View Full Version : shipping a glider and trailer by rail from East to west coast
Has anybody had any experience with rail shipping a glider in trailer? I'm looking at pre-owned gliders and after flying out to inspect the glider and purchasing, having to fly back to the west coast, load up the pickup and drive to New York sure would take the joy out of a glider purchase. I'm just tossing this out, nothing on the radar yet
Rent a suitable pickup??
On Tuesday, July 8, 2014 8:45:35 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> Has anybody had any experience with rail shipping a glider in trailer? I'm looking at pre-owned gliders and after flying out to inspect the glider and purchasing, having to fly back to the west coast, load up the pickup and drive to New York sure would take the joy out of a glider purchase. I'm just tossing this out, nothing on the radar yet
Karl Striedieck[_2_]
July 9th 14, 11:27 AM
On Tuesday, July 8, 2014 11:45:35 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> Has anybody had any experience with rail shipping a glider in trailer? I'm looking at pre-owned gliders and after flying out to inspect the glider and purchasing, having to fly back to the west coast, load up the pickup and drive to New York sure would take the joy out of a glider purchase. I'm just tossing this out, nothing on the radar yet
Don't think about it. I was involved in a NY to CA rail shipment of an ASW-20 some 25 years ago, and it arrived beyond repair due to violent shaking and jarring rail car hook ups.
KS
On Tuesday, July 8, 2014 11:45:35 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> Has anybody had any experience with rail shipping a glider in trailer? I'm looking at pre-owned gliders and after flying out to inspect the glider and purchasing, having to fly back to the west coast, load up the pickup and drive to New York sure would take the joy out of a glider purchase. I'm just tossing this out, nothing on the radar yet
I checked into that myself a number of years ago to get a trailer shipped from PA to CA. it would have been very expensive and besides the jarring of the virtually un-sprung rail-car, something else must be considered: Humping! No, not what you think - get your mind out of the gutter! Trains are being built by pushing the rail cars over a hump and then directing them onto the various tracks by using gravity. The rail cars then hit each other at a relatively slow speed but still, the impact(s) is considerable. The glider inside the trailer may arrive not the way it was put in there.
Shipping a trailer with your towing vehicle inside a 53' closed trailer may be an option but the trailer should be an air-ride type. Looked into that as well and was quoted over 1$/mile and that was before the large hike in Diesel fuel prices.
Bottom line seems that driving it on the road is still the lowest cost option.
Uli
rlovinggood
July 9th 14, 02:18 PM
Ditto to Uli's and KS's statements about trains. I worked one day in the hump yard located in Hamlett, NC, and witnessed the "violence" train cars endure when they couple to each other. The railroad (CSX) was building a train that had several rail cars loaded with new automobiles. When a slowly-rolling rail car would couple onto a static rail car, the collision was powerful enough to set of the automobile alarms.
Also, they built trains that carried scrap metal in open gondola cars. HEAVY scrap metal lined the tracks in the yard, having been ejected from a moving gondola when it coupled to a stationary car. Impressive!
I would not want my precious cargo go through with that type of brutal handling!
Ray
On Wednesday, July 9, 2014 9:18:51 AM UTC-4, rlovinggood wrote:
> Ditto to Uli's and KS's statements about trains. I worked one day in the hump yard located in Hamlett, NC, and witnessed the "violence" train cars endure when they couple to each other. The railroad (CSX) was building a train that had several rail cars loaded with new automobiles. When a slowly-rolling rail car would couple onto a static rail car, the collision was powerful enough to set of the automobile alarms.
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> Also, they built trains that carried scrap metal in open gondola cars. HEAVY scrap metal lined the tracks in the yard, having been ejected from a moving gondola when it coupled to a stationary car. Impressive!
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> I would not want my precious cargo go through with that type of brutal handling!
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> Ray
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jfitch
July 9th 14, 03:46 PM
On Tuesday, July 8, 2014 8:45:35 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> Has anybody had any experience with rail shipping a glider in trailer? I'm looking at pre-owned gliders and after flying out to inspect the glider and purchasing, having to fly back to the west coast, load up the pickup and drive to New York sure would take the joy out of a glider purchase. I'm just tossing this out, nothing on the radar yet
There are people who do this sort of thing. Drive gliders across the country I mean, not humping. Well there are people that do that too..
I bought my glider in South Carolina, it was driven to Minden, NV in about 3 days. No damage, just needed the trailer washed. It was paid for by the seller, I think it cost him maybe $3K all in (this was a few years ago). Ask some contest pilots, they have names of people who do this reliably.
Just ask Boeing how that's working out for them??? 8-)
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-planning/travel-news/boeing-737-fuselages-damaged-during-train-derailment-in-montana-usa-20140709-3bls7.html
I know, I know, everyone has seen this!!
On Wednesday, July 9, 2014 8:13:06 AM UTC-7, wrote:
> Just ask Boeing how that's working out for them??? 8-)
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> http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-planning/travel-news/boeing-737-fuselages-damaged-during-train-derailment-in-montana-usa-20140709-3bls7.html
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> I know, I know, everyone has seen this!!
Thanks for all the replies. Renting a tow vehicle might be the best way to get it done.
Frank Whiteley
July 9th 14, 05:12 PM
On Wednesday, July 9, 2014 9:52:39 AM UTC-6, wrote:
> On Wednesday, July 9, 2014 8:13:06 AM UTC-7, wrote:
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> > Just ask Boeing how that's working out for them??? 8-)
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> Thanks for all the replies. Renting a tow vehicle might be the best way to get it done.
Some have had good results with
http://www.uship.com/
Or some SSA member with a tow ball going both ways. I'm not available presently but have done this for a number of folks.
Frank Whiteley
Brian[_1_]
July 9th 14, 05:50 PM
For just another data point, the shaking of rail shipment is the problem, I worked at a Glider repair shop that repaired a glider (perhaps the same one KS is talking about) where the glider was shaken off of it's shipping mount and then rubbed a hole completely through the belly skin.
Brian
J. Nieuwenhuize
July 9th 14, 09:21 PM
Ship? I got a quote this week for shipping a 40' container from here to Califoria for less than 3K US$...
Karl Striedieck[_2_]
July 10th 14, 01:51 AM
On Tuesday, July 8, 2014 11:45:35 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> Has anybody had any experience with rail shipping a glider in trailer? I'm looking at pre-owned gliders and after flying out to inspect the glider and purchasing, having to fly back to the west coast, load up the pickup and drive to New York sure would take the joy out of a glider purchase. I'm just tossing this out, nothing on the radar yet
Where is "here?"
When I was the Schleicher rep I insisted on only Panama Canal routing for West Coast gliders. The damaged glider referred to earlier resulted when someone at Kuhne & Nagel mistakenly shipped it via train from NY to CA. It was Jim Indrebo's bird.
JJ Sinclair[_2_]
July 10th 14, 02:50 AM
I inspected the 20 that KS shipped by rail. It arrived in California with no wheel chocks and the hand brake down! Every time the train started or stopped, the trailer ran to the end of the box-car and hit the end wall over and over. One wing came off its dolly and wore a hole into the wing spar (cap). If you ship by container, make sure the trailer wheels are chocked and nailed to the floor + set the wheel brake and duct-tape it in the full on position.
JJ
OP:
Does Tony Condon still move glider trailers?
Rail/Ship:
Yes, the trailer should be locked in place by nailed-in chocks and 2-3 heavy ratchet straps.
Every container I've loaded lately had hard points to strap to.
Try a welded steel pyramid-shaped tower with a trailer tow ball on top to support the tongue. Keeps the weight off the jockey wheel and allows you to really tighten the tongue strap in the container.
Containers usually do not get abused but can get moved around far from level, or even dropped.
It's a very good idea to supervise the loading. Sounds like a rough trip on the train for that 20.
Jim
Tony[_5_]
July 10th 14, 08:19 AM
Would be happy to help if our schedules align. Keep in touch. .
Uship.com
Post a picture and enter trip details.
My brother and I have used uship 3 times in the last few years with excellent results and pricing such that unless you like spending 2+ days in the car it's definitly the way to go.
Dan Marotta
July 10th 14, 04:08 PM
Road trips can be an adventure!
When I bought my first LS-6a in the early 90s, I was fortunate to be
able to make an inspection detour on return from a business trip. My
partner and I called to confirm the sale and left work together on a
Friday afternoon from Denver, arriving in Chicago on Saturday morning.
We did a final inspection, handed over the money, changed the connector
on the trailer, checked the lights and hit the road on Saturday
afternoon, arriving back in Denver on Sunday morning. We alternated
driving and sleeping.
Plan it out - it could be a fun trip!
Dan Marotta
On 7/9/2014 6:51 PM, Karl Striedieck wrote:
> On Tuesday, July 8, 2014 11:45:35 PM UTC-4, wrote:
>> Has anybody had any experience with rail shipping a glider in trailer? I'm looking at pre-owned gliders and after flying out to inspect the glider and purchasing, having to fly back to the west coast, load up the pickup and drive to New York sure would take the joy out of a glider purchase. I'm just tossing this out, nothing on the radar yet
> Where is "here?"
>
> When I was the Schleicher rep I insisted on only Panama Canal routing for West Coast gliders. The damaged glider referred to earlier resulted when someone at Kuhne & Nagel mistakenly shipped it via train from NY to CA. It was Jim Indrebo's bird.
Frank Whiteley
July 10th 14, 04:59 PM
On Thursday, July 10, 2014 12:23:45 AM UTC-6, JS wrote:
> OP:
>
> Does Tony Condon still move glider trailers?
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> Rail/Ship:
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> Yes, the trailer should be locked in place by nailed-in chocks and 2-3 heavy ratchet straps.
>
> Every container I've loaded lately had hard points to strap to.
>
> Try a welded steel pyramid-shaped tower with a trailer tow ball on top to support the tongue. Keeps the weight off the jockey wheel and allows you to really tighten the tongue strap in the container.
>
> Containers usually do not get abused but can get moved around far from level, or even dropped.
>
> It's a very good idea to supervise the loading. Sounds like a rough trip on the train for that 20.
>
> Jim
Agreed, but I shipped from Kansas City, MO, to Felixstowe, UK, and the steel hard point in one corner had broken. I believe it was dropped also as the fuselage dolly (home made) was crushed which probably saved the fuselage. The trailer was very strong, which is why there wasn't more damage. That was rail to Great Lakes and container ship to UK. Two weeks.
Frank
I used USHIP two years ago, and wouldn't do it any other way. In my case, the trailer was pulled behind a Ford F350, but others I know of have had theirs placed on a flatbed. You decide, based on the bids you get. My total cost was under $1 per mile for 2200+ miles. Much cheaper than going round trip myself, not to mention time away. And who knows, you might be on TV if one of their "stars" bites on it.
www.uship.com
www.uship.com/shippingwars
7K
On Thursday, July 10, 2014 7:35:26 AM UTC-7, wrote:
> Uship.com
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> Post a picture and enter trip details.
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> My brother and I have used uship 3 times in the last few years with excellent results and pricing such that unless you like spending 2+ days in the car it's definitly the way to go.
Maybe I could get the silver jesus or Mark Springer. "Shipping Wars" is a great reality TV show that profiles some of the shippers of UShip.
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