FH Aachen Railway Challenge Team
Engineering. On Track.
fh2rail is the student railway engineering team of FH Aachen. We design, build and operate Carla — our own 10¼-inch-gauge locomotive — and compete internationally in the Railway Challenge.
01 — About
One locomotive. Many disciplines.
Mechanics, electronics, software, automation, design and project management all come together in one real railway system.
Carla is our student-developed locomotive for the IMechE Railway Challenge.
Every component has to work as part of one system: drivetrain, brakes, control electronics, embedded software, safety systems and the mechanical structure.
The result is practical engineering under real constraints, built and operated by students.
IMechE Railway Challenge 2026 — Grand Champion.
First overall, with category victories in Energy Storage, Maintainability, Reliability and Ride Comfort.
02 — Latest
What’s happening now.
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Carla at the NRW Infrastructure Visit to FH Aachen
Carla represented fh2rail during a visit by NRW Minister Ina Brandes as the state announced a €60 million infrastructure funding commitment for FH Aachen.
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Carla at the Bahnhofsfest in Raeren
Carla left the competition environment for a weekend and joined the Bahnhofsfest in Raeren, where visitors could experience student railway engineering up close.
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Carla 2026 Rollout — Starting the New Season
fh2rail presented the 2026 version of Carla at FH Aachen’s Kompetenzzentrum Mobilität, marking the public start of our new Railway Challenge season. On 27 May…
03 — Participate
Build it. Follow it. Support it.
Whether you want to join the team, follow our progress or support student engineering, there is a place for you.
Join the Team
Work on mechanics, electronics, software, automation, media, project management or sponsorship.
Follow us
See workshop updates, test runs, events, new features, competitions and team life.
Be a Sponsor
Support practical engineering education and an international student project.