Assessment of the Design, Deployment Characteristics, and Requirements of a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Switcher Locomotive

Prepared for: Environment & Climate Change Canada

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 fuelling 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.