Luke stood in his room with a big plan. He wanted to build a grand toy track across the floor. This would be his best invention yet. He had a green toy train that could run on its own. Now, he just needed to lay the wooden tracks so the train could go to the main station.
First, Luke laid out a large portion of the track. He laid the long paths. Then, he built a track junction where the train could turn this way or that. Close to the turn, he set up a small flag with a suction cup on the base to keep it upright. On the flag, Luke wrote a short caption that said, "GO!"
Next, it was time to see his invention in motion. Luke turned the tiny button on the train. The engine hummed. He put the train on the track and watched the action. The train went fast down the long track, but it stopped at the curved section. The wheels spun and spun, but the train did not move.
"This is a hard snag," Luke said. The train did not have enough traction on the smooth wood. There was too much friction when the wheels tried to turn. Luke sat on the floor and sighed. He had to find a way to make the wheels grip.
His sister Gwen walked into the room. She looked at the stopped train. "Do you have a way to fix it?" she asked. Luke thought fast. He did not want his train to just be a useless toy that did not really run. He wanted a real train that could function.
"I have a plan," Luke said. He did not mention his plan to Gwen yet. Instead, he grabbed a roll of sticky tape. He cut tiny strips of tape. He carefully wrapped a portion of tape around each wheel. This was his big mission.
Luke placed the train back on the curved section. He flipped the button. The train moved a fraction of an inch, and then the tape gripped the track! The train went around the curve with speed. The tape gave it the traction it needed to overcome the friction.
The train sped past the flag and the junction, and ran perfectly past the station. Gwen clapped her hands. "Your invention is a win!" she yelled. Luke smiled. His train was finally in full motion, and his big mission was done.
