Chandigarh : Indian Railways has decided to run indigenously developed hydrogen-powered trains on the heritage Shimla-Kalka railway track by the end of this year currently being run by diesel and electricity-fuelled trains setting up hydrogen fuelling stations at Shimla, Barog and Kalka. Senior railway officials have already carried out a survey of the Shimla-Kalka rail section. Divisional Railway Manager at Ambala Mandeep Singh Bhatia while talking to media persons told that the hydrogen powered trains use hydrogen fuel cells which produce electricity by converting hydrogen and oxygen, which is then used to power the train’s motors. He said that in comparison to diesel-propelled rail engines, hydrogen cell fuel is cheaper and pollution-free. It is more economical and environment-friendly as such hydrogen trains are the most feasible emission-free alternative in the tougher heritage tracks where electrification of narrow-gauge rail tracks is difficult and economically unviable.
DRM told that the Indian railway has decided to run India’s first hydrogen powered train on the Heritage Shimla-Kalka track likely to be started by December end this year and would help railways to reduce the emissions to zero in the most economical way. Bhatia told that the production of these trains has been started at the integral coach factory Chinnai and every train will cost amount worth Rs 80 crore whereas amount worth Rs 70 crore will be spent on setting up hydrogen filling stations at Shimla, Barog and Kalka on Kalka-Simla railway track. According to information, there is fast increase in passengers on this world heritage rail track as such railways has decided to run self propelled hydrol ic multiple unit trains on this railway track instead of rail motor car it was announced by Railway Minister Ashiwni Vaishn said that Northern Railways has proposed to run India’s first hydrogen train on the Kalka-Shimla narrow gauge railway track – a UNESCO World Heritage Site by December 2023.
In recent Central Railway Budget declared on February 1, amount worth Rs 2247 crore as been sanctioned for Haryana, Rs 4762 crore for Punjab and Rs 1838 crore for Himachal. These trains will be modified versions of the steam engines from the 1950s and ‘60s and will be called ‘Vande Metro.’ According to the railway minister Vaishnaw, the first prototype of a hydrogen-powered train is in development at the Northern Railway workshop. The design could be ready by June. He said, in comparison to oil or electricity, hydrogen cell fuel is cheaper and pollution-free as well as more economical and environment-friendly thus these trains are the most feasible emission-free on narrow-gauge rail tracks as compared to electric trains. Railway Minister said that other Indian Railways’ heritage tracks to run hydrogen-powered trains in the future include the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Kangra Valley, Matheran Hill Railway, Bilmora Waghai, Marwar-Devgarh Madriy, and Nilgiri Mountain Railway.
