Hi, saw the post on mandolin rails and offer the following.  Our museum
has a 1910 Paul Loesche Angelus piano with flute, violin and clarinet
pipes.  It also has a mandolin rail, still mostly original, with wood
instead of metal to hit the strings.  And yes, it does offer a lighter,
pleasant sound.

The straps are made of leather, and the wood is a small dowel rod which
has been slit to glue on the end of the leather strap.  When lowered
into position it drops the dowel slightly below the strike point on the
hammer.

Is this the type of rail being asked about by Craig?  If so I might
be able to take some pictures.

 [ Please do, Andy.  Send 'em to me <editor@foxtail.com> -- Robbie

Andy Struble
Music House Museum, Traverse City, MI
www.MusicHouse.org