NationStates Jolt Archive


Maglev techie type question

Daistallia 2104
19-07-2006, 17:30
A question for the techie types:

I came accross an interesting idea earlier this year.

(The Mark XIX Main Battle Tank) moved itself around using a MagLev track-laying system, laying magnetic bars in front of itself, gliding over them, and picking them up as it left. When traveling over a ferro-magnetic surface, it could keep the bars inside itself, magnetize the surface and then move much faster over it. And when you put one on a real MagLev track, it could really move out, hitting three thousand kilometers an hour, in a vacuum.

The War With Earth by Leo Frankowski & Dave Grossman
http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200307/0743436156.htm?blurb


1) Is this at all feasable?
2) What sort of energy requirements would it require?
3) What other considerations are there?

(FWIW, this is related to an RP idea. I posted a related question at the draftroom, but have recieved no replies, and wondered if NSG might get a better result. Please no ignorant BS answers.)
UpwardThrust
19-07-2006, 17:38
A question for the techie types:

I came accross an interesting idea earlier this year.



The War With Earth by Leo Frankowski & Dave Grossman
http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200307/0743436156.htm?blurb


1) Is this at all feasable?
2) What sort of energy requirements would it require?
3) What other considerations are there?

(FWIW, this is related to an RP idea. I posted a related question at the draftroom, but have recieved no replies, and wondered if NSG might get a better result. Please no ignorant BS answers.)

Power consumption with something the weight of a tank would be excessive … that alone could cause major issues.

Take into effect the “Track laying” mechanism and track pickup would be complex.

Feasible in the future but I don’t see what ADVANTAGE it would have
Khadgar
19-07-2006, 17:43
The energy comsuption would be absurdly high, there's no benefit. The rails you laid down would sink into the ground and be nigh impossible to retreive.

There's a reason modern tanks have such a wide footprint.