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Sky Train
XINHUA/HU CHENHUAN/NEWSCOM
HIGH UP: A new train in China runs under a track 32 feet above the ground.
This past summer, engineers unveiled a new train in China that floats beneath its track about three stories above the ground. But magic isn’t holding the train aloft—it’s magnets!
The Xingguo (shing-gwaugh) sky train relies on magnetic levitation, or maglev, technology. It uses the repelling force of powerful magnets on the train and track to keep the vehicle suspended and propel it forward. This eliminates speed-reducing friction, which is created as a train’s wheels rub against the rails. When engineers first tested the train in August 2022, it reached a speed of 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hour.
Most maglev trains use electromagnets. These magnets require electricity to generate a magnetic field. But Xingguo is different. It is the first suspended maglev train to use superstrong permanent magnets. These generate a constant repelling force—no electricity required. This means the train can glide along smoothly while using very little energy.
A magnet has two poles, one on each end, where its magnetic field is the strongest. Magnets’ opposite poles attract one another, while like poles repel one another. Here’s how the Xingguo sky train uses this principle to levitate and glide beneath its track.
HARVEY SYMONS
GUIDANCE
These magnets use a repelling force to keep the train centered.
LEVITATION
These magnets repel each other, pushing the bar suspending the train upward off the track.
PROPULSION
The bottom of the track and top of the train are lined with rows of magnets that use repelling and attractive forces to push and pull the floating vehicle forward.