Heng Ye wins Rep. Nick LaLota’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in New York’s First District

When asked what inspired the creation of M7 Train Simulator at the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, the student said, “The M7 simulator restoration project at the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum (OBRM) holds deep personal meaning for me, combining two of my favorite things: technology and trains. Creating this app was the perfect opportunity to use my passions to inspire future generations on Long Island.

When I was small, I loved to visit aviation and railroad museums, where the simulators were always the highlight for me.  I remember the thrill of sitting behind realistic controls, pretending I was in command of a plane or a train. I recall playing with simulators at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in addition to railroad museums in Shanghai, China, and Toronto, Canada. This fascination led me to explore simulators at home, such as flight and train simulator games. As I became interested in engineering, I enjoyed writing customization programs for the simulator software. When I noticed the possibility of the project at OBRM, I didn’t hesitate to seize the opportunity. When I was a child, I had played with the nonfunctional train cabs they had in their rail yard. With the new skills I’ve acquired, I felt confident that I could create a new simulator using the cabs at OBRM. My goal was for museum visitors of all ages to be able to feel the same excitement that I felt when I first sat behind the controls of a simulator.

I believe that an app like this one is beneficial for capturing the attention of future generations to the preservation of railroad history. When I walk through museums, I often observe children showing signs of boredom as their parents try to explain exhibits. Through an interactive experience, the learning of railroad history and knowledge becomes more active. Long Island is a region with some of the nation’s richest railroad history, and I would like to see interest in railroad preservation extend to younger people.

Finally, I wanted to experiment with creating an app that tested my ability to adapt to new scenarios as a software and hardware developer. Previously, I have made more traditional mobile and web applications such as PDF tools and messaging apps. By making a project that combined hardware and software aspects, I was able to expand my skill set greatly. I hope that through my app, I can help more Long Islanders appreciate our railroad heritage while having as much fun playing with the simulator as I did creating it.”