Going On the Rails

Zero-emissions trains making their way to U.S. lines

Visitors to Europe know how easy it is to get around by mass transit, especially by train. In the automobile era, that has for the most part not been the case in the U.S. But there are heavily populated corridors in the U.S. where train travel is a popular mode of (relatively) high-speed transportation. And just as the automotive sector has shifted toward zero-emissions options in recent years, trains have been getting greener as the European Union strives to cut net emissions by 90% relative to 1990 levels by 2040. The purveyors of those trains now have their eyes on the North American market.

Golden State Goals

As with many innovation experiments in America, like the planned ban on sales of new gas-powered vehicles, California has emerged as a testing ground. The state announced this year a $310 billion plan for a zero-emission interconnected train and transit network to be completed by 2050.

“Our vision is simple: by 2050, every Californian should be able to choose rail as a way to get to their destination, near or far. Our rail plan is ambitious, but as the world’s fifth-largest economy bursting with talent and innovation, we’re ready to take on this challenge,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.

To kick things off, the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority ran a successful test of hydrogen-powered train made by Swiss rail company Stadler on a 9-mile route between San Bernardino and Redlands. The train tested, FLIRT H2, previously set a Guinness World Record by running 1741.7 miles without refueling or recharging. California has ordered 10 Stadler hydrogen trains so far and has an agreement to purchase up to 29.

“We’re confident that once that train goes into revenue service soon, that we’ll see a lot of positive feedback,” Martin Ritter, Stadler’s executive vice president for North America, told Utility Dive.

In Northern California, Stadler is building a battery-powered train for Caltrain to run on a stretch of previously unelectrified line running between San Jose and Gilroy. Caltrain hopes to run more than 90% of its service with electric trains. Statewide, California hopes to shift 200 million passenger miles daily from roads and highways to rail by 2050 to limit traffic jams and emissions.

Other Projects

California might be out front, but it’s not the only place in the U.S. looking to add zero-emissions trains. Chicago’s Metra bought eight two-car electric trains from Stadler in 2024 with the option to double that.

“We think these trains will be an essential addition to our fleet,” Metra CEO Jim Derwinski said. “Beyond the environmental and noise reduction benefits, they could also play a significant role in our vision to provide more frequent all-day service.”

In the Boston area, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority approved $54 million for a plan to replace diesel-powered trains with battery-electric ones on the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line, with designs on more.

“There have been discussions about electrifying our rail network for many years. This agreement is a gamechanger that will benefit generations of passengers, beginning first on the Fairmount Line,” the authority’s CEO Phillip Eng said in a statement.

Siemens Mobility doesn’t yet have U.S. customers for its battery-electric and hydrogen trains, but “some pretty big customers” are interested, Utility Dive reported.

“The technology is ready, and the customers are becoming ready,” Siemens Mobility North America president and CEO Marc Buncher told Utility Dive.

Amtrak Overhaul

Prior to the 2024 election, Amtrak issued a request for information on ways to transform its fleet with zero-emissions trains as part of its net-zero by 2045 goal. The company already runs more than 100 zero-emission Northeast Regional and Acela locomotives and procures more than half its electricity from carbon-free sources.

In the same way California strives to replace car trips with train trips, Amtrak wants to double its ridership from 2019 levels by 2040, all while decarbonizing its trains.

“Finding the cleanest technologies to carry customers across our vast network will be transformative as we deliver a new era of rail,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said. “We are excited to take this important step toward providing safe and reliable service with a smaller impact on the environment.”

It remains to be seen how much of that agenda will go forward, though the March resignation of CEO Mark Gardner and calls from Elon Musk for Amtrak to be privatized are an indication that it will stall.

Still, the company had already ordered 83 new Amtrak Airo trains scheduled to debut next year that will reach speeds of up to 125 mph while producing 90% less particulate emissions in diesel operations and 28 new electric Acela trains that can hit 160 mph while using 40% less energy per rider than the existing Acela fleet.

From coast to coast, more low- and zero-emissions trains are riding the rails, and millions more passengers could join in the experience.