In mid October, an inconspicuous steel rail appeared on a regular standard gauge line between Hermischaufen and Ramson in northern Switzerland. A compact blue and white train slowly passed by, its wheels treading on this third track - with a gauge of 950 millimeters. For Stadler, this nearly 4-kilometer narrow gauge has untied a long-standing knot.

A new third rail line

The 950mm gauge, also known as the Italian meter gauge, is used by regional railways in Puglia, around Mount Etna in Sicily, Naples, and Sardinia, but is extremely rare outside of Italy. This means that after the relevant vehicles are manufactured, they can only be transported thousands of miles to the operating lines in Italy for debugging, and if problems are found, they can be returned to the factory and tossed around. This spring, Stadler, in collaboration with Bahninfra AG and M ü ller Gleisbau, built a third track embedded in the existing standard track between the two stations. The new line is not far from the Busnan factory, and vehicles can be tested in Switzerland for on-site optimization. The FLIRT H2 hydrogen train, manufactured for California, USA, was previously tested on this standard gauge section, which led to the addition of narrow gauge.

The first narrow gauge hydrogen powered train

The first batch of hydrogen trains to be launched is the one manufactured for ARST in Sardinia, known as the world's first narrow gauge hydrogen train. It is based on a unified modular platform. The power system is composed of hydrogen fuel cells, on-board hydrogen storage system and traction batteries in the central power car. It can operate on non electrified narrow gauge lines such as Sardinia, Calabria and Sicily with zero emissions. Starting from mid October, each system will undergo performance and reliability testing under actual operating conditions: first, for the hydrogen power system, covering different hydrogen storage capacities and speeds, and then conducting type certification tests such as acceleration and braking. According to the plan, these trains will be put into passenger transportation in 2028. ARST alone can reduce over 2100 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year by 10 trains compared to diesel vehicles, and the hydrogen used will come from green hydrogen produced by solar energy. The General Manager of ARST stated that the train had completed the critical testing phase upon arrival in Sardinia and could proceed with the final testing on its own route as soon as possible. This is a tangible operational milestone towards zero emission transportation and energy self-sufficiency.

Twenty one trains in three years

The starting point of the story is Rome on July 20, 2023. On the same day, Stadler signed two framework agreements with ARST and Calabria Railway Company Fdc, both covering vehicle supply and maintenance: ARST can order up to 10 trains, Fdc can order up to 15 trains, and the first batch of orders includes 6 trains each. This is Stadler's first hydrogen train order in Europe, having previously delivered the FLIRT H2 to the United States. The model will enter commercial operation in San Bernardino, California in September 2025, with a single hydrogen refueling range of approximately 460 kilometers and can be fully charged in 30 minutes. As of today, Italian orders have been upgraded to ARST 10 trains, Fdc 9 trains, and Sicilian Etna Volcano Railway Company FCE 2 trains, totaling 21 trains. In the next three years, these 21 trains will complete their final journey to Italy on the third track of this Swiss countryside.Editor/Yang Meiling