Candy Posted - Jul 11 2013 : 10:31:02 AM
Glider railroads were initially used to transport a glider to either a rescue or to someone that had experience with specialized medical care a glider needed. They were not intended for transporting gliders from a breeder to a new owner to avoid shipping.
A glider railroad consists of several people willing to transport a glider for part of its total travel distance - meeting the next individual who would drive another leg of the trip. Sometimes the railroad involves the gliders spending a night or two in the home of the driver depending on the schedule of meet-ups along the way.
This works best if all of the individuals know each other (there is a network of glider owners across the country that have met at gatherings etc.)
Setting up a glider railroad can be tricky - coordinating schedules of multiple individuals, setting up meeting places, and ensuring that the glider is transported and housed safely along the way.
It is not with out risks. If one driver fails to meet up at the scheduled time and place the whole plan can break down. All drives must be able to contact each other by phone to coordinate things. Then the biggest risk is that someone will NOT communicate with others and disappear with the glider rather than passing it on to the next driver. That is the primary reason only people you KNOW should be trusted to participate.
For the gliders - shipping can be MUCH less stressful than being transported and housed by multiple people. I have had gliders railroaded to me from Val (SomethingToBelieveIn) from her rescue in Texas to me in Florida. I was a nervous wreck for the two weeks my new gliders were on the road even though I knew many of the drivers from the forums and I knew that Val knew each of them personally. The last leg of the trip for the gliders was a very long day - the last driver had a 2 hour drive to meet me and I had a 4 hour drive to the meet up location with her - then a 4 hour drive back home.
I have also participated in a railroad that involved shipping a glider from Texas to Tampa (along with two other gliders going to a home here locally). I picked the glider up at the air port, she spent two nights with me then I drove her 3 hours east to meet the next driver and send her on her way to South Florida. |
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