Travel by train is already eco-friendly since trains move a huge number of people for the amount of pollution they produce. Now, it's about to get even better thanks to a new train that produces zero air pollution, Interesting Engineering reports.
The train is the RS Zero, successor to the popular Regio-Shuttle RS1, which has been one of the most popular models in Germany for almost three decades. Around 500 units are in service in Germany and the Czech Republic.
Swiss manufacturer Stadler's new eco-friendly RS Zero incorporates not one but two non-polluting power sources in a single train. It can switch between battery power and hydrogen fuel.
The aim, according to the manufacturer, is to set new standards for environmentally friendly rail transport, Interesting Engineering said.
"The Regio-Shuttle RS1 is an important part of Stadler's history," Stadler Chairman Peter Spuhler said, per Interesting Engineering. "We delivered the last vehicle to a customer 11 years ago. Now I am delighted that we start a new chapter in this success story with the RS Zero which enables us to further expand our technological leadership in the field of alternative drive technologies."
In Europe, 43% of rail lines are not electrified, including 38% in Germany. Those routes need self-propelling engines that don't produce air pollution in order to revive the tracks in a green way. RS Zero provides that.
Not only that, but it's also a cost-effective, lightweight option for less busy, secondary rail routes — and keeping the company's costs down is a good way to keep ticket costs low as well.
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The RS Zero comes in a single unit that seats 70 passengers and a double unit for up to 150. It is designed with low-mobility passengers in mind, with a wide low-floor area, a wheelchair space, and barrier-free access. There is space for bikes and strollers plus lounge areas, a bathroom, and a train office, per Railway News.
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