Russian Railways Expects First Hydrogen Shunting Locomotives

Russian Railways is awaiting the completion of work on a prototype of a domestic hydrogen shunting locomotive. For the Moscow testing ground alone, the need for such equipment is estimated at 48 eight-axle and 15 four-axle locomotives, produced in Russia and independent of sanctions.

It is known about the project of the first Russian hydrogen shunting locomotive that it is being created on the basis of the TEM10 platform from Sinara - Transport Machines. The agreement on the development of locomotives with hybrid traction was signed in the summer of 2021 between Russian Railways, STM and Rosnano.

TEM10 itself is a four-axle shunting locomotive with two power plants for operation on 1520 mm gauge railway tracks in a temperate climate according to GOST 15150. It is capable of operating at an outside temperature from −50°С to +40°С, that is, in most Russian regions.

Russian Railways is now creating a laboratory car for it, which will be engaged in the production of hydrogen, its accumulation and compression. After that, the substance will be converted into electrical energy using an electrochemical generator. The nominal power of such a power plant will be 360 kW. In addition to the laboratory car, in principle, engineers face the task of maximizing import substitution of its contents.

Hydrogen transport is a promising direction in Russia, associated not only with railways. For example, Belkommunmash and the Hydrogen Technology Center (HTC) of AFC Sistema are already creating a hydrogen truck together. The Hydrogen Technology Center of AFC Sistema also worked with Sitronics Group - a joint prototype of a hydrogen electric vessel has already been tested.

In general, the management of the HTC believes that hydrogen is suitable for large transportation of buses and trucks, vehicles of municipal services, taxis, car sharing. But for private cars, this is a dead end.

Not everyone agrees with him. For example, AvtoVAZ under the new trademark has just ordinary - not cargo hydrogen cars among the promising products.

But KamAZ has joined the trend towards hydrogenization of larger transport, announcing hydrogen buses and hydrogen tractors. Tractors will be released by 2025, and large hydrogen buses by 2030.