Japan to Test Fuel Cell Powered Train

April 6, 2006

East Japan Railway Co., the world’s largest passenger railway company, will shortly complete a prototype fuel-cell train for test runs, the Jiji Press news agency said. After two years of research and development, the company developed the "NE Train" (New Energy Train), which has been on test runs since May 2003. JR East developed the NE Train as a first step toward developing fuel cell-powered trains.

The newest prototype is a single rail car with an onboard engine and employs a series-hybrid system with the future potential of being adapted to fuel-cell-driven rail cars. The design incorporates regenerative braking to further enhance efficiency.

The test train will be made up of a single car and carry two 65-kilowatt fuel cells, the report said. It can travel at 100 kilometers (62.5 miles) per hour. The company plans to operate fuel-cell trains sometime in mid-2007 on its lines in mountain regions west of Tokyo, the report said.

The company has been working to develop rail cars that have lower environmental impacts through innovation of the propulsion system, by incorporating hybrid technology and fuel cell technology. Based on a hybrid diesel-electric design, the original NE Train was the first step in evaluating feasibility and energy efficiency of the new system.

The motor is powered solely by electricity when starting, and the diesel engine starts during acceleration, generating additional electricity. This electricity plus the electricity stored in the battery drive the motors. A regenerative braking system also charges the battery when braking, thus enabling the engine to be stopped while the train is arriving at and departing from the station.

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East Japan Railway Co.