Why do rails get sticky?

Blindsurfer

Blindsurfer

Active member
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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
 
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,
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
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
 
when they air/sun dry after being wet, i always run a snowball down the rail when this happens and it turns out alright
 
wide rails always get sticky but single barrel and double barrel and skinny rails are awesome and they slide good all the time
 
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