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https://www.trains.com/trn/new...-fuel-of-the-future/

this article excites me and its probably the only future thing that doesn't have 1984 style characteristics so i am so game. i just wish our next transition era could hurry up because i want that Wabtec "triplet" in CSX colors quietly gliding through Greenville in a rain storm. Unfortunately the first wabtec hydrogen unit won't arrive until 2027 and EMD's prototype in 2025 which feels too far away.

my question is what would a hydrogen locomotive sound like?

its gotta sound different than a diesel

why is the cab on the Wabtec unit concept so weird like couldn't a regular GE style cab work?

i'd like to hear your thoughts guys

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This from Wikipedia, entitled "Methods of Hydrogen Production":

"There are four main sources for the commercial production of hydrogen: natural gas, oil, coal, and electrolysis; which account for 48%, 30%, 18% and 4% of the world's hydrogen production respectively.[6] Fossil fuels are the dominant source of industrial hydrogen.[7] Hydrogen is usually produced by the steam reforming of natural gas.[8]"

This from Wikipedia, entitled "Methods of Hydrogen Production":

"There are four main sources for the commercial production of hydrogen: natural gas, oil, coal, and electrolysis; which account for 48%, 30%, 18% and 4% of the world's hydrogen production respectively.[6] Fossil fuels are the dominant source of industrial hydrogen.[7] Hydrogen is usually produced by the steam reforming of natural gas.[8]"

i guess we have a very long way to go until 100 percent renewable energy

@Hot Water posted:

I seem to remember from High School Science class (1958), that it requires more energy to produce hydrogen than what energy hydrogen produces. Is this still true?

If you are using wind or solar off peak demand times then it really does not matter if you get more or less 100% yield.  The fact that those sources would be off line and not feeding the grid essentially means that the process makes sense.  Even if you were pushing those off peak yields into some form of storage, (battery, gravity, sand or whatever) you can still produce hydrogen from those storage sources.  All in, a win win.

I saw the Wabtec post on LinkedIn.  Just like any concept graphic design, the actual production model will likely vary greatly in looks, but the concept behind the propulsion is interesting.  I won't pretend to know much about it yet, but I am open to reading and learning.  The fact that several class I's are pursuing this technology says there is something to be learned and possibly implemented, yet at the same time being experimental we won't know until it's been tried and proven.

FYI: A huge local power plant, that is coal-burning, just sold to some Calif. firm. They plan to repurpose it to produce power by using hydrogen instead of coal. The hydrogen will be produced onsite, from the abundant coal and/or natural gas in the area.

I guess we will see how this works out. Could be another govt-funded boondoggle, however, its continued operation will keep about 200 local folks employed.

Jeff

@GG1 4877 posted:

I saw the Wabtec post on LinkedIn.  Just like any concept graphic design, the actual production model will likely vary greatly in looks, but the concept behind the propulsion is interesting.  I won't pretend to know much about it yet, but I am open to reading and learning.  The fact that several class I's are pursuing this technology says there is something to be learned and possibly implemented, yet at the same time being experimental we won't know until it's been tried and proven.

whatever the final design is i'll surely obsess over it

fun fact i'm actually writing about these locomotives in my novel Allegheny City Stories where i actually ride in the cab of one

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