By Justin Franz

Canadian Pacific Kansas City is going all in on hydrogen. 

This year, CPKC has been busy testing its newest and most powerful hydrogen locomotive in coal service in British Columbia. Now railroad officials say they intend on putting at least seven additional hydrogen-powered locomotives in service in the new year. Among them will be SD40-2s rebuilt to run on hydrogen, one of which was nearly complete in November and already wearing the green and gray livery seen on the railroad’s other hydrogen units. 

The seven units slated to join the roster in 2025 include four 4-axle switchers in the 1100 number series; 2 6-axle DC road switchers (the former SD40-2s) in the 1000 number series; and one additional 6-axle AC high horsepower unit, plus a fuel tender, in the 1200 number series. 

Since 2021, CPKC has converted three diesel locomotives into hydrogen units, including an SD40-2F, a GP38-2 and an AC4400CW. The first two are presently used in local service in the Calgary area and the AC400CW (1200) has been tested on coal trains out of Sparwood, B.C. 

In January, CPKC plans on running at least 32 tests with the hydrogen units out of Sparwood during the first half of the year. Meanwhile, two of the rebuilt SD40-2 locomotives are expected to enter local service out of Lethbridge, Alta. CPKC is building a series of hydrogen fueling facilities in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Golden, B.C. to support the locomotives.