© Alpha Trains
- Alpha Group News
- 11. May 2026
- Press Release | Alpha Trains
Continuing as main sponsor of the European Railway Challenge
Alpha Trains encourages innovation among tomorrow’s engineers
Cologne/Luxembourg, 11 May 2026 - Alpha Trains, the leading private lessor of locomotives and passenger trains in continental Europe, has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the future of the rail industry as the main sponsor of the “Alpha Trains European Railway Challenge”.
This annual competition, initiated and organised by the University of Applied Sciences in Aachen, provides aspiring engineers with a unique, highly practical platform on which to develop and test innovative rail vehicle concepts.
Student teams from across Europe develop and construct rail worthy locomotives on a 1:5 scale. The vehicles are then tested under realistic conditions in various categories such as traction, braking performance, reliability, energy efficiency and ride comfort on a model railway track with a 10.25-inch gauge in Bad Schussenried, Upper Swabia.
The competition aims to introduce the next generation of engineering students to the technical, economic and sustainability-related challenges of the railway sector in a practical way.
This year, the number of participating teams has reached a new record high. A total of eight teams will be competing: EAGLE (Nuremberg Tech), PUTrain (Poznan University of Technology, Poland), FH2Rail (Aachen University of Applied Sciences), Loc.KA.engineering e.V. (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, KIT), Next Stop: Innovation! (Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences), Heron (Anglia Ruskin University, UK), ifs Charlemagne Express (RWTH Aachen University) and Locomotive Engineering Team (Budapest University of Technology and Economics, BME). The Ceylonic E Rail team from Sri Lanka had to withdraw, but hopes to participate in 2027.
“Creativity and a passion for rail are core strengths of our company,” says Jörg Hagemeyer, Engineering Director at Alpha Trains. “The Alpha Trains European Railway Challenge impressively demonstrates the potential of the next generation of railway engineers. As a sponsor of this competition, we aim to nurture young talent specifically, who will shape the innovative and environmentally friendly rail transport of tomorrow through creative and practical approaches.”
For more than 25 years, Alpha Trains has been a pioneer of rail market liberalisation in Europe. With a fleet of more than 1,000 vehicles operating across 22 countries - from Portugal to Poland - the company supports passenger and freight operators in delivering modern, efficient and sustainable mobility solutions.
About Alpha Trains
Alpha Trains is the leading private rolling stock lessor in Continental Europe. A total of 150 employees from 20 countries work in offices in Luxembourg, Antwerp, Cologne, Madrid, Paris and Warsaw. Alpha Trains owns more than 1,000 locomotives and passenger trains and offers tailor-made leasing solutions, comprehensive know-how in maintenance and vehicle repairs as well as long-term experience in the financing of new-build projects. Alpha Trains’ fleets are in use at many public and private operators in 22 European countries. Alpha Trains′ shareholders are APG, Arcus European Trains, PGGM and Swiss Life.
Contact Alpha Trains Group
Heike Zimmermann, Group Head of PR & Marketing
Telefon: +49 221 9140 9063
[email protected]