North America’s First Hydrogen-Fueled Coradia iLint Train Runs on Canadian Railways
North America’s first hydrogen-powered train set out on a two-and-a-half-hour trip through central Quebec this summer.
The tourist train Coradia iLint, created by the French company Alstom, will carry passengers on the Réseau-Charlevoix railway network along the St. Lawrence River between Chute-Montmorency Park and Baie Saint-Paul.
According to Ontario’s local Hydrogen Business Council, which is dedicated to promoting the deployment of hydrogen technologies, the most important impact will be local awareness of hydrogen transport and increased psychological comfort when using hydrogen technologies. The train runs through the province of Quebec, from the local capital – the city of Quebec to Baie Saint-Paul and back. The one-way trip takes 2.5 hours, trips will last until September 30. The maximum speed of the train is 140 km/h, it is capable of carrying 120 people in two passenger cars.
According to the French Alstom, which produced the train, the acceleration and braking characteristics are comparable to those of classic diesel trains, but there are no harmful emissions. In Europe itself, a lot of electric trains powered by contact wires are used, and hydrogen options are optimal for long hauls, for example, in Canada with its large spaces and relatively low population density. The same applies to some extent to the United States, in any case, to individual states.
The traffic on the new trains began on June 17. Departing for Quebec City, the train stops at seven coastal towns (including Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Petit-Rivière-Saint-Francois and Le Massif) en route to Baie Saint-Paul, where it arrives in the late afternoon.
Tickets start at $99 ($69 for children).
