Like a mirage dashing throughout the dusty desert outdoors Pueblo, Colorado, the primary hydrogen-fuel-cell passenger prepare in the USA is getting warmed up on its check monitor. It’s going to quickly be shipped to Southern California, the place it’s slated to hold riders on San Bernardino County’s Arrow commuter rail service earlier than the top of the 12 months.
One of the simplest ways to decarbonize railroads is the topic of rising debate amongst regulators, trade, and activists. The controversy is partly technological, revolving round whether or not hydrogen gas cells, batteries, or overhead electrical wires provide the most effective efficiency for various railroad conditions. But it surely’s additionally political: a query of the extent to which decarbonization can, or ought to, usher in a broader transformation of rail transportation.
Within the insular world of railroading, this hydrogen-powered prepare is a Rorschach check. To some, it represents the way forward for rail transportation. To others, it seems to be like an enormous, shiny distraction. Learn the complete story.
—Benjamin Schneider
This story is for subscribers solely, and is from the subsequent journal difficulty of MIT Expertise Assessment, set to go reside on April 24, on the theme of Construct. When you don’t already, enroll now to get a duplicate when it lands.
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