Comments on: Ball-Shaped TRAIN Pulled By Magnets http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/05/19/ball-shaped-train-pulled-by-magnets/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:36:33 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Rick Auricchio http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/05/19/ball-shaped-train-pulled-by-magnets/comment-page-1/#comment-1055356 Rick Auricchio Wed, 21 May 2008 23:55:40 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=4489#comment-1055356 I realize I added wrong on the track gauge. It's 4ft 8-1/2 inches, not 4ft 6-1/2. So it's 56.5 inches. But the two-inch error won't make any difference in passenger capacity. I realize I added wrong on the track gauge. It’s 4ft 8-1/2 inches, not 4ft 6-1/2. So it’s 56.5 inches.

But the two-inch error won’t make any difference in passenger capacity.

]]> By: Rick Auricchio http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/05/19/ball-shaped-train-pulled-by-magnets/comment-page-1/#comment-1055355 Rick Auricchio Wed, 21 May 2008 23:53:56 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=4489#comment-1055355 Some reality calculations: 1. Width of standard railroad track is 54.5" 2. Assume the ball extends 6" below the tops of the rails. The ball's outside diameter is then 129.76 inches. Allowing for the wall thickness and gimbal mount for the passenger "box," we have about 10ft (120 inches) inside diameter. Assuming an 8-foot tall passenger box, its floor area can only be 6x6 feet. So you can only get four people in there? This is hardly worth building! Some reality calculations:

1. Width of standard railroad track is 54.5″
2. Assume the ball extends 6″ below the tops of the rails.

The ball’s outside diameter is then 129.76 inches. Allowing for the wall thickness and gimbal mount for the passenger “box,” we have about 10ft (120 inches) inside diameter.

Assuming an 8-foot tall passenger box, its floor area can only be 6×6 feet.

So you can only get four people in there? This is hardly worth building!

]]> By: Rick Auricchio http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/05/19/ball-shaped-train-pulled-by-magnets/comment-page-1/#comment-1055276 Rick Auricchio Wed, 21 May 2008 02:14:44 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=4489#comment-1055276 So if those magnets are powerful enough to pull the "ball" from 300yds away, what will they do to all ferrous material nearby? Cars sucked to the magnets as the train goes by? "Don't nobody wear no watches!" So if those magnets are powerful enough to pull the “ball” from 300yds away, what will they do to all ferrous material nearby? Cars sucked to the magnets as the train goes by? “Don’t nobody wear no watches!”

]]> By: Slim http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/05/19/ball-shaped-train-pulled-by-magnets/comment-page-1/#comment-1055244 Slim Tue, 20 May 2008 17:06:30 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=4489#comment-1055244 Talk about claustrophobic? It might be good for astronaut training. Talk about claustrophobic? It might be good for astronaut training.

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