fascinating Trains.com article

This from Wikipedia, entitled "Methods of Hydrogen Production":

"There are four main sources for the commercial production of hydrogen: natural gas, oil, coal, and electrolysis; which account for 48%, 30%, 18% and 4% of the world's hydrogen production respectively.^[6] Fossil fuels are the dominant source of industrial hydrogen.^[7] Hydrogen is usually produced by the steam reforming of natural gas.^[8]"

@Rapid Transit Holmes posted:

This from Wikipedia, entitled "Methods of Hydrogen Production":

"There are four main sources for the commercial production of hydrogen: natural gas, oil, coal, and electrolysis; which account for 48%, 30%, 18% and 4% of the world's hydrogen production respectively.^[6] Fossil fuels are the dominant source of industrial hydrogen.^[7] Hydrogen is usually produced by the steam reforming of natural gas.^[8]"

i guess we have a very long way to go until 100 percent renewable energy

I seem to remember from High School Science class (1958), that it requires more energy to produce hydrogen than what energy hydrogen produces. Is this still true?

Idk Hot Water although i have heard hydrogen carries less energy than diesel per gallon hence the need for a fuel tender in some cases

let's hope the technology has progressed since the Hindenburg disaster....

@joe krasko posted:

let's hope the technology has progressed since the Hindenburg disaster....

Well, hydrogen is still hydrogen, and just like any potentially explosive gas/fluid, soon or later,,,,,,,,,,,,,!

@Hot Water posted:

I seem to remember from High School Science class (1958), that it requires more energy to produce hydrogen than what energy hydrogen produces. Is this still true?

If you are using wind or solar off peak demand times then it really does not matter if you get more or less 100% yield.  The fact that those sources would be off line and not feeding the grid essentially means that the process makes sense.  Even if you were pushing those off peak yields into some form of storage, (battery, gravity, sand or whatever) you can still produce hydrogen from those storage sources.  All in, a win win.

@Hot Water posted:

Well, hydrogen is still hydrogen, and just like any potentially explosive gas/fluid, soon or later,,,,,,,,,,,,,!

as if there has never been an explosion from gasoline, etc.

I saw the Wabtec post on LinkedIn.  Just like any concept graphic design, the actual production model will likely vary greatly in looks, but the concept behind the propulsion is interesting.  I won't pretend to know much about it yet, but I am open to reading and learning.  The fact that several class I's are pursuing this technology says there is something to be learned and possibly implemented, yet at the same time being experimental we won't know until it's been tried and proven.

how will they keep them on the rails...hydrogen is lighter then air...may need to ballast

FYI: A huge local power plant, that is coal-burning, just sold to some Calif. firm. They plan to repurpose it to produce power by using hydrogen instead of coal. The hydrogen will be produced onsite, from the abundant coal and/or natural gas in the area.

I guess we will see how this works out. Could be another govt-funded boondoggle, however, its continued operation will keep about 200 local folks employed.

Jeff

@GG1 4877 posted:

I saw the Wabtec post on LinkedIn.  Just like any concept graphic design, the actual production model will likely vary greatly in looks, but the concept behind the propulsion is interesting.  I won't pretend to know much about it yet, but I am open to reading and learning.  The fact that several class I's are pursuing this technology says there is something to be learned and possibly implemented, yet at the same time being experimental we won't know until it's been tried and proven.

whatever the final design is i'll surely obsess over it

fun fact i'm actually writing about these locomotives in my novel Allegheny City Stories where i actually ride in the cab of one