Canada: Here is a summary of Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Vice President Kyle Mulligan’s interview with Progressive Railroading about the company’s project to convert diesel locomotives to hydrogen, which has been underway since the early 2020s. Compiled and enlarged by the ROLLINGSTOCK editorial team.
Hydrogen or battery
Before embarking on the modernisation project, CPKC studied two types of traction. It concluded that battery locomotives could not be widely used because, as batteries add 25% to the weight of a locomotive and occupy much space. Other drawbacks of battery were that battery locomotives lose up to 40% of their capacity in cold weather, require a stationary recharging infrastructure and add only 8% to the range of a diesel locomotive.
In contrast, a hydrogen locomotive without a tender boasts a 30% greater range than a diesel locomotive, not to mention the ability of some batteries used in hydrogen locomotives to extend range and save hydrogen through regenerative braking. A hydrogen locomotive excels in a higher energy density compared to battery-powered vehicles, and it takes only 45 minutes to refuel a hydrogen vehicle while a battery-powered one requires over 14 hours.
Despite these advantages of hydrogen traction, CPKC recognises that the technology is not yet perfect and that the issues of extending the range and refuelling in cold weather need to be solved.
CPKC’s project progress
The year of 2021 witnessed the first locomotive overhauled by the Canadian operator. It was a six-axle mainline diesel locomotive, the GMD SD40-2F, built by General Motors in the late 1980s. The conversion work was carried out at a depot in the town of Innisfil. There, six 200 kW Ballard hydrogen fuel cells and traction batteries were installed to replace a 2.2 MW diesel engine.
Layout of the hydrogen propulsion system components in the H2 0EL locomotive No.1001. Source: CPKC
The locomotive, named H2 0EL No.1001, was successfully tested in the depot, leading to its first commercial run in late 2022 in Calgary, home to CPKC’s headquarters and the hydrogen production plant, which uses electrolysis and solar energy technologies.
The first H2 0EL No.1001 hydrogen locomotive converted by CPKC. Source: CPKC
With a $15 mln grant from Emissions Reduction received in November 2021, the project continued developing. This funding enabled the conversion of two more locomotives and the start of the construction of two refuelling stations in Calgary and Edmonton. The second H2 0EL No.1002, based on a four-axle EMD GP38-2 shunting diesel locomotive, left the Innisfil depot in 2022. General Motors and EMD produced these 1.5 MW locomotives in the 1970 and 1980s.
In 2022–2023, the two converted locomotives were in field testing, and in January this year, they began pilot operation at the Calgary freight yard. During the testing, the vehicles travelled more than 3,500 km without a breakdown and hauled more than 1,300 cars. Their weekly capacity exceeded 20,000 t of freight at a speeds of up to 80 km/h.
The H2 0EL No.1002 and 1001 modernised by CPKC in Calgary. Source: CPKC
According to Kyle Mulligan, the locomotives have been tested in temperatures as low as -30°C, operating reliably with no equipment failures, and drivers have emphasised the smooth running of the converted vehicles.
The third locomotive converted by CPKC was a mainline diesel locomotive, the AC4400CW, built by GE Transportation in the 1990s. Unlike the previous two, the upgraded H2 0EL No.1200 is equipped with a hydrogen tender designed by Hgmotive. The tender and refuelling system are said to meet the safety requirements of both the Canadian and US Departments of Transportation. The conversion increased the locomotive power from 3.2 MW to 4.4 MW.
The third H2 0EL No.1200 locomotive converted by CPKC to hydrogen. Source: CPKC
The first phase of its testing began in September 2024 in collaboration with Teck Resources, a coal mining company. The locomotive reportedly hauled a trainset of 152 loaded gondola cars between a coal mine in Sparwood and the town of Golden, along with a tender and three diesel locomotives. On the return trip the next day, it hauled empty cars. Now, HGmotive is developing another, larger capacity tender section, which is expected to be tested and commissioned in the middle of 2025.
Testing of the H2 0EL No.1200 with a tender in September. Source: CPKC
In November 2024, CPKC partnered with Canadian Utilities to complete two hydrogen production and locomotive refuelling facilities in Calgary and Edmonton.
Rendering of the hydrogen production and refuelling facility for CPKC locomotives. Source: CPKC
Each facility includes a 1 MW electrolyser, compressors, hydrogen storage and refuelling equipment. In the future, the partners plan to develop a network of facilities so that hydrogen rolling stock can be used throughout the country.
Technology scaling
A joint venture agreement between CPKC and CSX, the US freight operator, envisages the production of hydrogen conversion kits for diesel locomotives. In mid-April, the first GP38-2 shunting diesel locomotive was converted using this kit. Now the vehicle is undergoing field testing. Two more four-axle CSX locomotives will be converted by the end of the year.
The converted EMD GP38-2 diesel locomotive built in 1972. Source: CSX
The companies plan to convert 20 of these diesel locomotives and conduct a year-long field testing to gather extensive data and determine the reliability of the vehicles and their components. CPKC has recently ordered a further 98 200 kW Ballard fuel cells for the project, to be delivered next year.
Another CPKC activity is the development of a module that combines fuel cells and batteries. The idea, says Mulligan, was prompted by the fact that locomotive frames last longer than engines and other components. Combining traction equipment in a single module will reduce refurbishment costs and simplify maintenance.
