Hydrogen Train Engine Developed in India Claims Title of Most Powerful: Railway Minister
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Bhubaneswar, Jan 9 (NationPress) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw declared on Thursday that the hydrogen fuel-powered train engine designed by the Indian Railways is the most potent engine ever manufactured by any nation.
The Railway Minister shared these insights during a panel discussion at the plenary session titled “Green Connections: Diaspora’s Contribution to Sustainable Development” at the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event held here.
Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized that the hydrogen fuel-powered train engine developed by Indian Railways boasts the highest horsepower output compared to engines produced by any other country.
He further highlighted that this outstanding achievement utilizing indigenous technology positions India as a frontrunner among major economies committed to leveraging green energy for progress.
“Globally, only four nations have hydrogen-powered trains, yielding between 500 to 600 horsepower. Our engine achieves an output of 1,200 horsepower, the highest recorded in this category,” added Vaishnaw.
During the discussion, he informed attendees that the inaugural trial run of this train is anticipated to take place soon in Haryana on the Jind-Sonipat route.
While the engine manufacturing is complete, the system integration is currently progressing.
The Union Minister also mentioned that the hydrogen-powered rail engine is a product of indigenous talent.
“If we can develop a hydrogen-powered train engine on such a scale, imagine the potential for adapting this technology to create power trains for trucks, tugboats, and more. The technology developed locally offers a significant opportunity to innovate derivative technologies for various applications,” he further elaborated.
He acknowledged that despite this technological progress boosting our confidence, India still has a considerable journey ahead to attain technological self-sufficiency and must focus on manufacturing parts of the value chain.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who inaugurated the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, expressed hope that one day, Indians would travel on trains manufactured entirely in India.
Hambyarajen Narasinghaen, the junior minister of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Mauritius, who participated in the panel discussion, addressed the climate change challenges facing his country and sought India’s support in providing green technology solutions.
