04-10-2017, 12:11 PM
Maglev trains are a very fast type of train. Magnetic levitation is a technology that uses magnetic fields to make the train move. These fields raise the train a small distance on the tracks and move the train. They are much faster than regular trains. By 2035, a trip from Toronto to Vancouver will take 3 hours. This same trip takes three days on a regular train. After this technology has been perfected, people will be able to travel faster across the land on a maglev train than it would on an airplane. The highest known speed of a maglev train is 600 kilometers per hour (370 mph). This was done in Japan in 2015.
A maglev train has no engine. The trains are powered by a magnetic field created by electrified coils on the guide and track walls. This system has three parts:
1. a large source of electrical energy
2. metal coils coating a guide (track)
3. Large guide magnets attached to the bottom of the train.
With magnets, opposing poles attract and similar poles repel each other. This is the basic principle behind electromagnetic propulsion. Electromagnets are similar to other magnets because they attract metallic objects, but the magnetic pull is temporary. A small electromagnet can be made by connecting the ends of a copper wire to the positive and negative ends of an AA, C, or D stack. This creates a small magnetic field. If the cable is disconnected from the ends of the battery, the magnetic field is removed.
The magnetized coil that runs along the track, called a guide, repels large magnets on the train's landing gear. This allows the train to rise between 0.39 and 3.93 inches (1 to 10 centimeters) above the guide. Once the train is lifted, power is supplied to the coils within the guide walls. This creates a unique system of magnetic fields that pull and push the train along the guide. The electric current supplied to the coils in the guide walls is constantly alternated to change the polarity of the magnetized coils. This change in polarity causes the magnetic field in front of the train to pull the vehicle forward, while the magnetic field behind the train adds more forward thrust.
Maglev trains float on an air cushion, which eliminates friction. The trains have an aerodynamic design. This allows them to reach speeds of over 310 mph (500 kph), or twice as fast as the fastest Amtrak commuter train. In comparison, a Boeing-777 commercial aircraft used for long-range flights can reach a top speed of 905 km / h.
Germany and Japan are developing maglev trains, and both are currently testing prototypes. The German company "Trans-rapid International" also has a train in commercial use. Although based on similar ideas, German and Japanese trains have different differences. German engineers have developed an "electromagnetic suspension" (EMS) system, called "Trans-rapid". In this system, the bottom of the train is wrapped around a steel guide. The electromagnets under the train are directed upwards toward the guide, which raises the train about 1/3 of an inch above the guide. This raises the train even when it is not moving. Other guide magnets on the body of the train keep it stable during the ride. The Maglev Trans-rapid train can reach 300 mph with passengers.
A maglev train has no engine. The trains are powered by a magnetic field created by electrified coils on the guide and track walls. This system has three parts:
1. a large source of electrical energy
2. metal coils coating a guide (track)
3. Large guide magnets attached to the bottom of the train.
With magnets, opposing poles attract and similar poles repel each other. This is the basic principle behind electromagnetic propulsion. Electromagnets are similar to other magnets because they attract metallic objects, but the magnetic pull is temporary. A small electromagnet can be made by connecting the ends of a copper wire to the positive and negative ends of an AA, C, or D stack. This creates a small magnetic field. If the cable is disconnected from the ends of the battery, the magnetic field is removed.
The magnetized coil that runs along the track, called a guide, repels large magnets on the train's landing gear. This allows the train to rise between 0.39 and 3.93 inches (1 to 10 centimeters) above the guide. Once the train is lifted, power is supplied to the coils within the guide walls. This creates a unique system of magnetic fields that pull and push the train along the guide. The electric current supplied to the coils in the guide walls is constantly alternated to change the polarity of the magnetized coils. This change in polarity causes the magnetic field in front of the train to pull the vehicle forward, while the magnetic field behind the train adds more forward thrust.
Maglev trains float on an air cushion, which eliminates friction. The trains have an aerodynamic design. This allows them to reach speeds of over 310 mph (500 kph), or twice as fast as the fastest Amtrak commuter train. In comparison, a Boeing-777 commercial aircraft used for long-range flights can reach a top speed of 905 km / h.
Germany and Japan are developing maglev trains, and both are currently testing prototypes. The German company "Trans-rapid International" also has a train in commercial use. Although based on similar ideas, German and Japanese trains have different differences. German engineers have developed an "electromagnetic suspension" (EMS) system, called "Trans-rapid". In this system, the bottom of the train is wrapped around a steel guide. The electromagnets under the train are directed upwards toward the guide, which raises the train about 1/3 of an inch above the guide. This raises the train even when it is not moving. Other guide magnets on the body of the train keep it stable during the ride. The Maglev Trans-rapid train can reach 300 mph with passengers.