CPKC and CSX announce planned hydrogen loco collaboration

CANADIAN Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and CSX Corporation are to enter into a joint venture for the building and deployment of hydrogen locomotive conversion kits for diesel electric locomotives.

As an initial step in the collaboration, CSX plans to convert one of its diesel locomotives using a hydrogen conversion kit developed by CPKC. The conversion work will be done at CSX's Huntington, West Virginia locomotive shop.

"This innovative collaboration expands our hydrogen locomotive program beyond a single railroad and represents an exciting next step in proving the longterm viability of hydrogen as a solution to emissions reduction for our industry," said Keith Creel, CPKC president and chief executive officer. "Our hydrogen locomotive went from concept to reality in 24 months with the first zero emissions hydrogen locomotive having already pulled freight in revenue service. We look forward to this collaboration as we work to create a lower carbon future."

"CSX looks forward to working as a partner with CPKC in the development of the hydrogen locomotive program as it demonstrates our commitment to implementing alternative fuel solutions that could further enhance our emissions performance and offer our customers an even more environmentally-friendly transportation solution," said Joe Hinrichs, CSX president and chief executive officer. "This exciting initia- tive will greatly benefit from the expertise of CSX's advanced, large-scale facilities, where the locomotives will be built."

Nearly the entire freight locomotive fleet of all railway operators in North America consists of diesel-powered units, representing the industry's most significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Rail has an important role to play in a lower carbon economy and the industry needs a long-term, effective alternative fuel solution.

In December 2020, Canadian Pacific (CP) announced plans to develop North America's first linehaul hydrogen-powered locomotive by retrofitting a diesel freight locomotive with hydrogen fuel cells and battery technology to drive the locomotive's electric traction motors. The prototype, designed and built by in-house CP engineers, made its first movement under its own power in late 2021. By the end of 2022, the locomotive had made its first revenue moves and now has accumulated more than 1,000 miles of testing in revenue service.

CPKC has deployed a second hydrogen locomotive for testing in terminal operations, a program expansion supported by funding awarded by Emissions Reduction Alberta and the Government of Canada Low Carbon Economy Fund.

The second hydrogen locomotive is expected to enter service later in 2023.

SINCE 2011, the residual waste of the city of Innsbruck and the districts of Innsbruck-Land and Schwaz has been processed for thermal recycling at the RZ Ahrental recycling centre. From there it is transported by rail to industrial plants in Upper Austria in the form of so-called energy bales and loose material.

Thanks to the successful co-operation of #RCG with LINZ AG / Energie AG OÖ and in succession with partners ATM-Abfallwirtschaft Tirol Mitte and IKB-Innsbrucker Kommunalbetriebe, 1,111,111 tonnes of waste have already been transported by rail in an environmentally friendly way. This corresponds to around 4,000 truck journeys saved each year.

"A great achievement, made possible by teamwork and our innovative MOBILER logistics," says a company statement.

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