In 1856, the Andorinha made its debut as the first Portuguese locomotive. Now, 170 years later, coinciding with the 170th anniversary of the Portuguese railways, a modern namesake has emerged from the creativity and skills of students at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa. This fully electric vehicle was unveiled to the public on 29 September in the Salão Nobre of Alameda campus, during the first rollout event organised by ISTrain, the Técnico students’ organisation responsible for its design.

As the ceremony drew to a close, the audience in the Great Hall stood eagerly, trying to catch a glimpse through the crowd. The veil covering the locomotive was lifted, revealing a 320-kilogram train primarily constructed of aluminum. The vehicle is equipped with a dual battery pack, allowing it to operate autonomously—without a driver or passengers—while carrying a load of approximately two metric tons at a speed of 15 km/h for up to three hours. Additionally, it features a regenerative braking system that recovers energy for the batteries during deceleration.

Rogério Colaço, the president of Técnico, shared that “these late afternoons in the Great Hall are always a joy”, as they celebrate the achievements of students and showcase their “indomitable will to create something new that did not exist before”. He emphasised that “the Técnico students’ organisations are not merely an afterthought; they are a vital part of our identity and contribute significantly to the education and experience we aim to provide our students”.

In a project of this nature, the different curricular units are no longer separate. “Mechanics must work in tandem with electronics, energy efficiency must be taken into account, and safety must be a priority at every step”, explained the professor. It is an experience that does not replace scientific training in a classroom setting, “but gives it practical application, context, and a concrete sense of responsibility”, he added.

Even before the rollout event, Andorinha had already earned international recognition—between 25 and 28 June, it won five awards at the IMechE Railway Challenge in the United Kingdom, marking ISTrain’s debut in the competition (becoming the first group of students from the Iberian Peninsula to participate).

“Modesty aside, it was a smash hit”, said Aliya Ibrahimo, the outgoing Team Leader, in her speech, drawing laughter from the audience. “ISTrain represents a vision of a network of individuals united by the ambition to shape the future of rail; this dream has been passed from one dreamer to another until it became a reality; a dream so big that it has sparked new ambitions at other universities”.

The future of the national rail system was also discussed

The programme’s lineup featured two roundtable discussions. One was moderated by Carlos Cipriano, Diogo Ferreira Nunes and Ruben Martins, journalists from Público newspaper who host the Sobre Carris podcast, and who took the opportunity to record an episode at Técnico.

Hugo Magalhães, a professor at Técnico who first proposed the challenge to create ISTrain (and who, for this reason, is described by students as the initiative’s “mentor”), highlighted that, in addition to this project, ISTrain also developed a CAPSTONE project: another solar-powered locomotive named Helianto. Virgínia Infante, also a professor at Técnico and president of the Mechanical Engineering Institute (idMEC), a research center affiliated with Técnico, argued that “communication is essential” to attract more people to the railway industry, particularly young people. According to the researcher, “companies collaborate with these students’ organisations to strengthen ties with research units”, which “benefits both parties”.

According to Paulo Duarte, president of the Portuguese Railway Platform, the priority is to transition from a “rusty railroad” to a “high-tech railroad”, citing examples of technologies such as the MagLev system, which enables trains to travel safely at speeds of several hundred kilometers per hour, a technology already in use in countries like China and Japan. “Innovation is essential, and the ISTrain project is an excellent example of this”, he noted. The opinion was shared by journalist Carlos Cipriano. Although he expressed concern that many of the engineering students present may eventually work in the railway industry abroad, he remains “optimistic due to the outstanding work you [ISTrain students] are doing”.

Aliya Ibrahimo, a female team leader, noted that her role could “inspire more women to feel comfortable in similar positions”. This point was echoed by Carlos Cipriano, who lamented that the industry is still predominantly male. Aliya, who is completing her master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Técnico, expressed her desire to pursue a career in the railway industry in Portugal. “This is when it’s going to happen—we have to be here and produce here; it doesn’t make sense for me to go anywhere else”, she emphasised.

Taking over as ISTrain Team Leader from Aliya, Manuel Barreiras issued a challenge to those present for the upcoming academic year. “If you’re looking for a challenging engineering project, you should join ISTrain: you’ll learn to work as a team and gain many technical skills”, he assured, also adding that “my interest in railways has been progressively growing”.

Sérgio Tomázio, a Técnico alumnus and Head of Innovation at Siemens Mobility, highlighted the courage of the ISTrain students for “being willing to undertake a project that no one had attempted before” and noted that this marks “the first time something like this has been done in Portugal”.

Photo gallery (available soon)