Photo courtesy of Stadler/Instagram
Meet Zemu, a pioneering passenger train that is now officially in business in California. This is the first hydrogen fuel cell train to enter service in the US. Whether the opinions are positive or negative, Zemu has certainly sparked wide interest. Beyond the debate about the pluses and minuses of opting for a hydrogen-powered alternative to conventional trains, taking a ride on this innovative Cali train is an experience worth having.
Folks in California have just met their newest ride, the hydrogen-powered Zemu train. The official launch took place on September 13, and there was quite a crowd waiting to witness what many consider a historic moment. Zemu is the first of its kind in California and even across the US. It’s introduced as a greener alternative to conventional diesel-powered trains, and was built by the Swiss expert Stadler for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA).
Zemu is the cute commercial name, but this train is formally known as the FLIRT H2, which is a two-car regional train with a hydrogen powerpack, developed and built by Stadler for SBCTA. This green version is actually based on the existing FLIRT diesel multiple unit (DMU) for SBCTA, which means that several of the components and subsystems are the same, but it’s adapted for using hydrogen as fuel.