The challenge

Teams are to assume that they work for a design consultancy producing a design proposal and a prototype for a small locomotive for a large corporation.

The Challenge is to design and manufacture the prototype of this locomotive and then test this against prototypes manufactured by the other teams.

The Challenge tests participating teams on several different aspects:

Track-based challenges

Energy Storage Challenge
Traction Challenge
Ride Comfort Challenge
Noise Challenge
Auto-stop Challenge
Maintainability Challenge
Reliability Challenge.

Presentation challenges

Design
Business Case
Technical Poster
Innovation.

For full details download the Railway Challenge rules and technical specification.

Railway Challenge entry level option

For 2023 we are offering a new ‘Entry Level’ option for the Railway Challenge. This is only open for teams from institutions which have not previously participated in the competition.

Teams taking the Entry Level option are not required to manufacture a locomotive being only required to submit a design of their proposed loco. The design must follow all rules of the main competition but Entry Level teams must also submit a CAD model to demonstrate the overall structure of their locomotive and also a more detailed design of one chosen sub-system. Entry Level teams are still expected to compete in all the other presentation challenges.

The designs will be assessed by the judges and a trophy will be awarded to the best Entry Level challenge team at the final ceremony of the Railway Challenge weekend.

The intention is that this provides teams with a stepping stone towards a full entry in a future year, where it may seem too daunting to both design and construct a locomotive within a single year.