Metrolinx is so bloody frustrating they infuriate me. Enough with this experimentation stuff, there is not one transit provider in the world which uses hydrogen powered trains in their fleet and that is for a good reason: it is an unproven technology. If they want to go ahead and trial it in a few trains, go right on ahead but to implement this unproven technology system wide is just laughable.
Europe is usually at the forefront at looking into new technology for rail and even they have not experimented with it, which goes to show how premature the hydrogen train concept is. We are so far behind in building transit, and now is not the time to be experimenting with different ways of transporting thousands of commuters. This is the same organization that just yesterday launched a pilot WiFi program on a few trains and buses, now all of a sudden they want to launch this hydrogen rail scheme across the network. Heck they even piloted hybrid buses for the bus fleet. Now they want to dip their toes all in on hydrogen? It really doesn't make any sense.
If we can, let's get the basic crux of RER service up and running with proven electric technology. After that point, if they want to start experimenting with their fantasy projects, then by all means go ahead.