diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ui/MastheadRail.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ui/MastheadRail.tsx
index f66e8622..b825b018 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ui/MastheadRail.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ui/MastheadRail.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export function MastheadRail({ variant, className }: MastheadRailProps) {
             className={cn('absolute inset-y-0 left-0 w-[3px] overflow-hidden', className)}
         >
             {variant === 'shimmer' ? (
-                <div className="masthead-rail-shimmer absolute inset-x-0 h-1/3 bg-gradient-to-b from-transparent via-white/25 to-transparent" />
+                <div className="masthead-rail-shimmer absolute inset-x-0 h-1/3 bg-gradient-to-b from-transparent via-white/50 to-transparent" />
             ) : (
                 <div className="masthead-rail-glow absolute inset-0" />
             )}
diff --git a/frontend/src/index.css b/frontend/src/index.css
index 39a209a1..c7bbe578 100644
--- a/frontend/src/index.css
+++ b/frontend/src/index.css
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ body {
   animation: shimmer 4.5s ease-in-out infinite alternate;
 }
 .masthead-rail-shimmer {
-  animation: shimmer 11s ease-in-out infinite alternate;
+  animation: shimmer 5s ease-in-out infinite alternate;
 }
 .masthead-rail-glow {
   animation: masthead-rail-glow 5.5s ease-in-out infinite alternate;