Canadian Pacific to build the first hydrogen based locomotive

Canadian Pacific, a transcontinental rail company operating in Canada and the US, plans for the first North American hydrogen-powered locomotive pilot project.

The entire regional freight locomotive fleet is currently run on diesel power units which cause high greenhouse gas emissions.

The company will upgrade its long haul locomotive to hydrogen fuel cell line and battery technology. The company aim is to reduce its emissions, though unclear whether it would use green hydrogen to power engines.

This new hydrogen locomotive program will be based on the company prior experience with low emitting locomotive testing technology projects which included battery power solutions, biofuels and compressed natural gas (CNG).

At this occasion, Keith Creel, President and CEO of Canadian Pacific, claimed that this is a highly significant project which would position Canadian Pacific at the leading edge of decarbonising the freight transportation sector.