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Magnarail Train (Prototype V1)

A magnetic train on my own 3D-printed track. Repelling magnets keep it on the rail.

  • 3D Printing
  • Tinkercad
BuildingBUILD LOG #10

// What I'm building

Magnarail is a magnetic train on a 3D-printed track. Permanent magnets that push each other away (repel) keep the train on the rail. For now I push it by hand. Later a rear car with a fan could push it!

The design is made for Tinkercad and Bambu Studio as STL files. The track is 50 mm wide, with magnets underneath and on both sides.

  • Track set: a 100 mm straight, left and right 30° curves, and 12 mm uphill and downhill pieces. They snap together with tongue-and-socket connectors.
  • Streamlined front car: 80 mm long, with a ball-joint coupler socket on the back so cars can turn and go up and down hills.

Big question answered: float or ride?

✔ Repel and guide
Magnets on the train and the track push apart, so the train stays on the rail.
Moving it
Hand push for now. Fan car later.
  • Repelling permanent magnets keep it on the rail
  • 50 mm track: straight, 30° curves, 12 mm hills
  • 80 mm streamlined front car + ball-joint coupler
  • 5 mm magnets in 5.3 mm holes
  • Hand push for now (fan car later)
MAGNARAIL · FRONT VIEW NNN NNN N ↔ N = REPEL5 mm MAGNETS 5.3 mm HOLESTRACK 50 mm TRAIN 28 mmPUSH BY HAND (FOR NOW)

// Build Log

  1. Try #1 — design + magnet size

    WHAT I TRIED
    Designed the 50 mm track set and the front car, with magnet holes under and along the sides.
    WHAT BROKE
    The magnet holes were too exact for my printer, so they got bigger (6.4 mm). Then I measured my magnets again: they're 5 mm wide, so 6.4 mm was way too big.
    THE FIX
    Rebuilt every file with 5.3 mm holes, a little room around a 5 mm magnet.

  2. Try #2 — the blank blocks

    WHAT I TRIED
    Opened the new files to get ready to print.
    WHAT BROKE
    They came out as plain blocks with no magnet holes at all!
    THE FIX
    Rebuilt six STL files (five track pieces plus the streamlined front car) with open magnet pockets, a 42 mm channel between the walls, and a 28 mm wide train.

  3. Try #3 — first print

    WHAT I TRIED
    Getting the straight track ready to print.
    WHAT BROKE
    Nothing yet! The magnets and the coupler haven't been tested.
    THE FIX
    Check the holes show up in Bambu Studio before printing.
NEXT STEP

Print the straight track first, check the magnet holes show up in Bambu Studio, then test one magnet's fit. After that: test the car on curves and hills, and later design the rear car with a fan.