CP continues to pursue a hydrogen locomotive pilot program
11/22/2022
By Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor
Canadian Pacific continues to advance the development of its Hydrogen Zero Emissions Locomotive (H2 0EL).
The newfangled motive power marked a milestone on Oct. 28, when it completed a second mainline test and performed its first revenue service move, pulling seven freight cars from a customer’s facility in Calgary, Alberta.
A year ago, CP launched a pilot project to develop North America’s first line-haul hydrogen-powered locomotive. The railroad retrofitted one line-haul locomotive and one switching locomotive with hydrogen fuel cells and battery technology to drive the electric traction motors.
CP aims to demonstrate and evaluate the technical performance of hydrogen-powered locomotives and supporting fueling infrastructure in real-world operations. The work builds on the Class I’s prior experience with testing low-emitting locomotive technologies, including biofuels, compressed natural gas and battery-powered solutions.
The railroad plans to soon partner with a customer that has enough scale and ability to help demonstrate the H2 0EL’s hydrogen technology in the harshest operating conditions, such as movements through the Rocky Mountains west of Calgary, said CP President and CEO Keith Creel during his presentation Nov. 15 at Progressive Railroading’s RailTrends conference in New York City. The weather and heavy-haul hurdles in that region are “the most challenging operational conditions I’ve ever experienced in my career,” he said.
“If it works there, it will work everywhere,” Creel said about the H2 0EL locomotive.
The locomotive likely will first operate in local service until CP develops the hydrogen fueling support system in its network. The railroad plans to begin serving more customers with the H2 0EL locomotive by 2023’s end, Creel said.
The video below, which was shown at the end of RailTrends' sessions on Nov. 16, highlights the locomotive's second mainline test and first revenue service move.
Video courtesy of Canadian Pacific
