How many times have we cursed the truck traffic on the highways, thinking “why don’t they use trains?” (Sorry, truck drivers, nothing. The question is sensible, but the answer is complex: because the trains don’t arrive in front of the warehouses and the containers have to be moved several times with cranes and various machinery. At least until today. In 2025, in California, we will see something that could change everything: Glider M, a hybrid truck developed by Glid Technologies, capable of running on the asphalt like a normal truck and then, with a simple maneuver, transform into a railway convoy.
Hybrid Truck: An Ingenious Solution to an Age-Old Problem
The concept of vehicles capable of traveling on both roads and rails is not new. It has been around for more than a century, but only now does the technology finally seem ripe for large-scale commercial application. Credit for this goes to the development of autonomous systems and the vision of Kevin DamoaCEO Glid Technologies.
The real novelty of the Glider M is its versatility: It is not simply a modified truck, but a completely redesigned transport system. It can carry a load of up to 36 tons and reach speeds of 130 km/h on rails, combining the better than both worlds: the flexibility of road transport with the efficiency of rail transport.
The test that will change everything
The first test of the hybrid truck will take place on the historic “Skunk Train” route. For those who don’t know what that is: it’s a 70-kilometer route between the cities of Willits and Fort Bragg. It’s no coincidence: this underused rail line perfectly represents the type of infrastructure that could be reborn thanks to this technology. The Mendocino Railway signed an agreement with Glid Technologies to exploit this potential. The pilot project involves the use of two different models: the Glider M, with driver and hybrid power, and the future AR2RV, completely autonomous. A test that could revolutionize the entire logistics sector.
On the roads, the Glider M moves autonomously, while when crossing the railway tracks, control is taken over by remote operators who manage the vehicle from a centralized control center. In terms of environmental impact, here too the news is reviews: the model currently being tested, the Glider M Alpha, runs on biofuel, while a fully electric version has already been announced. A solution that could significantly reduce the carbon footprint of freight transport.
Hybrid Truck, a New Paradigm for Intermodal Transport
If the tests are successful, we could witness a real revolution in intermodal transport. Instead of moving containers from one vehicle to another, the vehicles themselves will change the mode of transport, saving time, energy and reducing costs. The advantage is twofold: on the one hand, the capillarity of the road network is exploited for the first and last mile, on the other, the energy efficiency of the railways for long distances. Of particular interest is the possibility of reusing secondary or abandoned railway lines, giving new life to existing but underused infrastructure.
If Glider M keeps its promises, we could be facing one of those rare moments in which a technology radically changes an entire industry. And this time, surprisingly, the revolution does not come from futuristic drones or sci-fi robots, but from a brilliant reinterpretation of two centuries-old technologies: the road and the rail.
