Make a Magnetic Levitating Train
Introduction: In magnets like poles repel. In other words N poles repel N poles and S poles repel S poles. The abilities of magnets to repel each other has provided the idea of making levitating trains. Levitating trains do not make a loud noise as regular trains do. They can also travel faster due to lower friction between the train and the rails. Magnetic trains do not need wheels. They just need a magnetic rail on the ground and a like magnetic rail on the train cars. |
Materials
To construct a model of magnetic levitating train you will need the following materials.
Included in your kit:
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Additional materials you need:
- Wood board or heavy cardboard 3" x 28" or larger. This will be the ground for your train.
- Clear adhesive tape
- Foam board or construction paper for making a decorative train
- Wood glue or Elmer glue to connect the foam parts (optional)
- A ruler stick
- Pencil
- This instruction page
Procedure Quick Reference:
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In this method the angle brackets are installed towards outside. In other words the horizontal surface of the brackets are away from the rails. This methods allows you to adjust the position of side rails later. The angle brackets can be secured using masking tape, clear adhesive tape, or small screws.Another method described in the detail procedure below is suggesting the brackets to be mounted towards inside. You choose which method you want to use. |
Procedure Details:
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Further adjustments and alignments:
If the magnets are very strong you may need to make your train heavier by adding weights or loads. You may also use the super strong neodymium magnet to modify the strength of your plastic magnet strips. Please be cautious in doing this because imbalance in the strength of magnet strips can potentially disable your train.
To increase the strength of plastic magnet, place the neodymium magnet on the magnet strip so that it will be attracted, then rub the magnet all over the surface of both rails on the ground.To reduce the strength of magnet, hover the neodymium magnet above the magnet strip so that it will be repelled by the plastic magnet, then move it along the rail. |
To be more precise in this procedure, you must first identify the N and S of your plastic magnets and your neodymium magnet. You may use a compass to identify the poles. The south pole of the compass needle is the one that shows the north and attracts to the N pole of magnets. Also the North pole of a compass needle stays towards the south pole and attracts toward the S pole of magnets.
To increase the strength of plastic magnet, rub its surface with the opposite pole of the neodymium magnet. To reduce its strength, hover the like pole of the neodymium magnet above its surface.
Note: Super strong Neodymium magnet is also able to reverse the poles of a plastic magnet. For example if the surface of plastic magnet is N, you can rub that surface with the N pole of neo magnet in order to change it to S.
Decoration:Make a decorative train using Styrofoam or construction paper and mount it over your wooden train base. A decorative structure makes your train more attractive for your science project display. You can glue or tape any decorative train car above your wooden train. |
If you cut the foam to exact size of your wooden train, you will not need to use tape or glue. The model can sit right on the top of the wooden train and hold it snugly. |
Additional upgrades:
The wooden train or the decorative train above that may be equipped with ejecting magnets so they can smoothly eject at the end of the rail. Ejecting magnets are usually rectangle magnets or small disk magnets that may be screwed or taped to both ends of a train. To make these work, matching magnets must be mounted at the end of each rail in a way that they repel the train magnets. |
The magnets at the end of the rail must be fully aligned with the train magnets so they can repel the train when it gets to the end of line.End of line magnets may be mounted on another wood block or a small cardboard or plastic box. Picture in the right shows an end of line magnet mounted on a wooden block that is hold in place using rubber bands. |
Other pictures:
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