Unveiling its latest developments at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association conference in Denver, Colorado, Sierra Northern Railway (SERA) has announced the successful completion of first-phase testing of its four-unit hydrogen fuel cell switching locomotive fleet – powered by Ballard.
Trials were undertaken at SERA’s railyard in West Sacramento, California in March 2025, and the positive learnings and outcomes establish a platform for widespread commercialization in the immediate future for decarbonized rail transport in North America.
Watch highlights from SERA’s testing below:
[Footage courtesy of SERA]
The retrofit project, funded by the California State Transportation Authority and supported by GTI Energy, is converting diesel switcher locomotives to zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell technology, a transition that will significantly reduce CO2, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emissions.
SERA's project transforms an older Tier 0 diesel locomotive into a zero-emission 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.
A versatile power module that is utilized in a range of markets and applications, Ballard's FCwave™ 200kW fuel cell engine drives SERA's hydrogen locomotive, providing 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.
Ballard is the fuel cell partner in a 10-player project ecosystem that includes SERA, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, Railpower Tech, and Velocity Strategies, with critical additional funding from the California Energy Commission, SoCalGas Research Development & Demonstration, and the Low-Carbon Resources Initiative.
SERA has already begun the process of building three additional hydrogen-powered switching locomotives. Testing will be carried out on a planned test track at SERA’s railyard in West Sacramento and is expected to run until the end of 2027 – where it is hoped the completion of testing will instigate the ramp-up of converting SERA’s entire fleet of switchers to hydrogen power, and eventually all 260 switcher locomotives in California.