Ontario considering hydrogen-powered GO trains

Written by Maggie Lancaster, assistant editor
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InnoTrans 2020 has been moved to 2021
Alstom

Ontario is seeking design concepts for hydrogen-powered trains as an alternative to conventional overhead wires.

Ontario plans to commission a number of rail vehicle manufacturers to prepare designs and to demonstrate the impact that incorporating hydrogen fuel cells into bi-level trains would have on the performance of the GO rail network.

Through the GO Regional Express Rail (RER) program, Ontario says it will deliver faster and more frequent electrified rail service on core segments of the GO rail network and UP Express.

As part of planning the electrification, Ontario is undertaking a feasibility study on the use of hydrogen fuel cells. Ontario says it’s the recent advances in the use of hydrogen fuel cells to power electric trains in other jurisdictions that makes it important that Ontario consider this clean electric technology as an alternative to conventional overhead wires. The Hydrogen Rail Feasibility Study will inform a decision on how Ontario will proceed with the electrification of GO rail services.

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