Rail Hops

rackmsuckr

rackmsuckr

Linda Carter - The QUEEN!
Silver Member
Has anyone heard of rail hops before or used it purposely? A player here by the name of Mike Dooley used to use it at will. Basically, you do a soft little jump shot with english to get the cueball up on the rail, it rolls past the side pocket (BEHIND it up on the rail), and then it curves and lands back on the table, either to pocket a ball or make a good hit. The example I set up is for 8 ball. You are on the 8ball surrounded, no kicks or jumps available, so you use a little more real estate than what is found on the bed of the table. This could also be used for 9ball or any game to make a good hit.

The Wei table won't demonstrate it because the arrows keep going off the bed. Just take the ends of each arrow and join them behind the back side pocket and you will get the idea.

START(
%Ab7D7%BF2G9%CK0E8%DD5I4%EH6F7%FN5E1%GR1D7%HE5D3%Pl2D7%W\7@7
%Xk1D8%[G3D6%\[1@3%eA6a4
)END
 
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LINDA! LINDA! LINDA! WAKE UP! I think you were having a bad dream, and you need to throw that NyQuil away! That is too crazy a shot for me to consider, although I have had some crazy rolls off of the break with the cueball squirting up in the air, bouncing a bunch of times on the rail all the way down to the corner pocket :eek:
 
Josh Palmer said:
LINDA! LINDA! LINDA! WAKE UP! I think you were having a bad dream, and you need to throw that NyQuil away! That is too crazy a shot for me to consider, although I have had some crazy rolls off of the break with the cueball squirting up in the air, bouncing a bunch of times on the rail all the way down to the corner pocket :eek:
Click to expand...

Josh, I'm serious! I saw him use this at least 3 times on purpose. Once when we practiced together about 15 years ago, he did it and I said Wow, and he said rail hops were too advanced for me. This guy beat a lot of good players and in his prime was looking to go pro until the drugs and drink got to him. Yet for all that substance abuse, he did know what he was talking about. Just wanted to know if it was a guarded secret that anyone else used.
 
L.J. Jones performs that shot on a the video her and Jim Rempe made many years ago, either on:

Pool School or Power Pool.

The basic concept is to "expand" the playing area, not a very high percentage shot but it is a shot. :)

The video was produced and directed by Bob Meucci in the early 80's.

JR.
 
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DeadAim said:
L.J. Jones performs that shot on a the video her and Jim Rempe made many years ago, either on:

Pool School or Power Pool.

The basic concept is to "expand" the playing area, not a very high percentage shot but it is a shot. :)

The video was produced and directed by Bob Meucci in the early 80's.

JR.
Click to expand...

Finally, someone who can verify that it is a shot! :p See Josh, I can stay on the Nyquil now.
 
rackmsuckr said:
Has anyone heard of rail hops before or used it purposely? A player here by the name of Mike Dooley used to use it at will. Basically, you do a soft little jump shot with english to get the cueball up on the rail, it rolls past the side pocket (BEHIND it up on the rail), and then it curves and lands back on the table, either to pocket a ball or make a good hit. The example I set up is for 8 ball. You are on the 8ball surrounded, no kicks or jumps available, so you use a little more real estate than what is found on the bed of the table. This could also be used for 9ball or any game to make a good hit.

The Wei table won't demonstrate it because the arrows keep going off the bed. Just take the ends of each arrow and join them behind the back side pocket and you will get the idea.

START(
%Ab7D7%BF2G9%CK0E8%DD5I4%EH6F7%FN5E1%GR1D7%HE5D3%Pl2D7%W\7@7
%Xk1D8%[G3D6%\[1@3%eA6a4
)END
Click to expand...
Do you mean something like this:
START(
%Ab7D7%BU2T8%CK0E8%DP2M8%EL9H9%FN5E1%GI3S1%HD7D3%Pl2D7%We5Z9
%Xk7E6%Yc6^0%[F1E7%\V3\2%eA6a4%_a1\4%`b9Y9%ad8[6%bW3\9%c[1^3
%d`4]1
)END
 
Colin Colenso said:
Do you mean something like this:
START(
%Ab7D7%BU2T8%CK0E8%DP2M8%EL9H9%FN5E1%GI3S1%HD7D3%Pl2D7%We5Z9
%Xk7E6%Yc6^0%[F1E7%\V3\2%eA6a4%_a1\4%`b9Y9%ad8[6%bW3\9%c[1^3
%d`4]1
)END
Click to expand...


Hey, how did you get the arrows to stay up on the rails? No, it seemed the cueball was pretty much near the same rail - it wasn't an extreme diagonal hop, but more parallel, like what I diagrammed as a starting position. My arrows won't stay where I put them though.
 
rackmsuckr said:
Hey, how did you get the arrows to stay up on the rails? No, it seemed the cueball was pretty much near the same rail - it wasn't an extreme diagonal hop, but more parallel, like what I diagrammed as a starting position. My arrows won't stay where I put them though.
Click to expand...
No tricks...I just dragged it there and they stayed. Must be some problem with yours..or your method :s
 
I don't know about making the cueball roll around the side pocket, but I use that little jump shot up onto the cusion and down table or whatever. It's when you get too straight in on a ball on the short rail and have to get down table to the other short rail. I learned it from Allen Hopkins, After he used it in a match I was watching tableside. As soon as it was over, I ran to a table to set it up and learn that move!!.....Gerry
 
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