Hydrogen and battery trains: making railroads more sustainable

09 May 25

The environmental benefits of transporting freight by rail are indisputable: railroads are on average three to four times more fuel-efficient than trucks. One freight train can replace several hundred trucks, resulting in up to 75% less greenhouse gas emissions¹. Technological innovation in advanced Positive Train Control and Computer Aided Dispatching is further optimizing fuel efficiency by reducing delays and keeping trains running smoothly. And exciting developments in hydrogen and battery-powered trains have the potential to drive North America into a new era of rail sustainability. Hydrogen and battery trains offer several benefits over traditional diesel engines, including:

Low or no emissions
Less noise pollution
Higher energy efficiency

While cost has been a significant barrier to investment, these technologies will become more cost-effective as they continue to evolve – and battery powered trains have the additional benefit of lower maintenance costs.

Battery Trains: New Developments

1. G&W and Parallel Systems

In January 2025, Parallel Systems received the green light from the Federal Railroad Administration to test its autonomous, battery-electric rail cars on two Genesee & Wyoming short lines in Georgia. It is the first time the FRA has approved an autonomous rail car test program, heralding a new chapter for autonomous rail and sustainable freight operations in North America.

The rail cars use a combination of advanced software and battery-electric motors, cameras, sensors, and high-tech braking systems to guide themselves along rail tracks, with each car drafting the one in front of it in order to reduce drag and lower the amount of energy required. Each rail car can carry one intermodal container 500 miles on a single battery charge; the aim is to enable railroads to better compete with trucks in short-haul intermodal markets. Parallel and G&W plan seven phases of tests; each phase must be deemed successful by the FRA before they can move on to the next^2&3.

2. Union Pacific’s Diesel-Battery Hybrid

In 2022, Union Pacific committed to investing more than $1 billion to modernize 600 locomotives, aiming to eliminate 210,000 tons of GHG annually, as well as announcing the purchase of the country’s largest carrier-owned fleet of battery electric locomotives for testing in yard operations⁴.

In May 2024, the Class I railroad began testing the first of six diesel-battery hybrid shunting locomotives, built from a conventional diesel locomotive connected to a battery unit converted from

an older diesel model. The hybrid machines are expected to use up to 80% less fuel than a typical diesel engine, while also lowering emissions and maintenance costs⁵.

3. Metro-North Railroad: Battery Passenger Trains

The Metro-North Railroad in the New York Metropolitan Area plans to launch new passenger trains with battery and electric-powered locomotives, subject to approval from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) board. In what is being hailed as a national first, the trains will mainly draw electricity from overhead catenary wires, but switch to battery power when travelling along sections of track in and around Penn Station⁶.

Hydrogen Trains: New Developments

1. CPKC Hydrogen Train in Regular Service

In a significant milestone for hydrogen technology, it was reported in March 2025 that Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) has introduced its first high-powered hydrogen locomotive into regular mainline service, hauling freight trains carrying coal in British Columbia. In what is the culmination of several years of testing, the locomotive, converted from an AC4400CW model, is coupled to a prototype hydrogen tender developed by HGmotive that can be connected to any compatible hydrogen locomotive⁷.

2. CSX Hydrogen Locomotive

CPKC’s break-through comes less than a year after CSX revealed its first hydrogen powered locomotive, developed in the CSX workshops in West Virginia using an EMD GP40-2 loco and a kit developed by CPKC. (CSX and CPKC entered into a joint venture to build and deploy hydrogen locomotive conversion kits in June 2023.) The model was set to undergo field testing to further evaluate its performance and determine its feasibility for freight operations.

In an article published in the International Railway Journal, CSX said that hydrogen fuel cells were a promising alternative to fossil fuels, offering greater efficiency and zero emissions, emitting only water vapor and contributing to a cleaner environment⁸.

3. Hydrogen Passenger Rail: Alstom & ZEMU

The sustainability benefits of hydrogen trains are also being explored by North American passenger railroads. Alstom’s Coradia iLint, the world’s first hydrogen passenger train, transported more than 10,000 passengers during a pilot project in Quebec during the summer of 2023, saving more than 8,000 liters of diesel and averting 22 tons of carbon dioxide emissions in the process, according to the train company⁹. The Coradia has been in commercial service in Europe since 2018. Meanwhile, the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority's Zero-Emission Multiple Unit (ZEMU) train underwent its second phase of testing from November 2024 to early 2025 between San Bernardino and Redlands in California. ZEMU uses a combination of hydrogen fuel cells and batteries to power the train¹⁰.

Powering Sustainability

Recent advancements in hydrogen and battery-powered trains are a significant leap forward for North American railroads, expanding sustainable alternatives to diesel, with the potential to reduce emissions, noise pollution, and operational costs for freight and passenger rail. As these

technologies continue to develop, evolve and become more cost-effective, they will play a crucial role in making rail transport greener and more efficient.

Tracsis is the leading provider of software-based rail solutions, trusted by every North American Class I railroad. Find out more about the latest developments in rail technology.