Switcher locomotives are an essential part of railway operations. These locomotives marshal railcars into complete trains for departure on the mainline; they also disassemble trains at designated railyards or other locations. The all-day nature of operations in a railyard means that emissions from switcher locomotives, and other railyard equipment, can be impactful on a local region. The impact can be particularly notable if the railyard is in an urban area.
This paper reports on the outcomes of a feasibility study that examines replacing the diesel engine onboard a common switcher locomotive with a hydrogen-based power supply using fuel cells and batteries. This technology has been used in a variety of vehicles, including in passenger railway operations outside of Canada. The technology has been found to be sufficiently advanced that a demonstration project for freight rail operations is feasible. Switcher locomotives make for a logical start because they operate within a constrained area, which simplifies the fueling infrastructure, reduces the likelihood of significant disruptions to railway operations, and can reduce emissions in areas where air quality potentially impacts a greater number of people.
This report examines the cornerstone topics for a demonstration program employing a hydrogen switcher locomotive in railyard service. The list of topics covered is below:
- Assessment of hydrogen fuel cell technology for rail primer movers
- Identification of a representative and typically used switcher locomotive
- High level design and deployment characteristics as well as estimated cost of conversion
- Overview of refueling infrastructure options
- Estimated air quality, GHG and economic impacts
- Overview of codes, standards and regulations
- Impact on railway operations
- Recommendations to advance project