Imagine a nearly silent train that glides along its tracks emitting nothing more toxic than water.
想象一下，一辆火车消无声息地沿着铁轨运行，排放物中的有毒物质不过是水。
That train is a reality.
这种火车是真实存在的。
In March, Germany conducted successful tests of the world's first "Hydrail" - a hydrogen powered, zero-emission train.
3月份，德国成功测试了世界上第一辆“氢铁”，这是一种零排放的氢气动力火车。
"The new train is 60% less noisy than a traditional diesel train, completely emission free," said Jens Sprotte of Alstom, the French producer of the train. "Its speed and the possibility to transport passengers match the performance of a diesel train."
"The only sound it gives off comes from the wheels and air resistance," Sprotte added.
施普罗特表示：“氢铁唯一发出的声音来自车轮和空气阻力。”
Here's how the new technology works:
下面是这项新技术的原理：
The Hydrail uses the same equipment as a diesel train but substitutes hydrogen as its fuel source. Large fuel cells sitting on top of the train combine hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity, which is then transferred to lithium ion batteries.
Energy that is not immediately used can be stored for later use, increasing fuel efficiency. The train's only emissions are steam and water, resulting in minimal impact to the environment.
The train can travel up to 500 miles per day on a single tank of hydrogen, carrying 300 passengers at a time.
氢铁消耗一罐氢气平均每天最多可行驶500英里（约为800公里），一次可搭载300名乘客。
The first operational trains will roll out by the beginning of 2018, providing a green alternative to the 4,000 diesel trains currently operating in Germany. According to the EU, about 20% of Europe's current rail traffic runs on diesel.
The new train is ideally suited for short stretches of the European network that have not been converted to electric rails.
这种新型火车非常适合欧洲铁路网中没有转换成电力轨道的短程线路。
Alstom are hoping the train will turn a profit within its first couple years of operation. They hope the model will replace Germany's fleet of diesel trains in five to 20 years.
阿尔斯通期望在氢铁开始运营的最初几年内就能盈利，也希望氢铁能在5-20年内取代德国的柴油列车。
The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and the UK have also expressed interest in the train.
