Magnets attract or repel (opposite poles attract: like poles repel), and electro-magnets can be turned on and off, or have their poles reversed, in an instant. So magnets are used instead of engines in a maglev train.
There are two kinds of Maglev systems:
- EMS - ElectroMagnetic Suspension (Germany and China) - "pull" system. Magnets in the train are pulled forward by magnets in the track which are turned on just before the train arrives, and turned off as soon as the train is on top of them.
- EDS - ElectroDynamic Suspension (Japan) - "pull, neutral, push" system. Superconducting magnets in the train are pulled forward by track magnets. When the train is over the track magnet the track switches to neutral, then to the opposite polarity. So the magnet behind the train then pushes it forward.
by massive magnets !
