Fuel cell trains

A 100 kW fuel cell train has been successfully tested in Japan recently. It is the Japanese Railway Technical Research Institute, RTRI, who is behind this achievement. The have an extensive list of interesting objects on their Research agenda of which fuel cell technology is one. The concept of the present development includes making full use of the energy in a system that also saves the energy from braking.

The tested object is said to be a one-carriage prototype able to reach speeds of 100km/hr. The technology is expected be ready for use in Nagano and Yamanashi prefectures, a mountainous region that lies just to the west of Tokyo, by the summer of 2007.

There is a change from a Diesel Hybrid to a Fuel Cell Hybrid, as shown in the image.