Class 1 has stepped up testing of the locomotive, which is coupled to a specially developed hydrogen tender.
Photo Credit: CPKC
NORTH American Class 1 CPKC has introduced its first high-powered hydrogen locomotive into regular mainline service. The locomotive is hauling bulk freight trains carrying coal mined by Elk Valley Resources as CPKC tests performance in “challenging real-world operating conditions.”
The retrofitted AC4400CW locomotive is based in Golden, British Columbia. CPKC has confirmed on social media that it was successfully refuelled for the first time at a fixed refuelling station, the first installed outside of Alberta, on March 6.
The locomotive is coupled to a prototype hydrogen tender eveloped by HGmotive that can be connected to any compatible hydrogen-powered locomotive. The design is based on a tender for compressed natural gas (CNG) developed by HGmotive in 2019.
HGmotive says the tender and refuelling system complies with the safety requirements of Transport Canada, the Association of American Railroads (AAR), US Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and US Department of Transportation (DoT). Testing of the tender took place throughout 2024 and HGmotive says a tender with higher capacity is already under development.