The first zero-emission passenger train in the United States has arrived in San Bernardino, and passengers should be able to use the clean-energy line early next year, transportation officials said.
The San Bernardino County Transit Authority unveiled the $20 million, 108-passenger train, the Zero Emission Multiple Unit, or ZEMU, at a public ceremony Thursday at the San Bernardino Depot train station.
ZEMU is North America's first zero-emission, autonomous passenger train that meets Federal Railroad Administration requirements, according to the transit authority.
“What we have done with ZEMU is transformative,” San Bernardino County Transit Authority Chairman Ray Marquez said in a statement. “The development of the train has solidified SBCTA’s place as an innovator in clean passenger rail transportation here in the Inland Empire, across the state and in the nation.”
The train will serve the Arrow Line, a 9-mile transit line with five stops between downtown San Bernardino and the University of Redlands.
The zero-emission train represents a major achievement in environmental transportation for the private liberal arts college, which holds Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building standards.
“The Arrow rail line has already had a transformative impact at the University of Redlands, connecting our students and campuses to the Southern California region,” said University of Redlands President Krista Newkirk in a statement. “The addition of the first autonomous, zero-emission passenger train takes this progress even further, amplifying our university’s commitment to investing in clean energy.”
ZEMU, a clean energy train, arrives in San Bernardino on June 30.
(San Bernardino County Transit Authority)
He The Arrow line debuted in October 2022 and allows westbound connections to Los Angeles Union Station.
The Arrow Line is Metrolink's fastest growing line, enjoying a 4% increase during the week and a 21% increase Number of passengers during the weekend from the previous quarter, according to Metrolink's third-quarter 2024 figures. The line is the smallest of eight regional routes and serves 416 daily riders on weekdays and 6,433 riders on weekends.
ZEMU is expected to be integrated into the Arrow Line route shortly after the new year, according to Tim Watkins, SBCTA's director of legislative and public affairs.
The train was built by the manufacturer Stadler. at its headquarters in eastern Switzerland Before heading to Belgium by truck and barge, it set off on a transatlantic voyage and arrived in Galveston, Texas, in the fall of 2023.
The train was eventually tested at the Pueblo, Colorado, Transportation Technology Center and on June 18, it left Colorado for San Bernardino, assisted by a Burlington Northern Santa Fe locomotive. It arrived at the station on June 21.
ZEMU joins a fleet of three Stadler-built diesel multiple trains currently serving the Arrow Corridor.
These diesel units run on renewable fuel made from natural fats and recycled vegetable oils.
ZEMU uses Stadler's Light Rapid Intercity and Regional Train (FLIRT) concept. The train uses a hybrid hydrogen and battery technology for propulsion and to power the on-board electrical systems. Water vapour is the only emission generated by the propulsion system.
At the moment, ZEMU is powered by blue hydrogenwhich uses natural gas and a steam reforming process to extract hydrogen. The resulting process produces carbon dioxide that is captured and stored for other uses.
Over time, the SBCTA hopes to adapt to green hydrogen, a cleaner form of fuel that relies on electrolysis to extract hydrogen and does not produce a carbon byproduct.
The zero-emission vehicle is a welcome addition to an area that has struggled with breathable air, according to Watkins.
San Bernardino received a letter grade of “F” or “Fail” in every category of the American Lung Association’s 2024 State of the Air Index. Ratings are based on the number of days a county’s air reaches unhealthy levels when measuring ozone and particle pollution.
“We are in one of the areas with the worst air quality indexes,” Watkins said. “We are interested in real solutions that can mitigate those challenges and provide breathable air.”
SBCTA said it has secured more than $60 million in state and local funding for the project. Other capital uses include testing, research and development and the remodeling and modernization of the Arrow Line maintenance facility in San Bernardino to accommodate the larger ZEMU.
The hope, Watkins said, is that this first ZEMU will lead to the conversion of the entire Metrolink fleet.
