Chile: On 20 November, the shunter had its first commercial run on the 2.5 km line in the city of Antofagasta.
The rolling stock was ordered by the private railway company FCAB in November 2022 from CRRC, which delivered the vehicle last summer. Under the project, FCAB has built a hydrogen refuelling station with high-pressure dispensing systems.
Hydrogen locomotive from CRRC in Antofagasta. Source: FCAB
According to CRRC, the locomotive is designed for a track gauge of 1,000 mm and is able to haul trainsets of 1,000 t at distances of around 400 km. The vehicle has hybrid traction, ensured by a 400 kW hydrogen fuel cell unit and 600 kW batteries. The hydrogen storage tank features a volume of 184 kg. In addition, the shunting locomotive is customised to withstand the harsh local environment with salt fogs and sandstorms.
FCAB claims to be the first company on the continent to deploy rolling stock powered by hydrogen. The delivery supports the freight operator’s course to completely diesel-free operation. Currently, FCAB’s fleet includes 83 diesel locomotives from American companies EMD and GE.
