The first vehicle in the world's largest hydrogen train fleet is called "Bad Homburg"

Start on Sunday on line RB15 between Frankfurt, Bad Homburg and Brandoberndorf / Locally emission-free, quieter and more comfortable on the road The first hydrogen train has a name: The Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV), together with the Hessian Minister of Transport and Economics Tarek Al-Wazir, the district administrator of the Hochtaunus district Ulrich Krebs and representatives of Alstom and Deutsche Bahn have given it the name 'Bad Homburg' baptized. Water from the local waters Main and Dornbach was used for this. Afterwards, the guests and RMV Managing Director Prof. Knut Ringat undertook the maiden voyage to the eponymous district town of the Hochtaunus district. 'Bad Homburg' is one of the first hydrogen trains to start operating on the RB15 route (Frankfurt – Bad Homburg – Brandoberndorf) on December 11th. The other lines of the Taunus network, RB11, RB12 and RB16, will also run on hydrogen as more vehicles are successively commissioned from the spring. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://fuelcellsworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/mrK4W496OLzrd2DG.mp4"][/video] "The first hydrogen trains are now rolling through Hesse: This is a milestone in the traffic turnaround and extremely important for more climate protection in the transport sector. In the Taunus network, hydrogen as a technology of the future is not only being tested, but also used in regular operation. Because everywhere where electrification is not easily possible, hydrogen trains are an option. The new trains not only have no diesel emissions, but are also more comfortable and quieter," says Tarek Al-Wazir, Hessian Minister for Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport and Housing on the occasion of the first trip between Frankfurt and Bad Homburg. "The hydrogen train fleet of the RMV will be the largest in the world, so we are real pioneers in Hesse. The newly christened train 'Bad Homburg' Ulrich Krebs, district administrator of the Hochtaunus district and deputy RMV supervisory board chairman : "It's starting: The first route in the Taunus network will be covered with emission-free hydrogen trains. Not only the drive is a step into the future, the equipment of the modern vehicles also leaves nothing to be desired. We named the first vehicle after our district town, the largest city in the Taunus and an important transport hub in the region: I wish 'Bad Homburg' a safe journey and all passengers enjoy the new, locally emission-free and quieter trains." "From Sunday, the RMV will bring hydrogen to the rails in regular traffic. We are thus underlining our pioneering role in the drive turnaround, and not only that: The new vehicles for the Taunus form the largest hydrogen train fleet in the world. We want to make it all the more clear where this record comes from home. With the name 'Bad Homburg' we are showing that this train belongs in the region," says RMV Managing Director and Management Spokesman Prof. Knut Ringat. "In the future, we will operate the world's largest fleet of hydrogen trains and are pleased that these trains will also be maintained in the DB Regio plant in Frankfurt Griesheim. Because with alternative drives we are bringing about the mobility revolution and the goal of being climate-neutral as Deutsche Bahn by 2040 , actively progressing. Hydrogen is a key technology with which we are further reducing emissions in regional transport," says Dirk Bartels, CEO of start. "Green mobility on the rails is the key to a sustainable future. We want to make a key contribution to this. With the Coradia iLint, Alstom was the first company to successfully establish an innovative and emission-free hydrogen train on the market. We are delighted that the RMV is expanding of its mobility offer relies on this type of train with alternative drive. Passengers in the Taunus can look forward to modern, environmentally friendly and comfortable trains," says Müslüm Yakisan, President of the DACH region at Alstom.

More capacity, zero local emissions and free WiFi

The Coradia iLint 54 from ALSTOM is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell that generates electrical energy for the drive. The traction vehicles are as quiet as electric traction vehicles and do not cause any emissions when driving because they only emit water vapor and heat into the environment. With 160 seats per vehicle, the iLint also offers more space than the diesel trains previously used. The hydrogen trains are equipped with extensive passenger information systems, such as monitors with real-time information, and have space for bicycles, wheelchairs and baby carriages. They also offer passengers free Wi-Fi during the journey.

DB subsidiary start takes over operation of the hydrogen trains

From December, the first vehicles of the 27-strong fleet will start in the Taunus network. Initially, these will be used on the RB15 line. The other vehicles will be delivered successively in spring 2023 and gradually put into operation. The Taunus network comprises four routes, some of which have not yet been electrified:

RB11 (Frankfurt-Höchst – Bad Soden)
RB12 (Frankfurt – Koenigstein)
RB15 (Frankfurt – Brandoberndorf)
RB16 (Bad Homburg – Friedberg)

Regionalverkehre Start Deutschland GmbH (start) will operate the hydrogen trains. The 100 percent DB subsidiary, which already successfully operates two networks in northern Germany, won a Europe-wide tender and replaced the previous operator, Hessische Landesbahn GmbH (HLB), in December. In order to ensure full operation in the Taunus network until the hydrogen trains are fully delivered, HLB will temporarily continue to operate lines RB11 and RB16 until the end of April. This is an extraordinary commitment in terms of passengers.

At around 500 million euros, this is the largest order in fahma's history

The vehicles were procured from the vehicle management region Frankfurt RheinMain GmbH (fahma), a 100 percent subsidiary of RMV. The project volume is around 500 million euros over 25 years for vehicle procurement, maintenance and refueling. This is the largest order in fahma's history. The manufacturer Alstom has outsourced these services to DB Regio, which takes on the servicing and maintenance of the vehicles at its plant in Frankfurt-Griesheim. The vehicles are refueled in Industriepark Höchst. Hydrogen is produced there as a by-product of chemical processes. An electrolyser can also be used to generate hydrogen using green electricity. The state of Hesse is funding the construction of the rail infrastructure for the hydrogen filling station with around 2.5 million euros. In addition, there were 800,000 euros for preparatory reports and a mobile train refueling facility. Read the most up to date Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Industry news at FuelCellsWorks The federal government is investing around 24.3 million euros in the project. Among other things, it finances 40 percent of the additional vehicle costs, limited to 14.7 million euros, that are incurred compared to the procurement of conventional diesel vehicles. He also supported the construction of the hydrogen filling station in Höchst.

Germany: the First Hydrogen Train Has a Name as It Starts Service