Glīd Technologies and Mendocino Railway Partner to Launch World-First Autonomous Freight Pilot on Historic Skunk Train Route
Press release from Mendocino Railway:
Glīd Technologies, Corp. (Glīd), a trailblazer in sustainable road-to-rail mobility, and Mendocino Railway, operator of the historic California Western Railroad/Skunk Train, today announced a strategic partnership to pilot and deploy advanced autonomous and hybrid-powered freight technologies along the iconic Willits-to-Fort Bragg corridor.
Together the partners have signed a mutual agreement with the goal to revitalize underutilized infrastructure, decarbonize local supply chains, and reimagine logistics for rural and underserved communities, minimizing risk and maximizing profits over time. Glīd’s Glider M (a hybrid-powered manned road-to-rail vehicle) and the AR2RV (Autonomous Road-to-Rail Vehicle) will be integrated into Mendocino Railway operations, with a global first-of-its-kind deployment set to launch in 2025.
“This isn’t just about technology—it’s about legacy, opportunity, and transformation,” said Kevin Damoa, CEO of Glīd. “Mendocino Railway has preserved a critical regional lifeline. Together, we’re infusing it with a new purpose, deploying clean, intelligent freight mobility that can serve as a national model for short line rail innovation and rural economic development.”
The pilot project will evaluate the performance, reliability, and scalability of Glīd’s mobility systems across a rugged, historic and scenic 40-mile route, blending next-generation automation with community-driven goals. Beyond infrastructure, the partnership prioritizes local engagement, workforce upskilling, and public-private coordination to unlock federal and state support.
“This partnership captures the spirit of the Skunk Train—timeless in its roots, bold in its future,” said Robert Jason Pinoli, President and CEO of Mendocino Railway. “We’re excited to work alongside Glīd to chart a path forward where innovation and tradition not only coexist but thrive.”
Together, Glīd and Mendocino Railway envision a future where rail is once again a backbone of regional mobility—cleaner, smarter, and more inclusive than ever before.
Learn more about Glīd Technologies and its groundbreaking innovations here.
About Mendocino Railway
Mendocino Railway’s California Western Railroad / Skunk Train is a Class III common carrier public utility railroad located in the redwood forests of Northern California’s Mendocino County. This heritage freight railroad, which has been operating since 1885, added passenger service after its founding, initially moved redwood logs from the rugged back country to Mendocino Coast sawmills, later transporting finished lumber out to the national railroad network. In 1925, the railroad became known as the “Skunk Train” and, since that time, has become a beloved institution touted as one of the “10 Best Rail Tours in the Country” (USA Today) and a “Top 10 Family Activity in California” (National Geographic Traveler). The Skunk Train’s journey covers the same 40-mile route that its freight trains use, crossing over some 30 bridges, all while retaining its original charm—minus the historic pungent aroma that once preceded the train’s arrival. Freight, passenger, and excursion trains operate year-round.About Glīd
Glīd is redefining first-mile logistics with its patented Multi-Modal Autonomous Road-to-Rail Glīders—advanced robotics engineered to streamline transload and material conveyance operations, making rail more accessible, efficient, and sustainable. Led by veterans from US Army, SpaceX, Google, and Matbock, Glīd’s technology optimizes port and rail operations while empowering workforce development through human-assisted autonomy.
Learn more at www.glidtech.us.
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IMHO:
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Nothing is produced in Ft. Bragg… (or consumed) to warrant a ‘real’ train service. Just a company looking for a section of track to test their system on.
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>”Glīd’s technology optimizes port and rail operations while empowering workforce development through human-assisted autonomy.”
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Workforce development ? Aha ! You mean to the unemployment office ?
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Soon to be followed by autonomous (robot) trucks, taxis and cars (now in urban areas), ships, agricultural machines (now), and later on by aircraft (now).
Sophisticated computers/programs (A/I) are taking over the communications.
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Military is already working on robot war machines.
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But the day will come when the robot/computers start talking together…
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Oh well.
What’s next, driverless cement mixers?
Underway !—
Automating the Production of Prefabricated Houses with Robotics and Machine Vision—
FingerHaus uses a robotic cell with a gripper system in combination with a 3D vision system to automate the production of prefabricated houses.
What is the status of repairing the track infrastructure so a train or rail car — or any rail vehicle — can travel the entire route? What is the status of repairs to the tunnel thats collapsed? Is repair work in progress? From what Ive seen most of the cross ties are rotten and need replacing and pretty much the entire track needs re – working and rebuilding.
Does anyone know if there is any realistic plan to get the railroad working? I would guess this would need many tens of millions of dollars at a minimum.
How is this railroad expected to be profitable? Is there any feasibility beyond selling rides to tourists?
Im a big fan of railroads and would very much like to see this a working railroad.
it will never be profitable in a real money sense. could be a huge revenue generator from government funds to corporate pockets. and who will be liable for the first devastating failure, and ongoing losses? taxpayers.
A ‘working’ railroad depends on the demand for cargo.
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Have cargo demand. = Working Railroad.
No cargo demand. = Defunct Railroad.
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They want…
>”… public-private coordination to unlock federal and state support.”
The railroad does have freight and passenger service.
Complete BS. Tunnel 1 has been collapsed for ten+ years. The train hasn’t made a trip between Willits and Fort Bragg for that entire time. Meanwhile your company priority has been to abuse the eminent domain laws to harass people into ceding land. If your priority was to actually operate a working railroad the tunnel would have been repaired years ago.
Just because the last 3 miles of the line blocked doesn’t mean all activity on the rest of the line ceased.
The work is now underway to repair it, but it should have started over 3 years ago had it not been for the active opposition by the Coastal Commission and Fort Bragg City Council. We are now in discussions to end this fight, but we lost a lot of time.
Really ?
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How much active tonnage did they deliver to Ft Bragg last year ?
How much active tonnage did they take out of Ft Bragg last year ?
How many passengers did they haul last year ? (Not ‘excursion’ passengers.)
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Sighs… (Wikipedia)
All freight service was discontinued in 2001, and the Federal Railroad Administration’s emergency order effectively cut the CWR off from the national rail network
— (MendoFever statement of Caryl Hart is a member of the California Coastal Commission)
Given that our line has been embargoed, which means taken out of active rail use for over 25 years; given that the Skunk Train’s tourist railway really operates from Fort Bragg to a tunnel collapse, and to some extent from Willits to the tunnel collapse…there is no interstate rail on the Skunk Trail line.
— (MendoFever) Email from Robert Pinoli, president of the Skunk Train,
The Surface Transportation Board found that the Skunk Train was not financially equipped to take over thirteen miles of track in the northern portion of the future trail. The GRTA estimates that it would cost $100,000,000 to bring the southern portion back into a condition that would make it possible to transport freight
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Go figure.
If you only read one side of an argument, it is a pretty one-sided analysis. Further your information is pretty dated.
Repairs to the line and tunnel have recently started to serve existing and future freight, passenger and tourist operations.
Don’t tell the haters that have never ridden the skunk train. They can’t handle innovation and success so they whine about it here.
I’ve ridden the skunk train multiple times, including back when it was a true rail service that actually did run passengers and freight between Willits and Fort Bragg. I’m fine with technology improvements and innovation, but not repairing the tunnel is unacceptable and unforgivable. That should and could have been done years ago. Instead millions have been spent on spurious land acquisition using the eminent domain process, and the resulting lawsuits. As someone outside the “circle”, only having used the skunk train for pleasure and transport, I didn’t start out this way, but I’ve come to see the current railroad owners as a bunch of scammers.
As noted above, the tunnel work would have started years ago had it not been for the active opposition by the Fort Bragg City Council and Coastal Commission. Their activities included numerous official letters, lobbying trips to DC and more to block the project.
In recent months we have finally begun repair work and we may resolve our fight with FB and the CC, but that is a big reason for the years of delay.
They should haul passenger EVs with onboard charging stations so tourists can take a break from driving, charge the battery without pausing travel, and enjoy the scenery.
You can rent electric rail riders on the Ft. Bragg side. But why not just park at either end and get a round-trip ticket?
A round trip ticket isn’t possible because Tunnel 1 has been collapsed for 10+ years. Fixing the tunnel has not been a priority for them.
Oldster, I have spent a decade trying to get the tunnel reopened. Did you know that we had to first spend over $2 million and almost 3 years stabilizing the hill side? And as I noted above our project has been on hold for 4 years while we were under constant attack and legal challenges by the Fort Bragg Council and Coastal Commission to delay the project. I understand if you think less of us for not having reopened it, but it hasn’t been for a lack of effort.