Mag Steer - Model Cars Steered by Magnets
Index
Above - August 9, 2008 - Click and enjoy a new take on an invention in the the world of model cars.
Above - December 20, 2010 - Building the garden railroad sidetracked the mag steer project indefinitely. It sits among other projects waiting for completion. Admittedly, some are real Mickey Mouse projects......
Above - December 20, 2010 - Bottom view.
Above - December 20, 2010 - Bottom view of steering detail. The magnet is powerful enough to break the front of the plastic chassis so the brass piece is used for reinforcement. The ratio of the distance to the magnet center in front and the tie rod center in the back is 1:1. It may or may not be ideal, but it works.
Above - December 20, 2010 - Top view of chassis.
Above - December 20, 2010 - Top view of steering detail. Lots of slots in the linkages for development. Spring suspension replaced with fixed collars. A stacked pair of very powerful neodymium magnets are used since an air gap is maintained to the track surface.
Miniatur Wunderland
The biggest user and most advanced technology in the mag steer world is at 'Miniatur Wunderland' in Hamburg, Germany. They have hundreds of vehicles running, autonomously, on one of the world's largest 1:87 scale operating dioramas. Some vehicles are as small as this Faller Car System example:
Most, however are larger buses and trucks:
Other Links
Now in production, a functional mag steer racing idea.
A successful mag steer car in an garden railroad.