.
To this end, the demonstrator train, a Renfe Cercanías unit, has run on the Zaragoza-Canfranc line both in electric mode, in the electrified area, and in hybrid mode, combining energy from hydrogen cells and batteries in the non-electrified sections.
A new phase of on-track tests is now under way to test the new technology in a wide range of power and energy demand conditions, simulating different commercial services.