After five years of sourcing, engineering, and extensive testing, Sierra Northern Railway (SERA) has commissioned its first hydrogen-powered switching locomotive – ready for revenue service in California. The milestone was marked with a public unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the company’s railyard in West Sacramento in September.
Powered by Ballard, the zero-emission application enjoyed successful track testing in March and completed on-site commissioning and thorough demonstration activities during the middle of 2025; before conducting final trials – including on-site moves, safety training, and regulator engagement with the Federal Railroad Administration – at the public event on September 4.
SERA's project transforms an old Tier 0 four-axle diesel locomotive into an emission-free switcher using proven hydrogen technology. The decarbonization process involves the integration of an advanced hydrogen fuel cell – supplied by Ballard – hydrogen storage, advanced battery, and system control technologies that provide a green alternative to existing polluting diesel-powered units.
Driving SERA’s decarbonized locomotive is Ballard’s FCwave™ 200kW fuel cell engine – a versatile power module that is utilized in a range of markets and applications, which provides a flexible, industrial-grade all-in-one power solution that is low in total lifecycle cost and easily scalable, up to 2MW, to power and space requirements.
Performance and support during testing has been such that SERA ordered an additional 12 FCwave™ engines in June to power three additional switching locomotives as part of the project’s next phase.
With California’s ambition to transition 100% of off-road vehicles and equipment to zero-emission by 2045, the success of SERA’s fuel cell locomotive is an important stepping stone for the rail industry in feasibility and widespread adoption and application.
The state currently has more than 800 switchers consuming an average of 50,000 gallons of diesel every year. With renewable hydrogen initiatives like SERA’s, California’s decarbonization and clean air goals are spurred on through zero-emission technology, raising awareness and spiking demand in key sectors that include hard-to-abate heavy-duty transport.
Successful deployment of the hydrogen switcher locomotive will provide valuable information regarding the cost, performance characteristics, and benefits of zero-emission locomotive conversions – particularly for industry operators. SERA’s program will demonstrate the feasibility of using hydrogen to decarbonize rail, which could be an important end-use as the sector transitions to support clean hydrogen conveyance.