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May, 2025

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Why do rails get sticky?

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Blindsurfer
Posts: 2252 - Karma: 2,802
What makes it happen? One run i hit a rail and its super smooth, no problem. But then the next run i hit it and all of a sudden it's all sticky. i'm not new to the sticky rail phenomenon, but ive always wondered what makes it happen.
13 years ago
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PJS.
Posts: 11943 - Karma: 900
Because you touch yourself at night. In the park. Onto rails.
13 years ago
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TOAST.
Posts: 7753 - Karma: 39,704
We have noticed that sometimes if there is paint on the top of the rail it will stick.
Also you might have burs in your edges or the rail that would stick.
Also temperature plays part in it.
13 years ago
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array.
Posts: 2439 - Karma: 202
well played sir
13 years ago
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GNARwalls
Posts: 1287 - Karma: 528
this. a lot of the time at my home mountain this happens because of temperature
13 years ago
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Elmo.
Posts: 4320 - Karma: 669
yea ive heard that the rail/box isnt the same temp as the air and that can affect it. dont know how true it is

when there is fresh paint it is a little stickier i know that
13 years ago
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
Really? I find it the opposite, with paint on it's smooth and without it's not.
13 years ago
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Abc567def
Posts: 8756 - Karma: 802
freezing rain/snow. also if there is a snowgun near by
13 years ago
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Blindsurfer
Posts: 2252 - Karma: 2,802
the top of this particular rail isnt painted though, and what do you mean by burrs on my edges? if it means roughness then my edges are completely smooth
13 years ago
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GayWolf420
Posts: 38091 - Karma: 129,672
I find when it's snowing a wet snow, they get retardedly sticky.
13 years ago
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E.C.
Posts: 3211 - Karma: 319
yes i find when its warmer out, most of the time the rails are stickier, especially when its been cold for the few days before,
13 years ago
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Shifties4Dayz
Posts: 1657 - Karma: 553
heres my theory. The rail is made of steel and ski edges are made of steel. there is almost zero friction between 2 pieces of steel rubbing on eachother (thus why trains are so fuel efficient). when the rail gets wet it causes the rail to oxidize and rust a little bit increasing the friction between the steel rail and the steel edges of the ski. another possibility is, if the air temperature is warm, then the steel rail is cold. the edges of the ski, being on snow which is obviously colder than the air around it make the edges colder than the rail. so the difference in temperature between the rail and the edges of a ski cause there to be more friction between the 2.
13 years ago
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Joebin
Posts: 1664 - Karma: 867
Most of the time its because of where the pressure is on your ski. You cant hit a rail exactly the same again and again. Your pressure might be a little bit more on your heel or toe, or it might be the slightest bit into the rail.
13 years ago
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SKIU4EA
Posts: 2388 - Karma: 2,086

don't know... but i do know that if i almost wreck bad because of a sticky rail,  I won't hit it again for the rest of the day.   I fucking hate them.  Seems like it's always the wider rails that get weird.

There is a rail at Mt Snow that slides different every fucking time i hit it... so unpredictable.  Never have a problem with nice skinny rails like urban style.

13 years ago
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Elmo.
Posts: 4320 - Karma: 669
well if theres rust but when there isnt i find it to be really smooth
13 years ago
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Stickity
Posts: 7750 - Karma: 769
false
the friction coefficient of steel on steel is >1 which is why you see trailers hauling giant steel tubes that are only strapped sideways and not front to back
/physics
13 years ago
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Stickity
Posts: 7750 - Karma: 769
oops it's aluminum
still, the friction coefficient is ~.8 which is pretty damn high
13 years ago
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HamFaceGirl
Posts: 5242 - Karma: 2,683
Yeah, the coefficient is pretty decent between metal and metal, but when you add the water from the snow it has to decrease that, so my guess is that if it is super cold out where there is less water on the bottom of your ski that would slow it down a miniscule bit, and make the coefficient closer to steel vs. steel.
13 years ago
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yuck
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 2,090
ehhhh that doesnt make much sense.

the static and kinetic coefficients of friction are obviously completely different in any material. Trains dont slide along the tracks, like you would on a rail, so the friction coefficient wouldnt be the same in the two situations.

Also, last time I checked, temperature doesnt have an effect on friction unless it's to the extent that it could cause one substance to expand/contract or melt or something. but i do think rails can be stickier when they are warm, but i cant say why.

the oxidization/ rust theory could be valid too
13 years ago
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Deluge
Posts: 4402 - Karma: 820
when they air/sun dry after being wet, i always run a snowball down the rail when this happens and it turns out alright
13 years ago
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Blindsurfer
Posts: 2252 - Karma: 2,802
ya but its not snowing at all, cold blue bird day
13 years ago
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array.
Posts: 2439 - Karma: 202
go really really fast and you won't have a problem.
13 years ago
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.squirrely.
Posts: 7563 - Karma: 7,546
wide rails always get sticky but single barrel and double barrel and skinny rails are awesome and they slide good all the time
13 years ago
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maxwell666
Posts: 554 - Karma: 20
I'm glad you don't design trains.
13 years ago
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loomis
Posts: 945 - Karma: 176
I agree
13 years ago
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Shifties4Dayz
Posts: 1657 - Karma: 553
so i havent had a physics class since grade 10... and i graduate college this year. maybe ill just stick to business. lol
13 years ago
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us1rk
Posts: 29 - Karma: 10
warm day=softer rail=sticky
cold day=harder rail=not sticky
is it possible?

13 years ago
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