India's first domestically produced hydrogen-powered train has been put into operation, serving the

Rail Transit Expo News: On July 17, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India's first domestically developed hydrogen train, the Namo Green Rail, has officially entered operation. The train consists of 2 powered cars and 8 passenger cars, currently carrying passengers along the 89-kilometer line between Giende and Sonipat.

Before official operation, Namo Green Rail underwent a year-long trial. Modi stated that the train has passed an independent safety assessment conducted by Germany's TÜV SÜD and is fully safeguarded in all aspects. He also pointed out that after India acquires the relevant independent intellectual property rights, it can export this technology to other countries in the future.

Existing diesel trains were converted into existing cars

India's first hydrogen-battery hybrid train project was launched in 2022, using a retrofit plan for existing diesel train sets. The Research, Design and Standards Organization (RDSO) under the Indian Ministry of Railways is responsible for preparing train design documents; the Integrated Vehicle Manufacturing Plant (ICF) in Chennai, a subsidiary of Indian Railways, handles vehicle modification; and the private Indian company Medha Servo Drives handles the hybrid system and related equipment integration.

The train's combined output power reaches 2.4 megawatts. Among them, Ballard Power Systems provides fuel cell output power of 1600 kW, while lithium iron phosphate battery system outputs 800 kW.

The Namo Green Rail has a range of 180 kilometers and a maximum operating speed of 110 kilometers, but the operating speed limit on the Giend-to-Sonipat line is 75 kilometers. The train has 682 seats and a maximum passenger capacity of 2,638.

Equipped with multiple hydrogen safety monitoring systems

The train uses proton exchange membrane fuel cells, generating electricity through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, with water and water vapor as the main byproducts. Surplus electricity generated by fuel cells can be stored in onboard batteries to provide supplementary power during train acceleration or increased loads.

To ensure operational safety, multiple safety sensors are installed inside the trains to continuously monitor hydrogen leaks, abnormal temperature rises, flames, and smoke. Once an anomaly is detected, the system can automatically cut off hydrogen supply without human intervention. The train is also equipped with a continuous ventilation system to ensure air circulation inside the train and reduce the risk of hydrogen buildup.

Jiende has built supporting hydrogen production and refueling facilities

To ensure train operations, Indian Railways has built a comprehensive hydrogen production and refueling facility in Giend. The facility produces hydrogen on-site through water electrolysis and compresses it to 50 MPa for storage.

During refueling, hydrogen is delivered to the train at a controlled pressure of 35 MPa through two independent refueling devices, allowing two powered cars to be refueled simultaneously.

The commissioning of Namo Green Rail marks new progress in India in the independent development of hydrogen rail transit equipment, retrofitting of existing vehicles, integration of power systems, and construction of supporting infrastructure. India hopes to use this as a foundation to further promote the large-scale application of hydrogen train technology and expand into overseas markets.

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