Magnets give train a rise.(Mechanical Systems)

Conceived by physicist Richard Post at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Calif., the Inductrack Magnetic Levitation System uses a new type of maglev technology to create its levitating fields. Under development by General Atomics, San Diego, Calif., the prototype of this system uses Halbach arrays (a special configuration of neodymium, iron, and boron magnets) located beneath train cars. The magnetic fields created by these arrays interact with a track composed of shorted circuits to create levitating and centering magnetic forces. When the train starts to move, the magnets induce electrical currents in the track's circuits. These currents produce a magnetic field that repels the array, thus levitating the train car.

Unlike other maglevs, no...

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