Berkeley Student Builds Working BART Fare Gate Costume

The detailed Halloween project features functional motorized doors and an integrated card reader.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Arts & Crafts

Bold vector editorial illustration of a mechanical transit gate costume standing in a sunlit, stylized university courtyard. — UC Berkeley student Taylor Waddell engineered a functional, motorized BART fare gate costume using laser-cutting technology at the university's makerspace. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Taylor Waddell has engineered a functional BART fare gate Halloween costume, complete with motorized doors and a working card reader. The project serves as the second iteration of a fare gate design created by the student.

Why it matters

The build reflects updated transit designs implemented in the SF Bay Area since the creator's previous version of the costume. It highlights the intersection of creative hobbyism and local public transportation infrastructure.

The costume represents the 2nd version of a fare gate design built by the student. It incorporates motorized doors and a functional card reader developed for the project.

The players

Taylor Waddell

The student creator responsible for designing and building the functional transit-themed costume.

Jacob's Makerspace

An interdisciplinary facility at UC Berkeley that provides students with access to high-tech manufacturing tools like laser cutters.

BART

The primary public rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area which inspired the costume design.

The details

The costume was constructed using a laser cutter at the Jacob's Makerspace located on the UC Berkeley campus. This specific design was refined to accurately mirror recent modifications to transit hardware found throughout the SF Bay Area.

October 2026: The project reached completion and was featured in local reports.

Culture Shift

This project follows the trend of hyper-realistic, functional hobbyist builds that replicate public infrastructure. It signals a move toward high-fidelity engineering in DIY Halloween costumes that pay homage to iconic local transit designs.

This project provides a creative look at the hardware currently used in local transit stations across the SF Bay Area. Readers interested in their own builds can utilize campus facilities like those at UC Berkeley for complex fabrication tasks.

The takeaway

Creative fabrication projects allow individuals to engage deeply with the mechanical design of public utilities. Students can leverage local university makerspaces to combine technical skills with seasonal artistic expression.