How are magnetic brakes adjusted?

Here's a question for the technical experts out there. Say that PKI decides they want to slow down the Beast some more at a certain spot (or even better, if they decided not to brake it as much). How do they go about adjusting the magnetic trims? With regular squeeze brakes, they would just set them to pinch less, but can they control the amount of magnetic force given off by a given brake?

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I get the feeling there's a conspiracy over at King's Island to remove anything that has "K" or "C" in its initials.

If the magnets are just regular ones they probably just space them more and use less of them. If they are elecrtomagnets its probably something with electricity. i'm not really sure tho.

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i would think you just space them out more. think about it...if you place a magnet further away from a metal object, it doesnt pull as much. i think its basically the same concept, only much more advanced.

As I understand it, the magnetic trims such as Kings Island is using have some minor adjustability built into them...there are two permanent magnets mounted on the frame, and the field strength can be adjusted by adjusting the spacing between the magnets.
I believe that's a fairly time-consuming, labor intensive process that probably involves a certain amount of trial-and-error. And there isn't a whole lot of adjustability there. Fortunately, once set, the brakes don't require further adjustment to maintain performance.

That's fine adjustments. Major adjustments would involve moving calipers around. :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Use more lgth or less length. Magnetic brakes are pretty final actually. Not really much you can do.

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

That's exactly what I thought...there doesn't seem to be much you can do.

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I get the feeling there's a conspiracy over at King's Island to remove anything that has "K" or "C" in its initials.

I'm not sure what the manufacturer's use for adjustment, but you should be able to adjust them either by changing the air gap (the space between the magnets), or by backing the magnets farther away so the fin projects less into the magnet. Either could be done, but it won't be a simple linear adjustment. You'll have to adjust and test.

Here's a completely wild guess, but you could also manipulate the fins on the trains too.

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AC?, RB?, MF?, DD?, PR? Who can keep track of it all?

The problem with changing the fins is that changes the effect of all the magnetic brakes, not just one.

First, I'm not sure of the exact type of brakes that PKI uses. Those I'm familiar with, however allow you to spread the magnets further apart to decrease the affect.

1/16" is usually all that it takes to make a difference, so there really isn't much adjustment needed. Just a box wrench and a couple minutes.

Theoretically, however, since the magnets automatically adjust for speed and aren't affected by the weather, they shouldn't ever need touched.

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"When I was growing up, we were taught something called manners. You'd understand that if you weren't such an idiot." - Jack Handey

...once they are set, of course. It's getting them tuned in the first place that causes all the grief... :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Dave, you should've seen it when we originally put all the magnets on the Jack Rabbit. Once the train came in to the check area, you had time to get a pizza, haircut, and see the entire "Godfather" trilogy before it made it to unload.

The fine tuning is indeed grief inducing.

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"When I was growing up, we were taught something called manners. You'd understand that if you weren't such an idiot." - Jack Handey