Flat spot

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A flat spot, or wheel flat, also called spalling or shelling, is a fault in railroad wheel shape. A flat spot occurs when a rail vehicle's wheelset stops rotating while the train is still in motion, causing part of the wheel to ablate against the hard steel of the rails. Flat spots are usually caused by use of the emergency brake, or slippery (low-adhesion) conditions that cause wheels to lock up while the train is still moving. Flat spots are more common in the autumn and winter when the rails are slippery.^{[citation needed]}