What are the factors that make rails play long or short?

[berko]

Went and played on a Golden West that a friend just acquired in a house sale (i.e. last owner left it there).

Could not even get close to making a bank shot -- everything banked way long. Everything; wide and shallow angles, hard and soft shots all went long.

So what makes this happen? Rail geometry, rubber composition, cloth?

 

[realkingcobra]

Went and played on a Golden West that a friend just acquired in a house sale (i.e. last owner left it there).

Could not even get close to making a bank shot -- everything banked way long. Everything; wide and shallow angles, hard and soft shots all went long.

So what makes this happen? Rail geometry, rubber composition, cloth?

No way of really knowing without looking at the rails first, could be a lot of different reasons, including hardening of the cushions.