A Flirt H2 for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority has achieved the world record for the longest distance traveled by a hydrogen-powered passenger train without refueling or charging, exceeding 2803 km (1,741.7 miles), and has thus been entered into the Guinness Book of Records.
The record attempt took place at the ENSCO test center in Pueblo, Colorado, where the train had also undergone its type approval. According to the company, the world record attempt began on the evening of March 20, when the train set off on its first laps of the test track. The expert teams from Stadler and ENSCO continued working in shifts throughout the night and the following day, concluding the successful attempt at 5:23 p.m. (MST) on March 22 (12:23 a.m. CET on March 23, 2024). The train covered the 2,803 km in 46 hours.
Stadler first presented the Flirt H2 to the public at InnoTrans in Berlin in 2022. Numerous detailed solutions were developed to integrate fuel cells and hydrogen storage into the modern Flirt commuter train product line. These solutions have since been thoroughly tested, initially in Switzerland and more recently on a special test track in Colorado, USA.
The Flirt H2 for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) is already the second Stadler train with an alternative drive system to set a Guinness World Record. In December 2021, a Flirt Akku, the battery-powered Flirt model, set the world record for the longest journey by a battery-powered train on battery power alone, covering 224 km in Germany.
Photos: Stadlerrail
Stadler's hydrogen-powered Flirt H2 train is proving very popular. In addition to a recent order for further hydrogen trains for California, Stadler is the world's first train manufacturer to produce hydrogen-powered narrow-gauge trains. In Europe, the Italian rail operators Ferrovie della Calabria (FdC) and ARST have already exercised options, meaning Stadler is now contracted to deliver a total of 15 hydrogen-powered trains to Italy.
The Flirt H2 for the SBCTA consists of two electrically powered end cars and a PowerPack in the middle. The middle car contains the fuel cells and hydrogen tanks. The fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity. This electricity is then fed to a traction battery. The battery then supplies the vehicle's drive system with the required power.
Caltrans, the California state transit authority, ordered four Flirt H2 trains in 2023 and exercised an option for six more in early 2024. These trains will have a higher passenger capacity than those used on the SBCTA and will consist of four cars with a PowerPack in the middle car.
