Navid Rahbariasr
Navid Rahbariasr is an Associate Research Scientist and Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Columbia University. He specializes in control systems engineering, optimization, and energy management
The team
Three divisions. One locomotive.
Business, Electrical, and Mechanical divisions each own a set of locomotive or team functions, while Project and Systems Integration leadership coordinate the whole build.
Leadership
Coordinates the complete project across all three divisions.
Project Lead
Directs the organization, represents the team, coordinates division leaders, defines club culture, and keeps the competition program moving toward completion.
Winston Qin
Electrical Engineering · Class of 2028
Systems Integration Lead
Coordinates dependencies across divisions, maintains engineering standards, catches integration conflicts, and leads systems integration reviews.
Kevin Yang
The three divisions
Choose a division, then open a subdivision.
DivisionElectricalExplore division
Designs the locomotive energy storage, electric traction, embedded controls, operator interfaces, and low-voltage systems.
Josephine Yein Park
Batteries
Builds safe traction and low-voltage battery systems, including cell selection, packaging, monitoring, and protection.
Yury Mishustin
Selects cells, builds traction and low-voltage packs, integrates battery management and safety systems, and supports tractive-system testing.
Electric Traction
Turns stored electrical energy into controlled tractive effort through the inverter, motor, and supporting electronics.
Davud Bilal Skenderi
Integrates battery, inverter, and motor; prototypes the drive system; designs precharge; and selects the final traction assembly.
Controls & Software
Programs locomotive behavior and builds the controls, interfaces, communications, and monitoring needed to operate safely.
Chloe Yuesu Wang & Cedric Wei Liu
Develops embedded controls, 25-metre auto-stop logic, operator interfaces, onboard networking, control boards, and brake integration.
DivisionMechanicalExplore division
Designs and manufactures the locomotive structure, running gear, gearing, braking, suspension, and test track.
Oliver Silverio
Frame
Creates the load-bearing frame, component mounting system, protective body, and manufacturable structural parts.
Angela Marie De Labra
Prototypes the frame, designs mounts and enclosures, validates strength and manufacturability, and delivers the final chassis and body.
Brakes
Designs the service and emergency braking system, including fail-safes, actuation, sensing, and controls integration.
Julieta Isabela Gil-Marin
Selects service and emergency brakes, develops fail-safe control logic, validates stopping performance, and integrates the Brake Control Card.
Powertrain
Converts motor output into wheel torque through gearing, shafts, bearings, mounts, and maintainable mechanical interfaces.
Leader not published
Designs and prototypes the gearbox, balances torque and speed, establishes tolerances and mounting, and connects motor to axle.
Trackage
Designs and builds portable 10¼-inch-gauge test track while validating geometry, structure, gradients, and wheel compatibility.
Ronen Yale Peters
Plans the test course, designs portable 10¼-inch-gauge rail, studies geometry and gradients, and manufactures track for testing.
Bogie
Develops the wheelset-and-frame assemblies and suspension that guide the locomotive, carry its loads, and isolate vibration.
Leader not published
Designs wheelsets, axles, bogie frames, and suspension; validates loads and ride comfort; and integrates brakes and transmission.
DivisionBusinessExplore division
Secures the funding, partnerships, communications, membership, and operational support needed to build and compete.
Katherine Liu
Treasury
Manages budgeting, financial reporting, purchasing feasibility, sponsorship outreach, and the Railway Challenge business case.
Zoey Ying-ying Zhu
Builds budgets and reports, plans UK travel funding, leads the business case, manages parts requests, and develops sponsor outreach.
Public Relations
Runs branding, social media, campus and alumni outreach, progress communications, recruiting promotion, and team community.
Alayna Ting
Builds the brand, manages social channels and campus promotion, develops outreach, and coordinates alumni and team community.
Faculty guidance
Faculty adviser
Advisers connect the student team with technical perspective and the wider Columbia community.
Join a subdivision
Start with curiosity. Build real responsibility from there.
No railway experience or background knowledge is required. Choose a subdivision where you want to learn, then contribute consistently alongside its lead.
