SpaceX Vet's Transformer Vehicle: Road to Rail Instantly
Mon Sep 29 2025
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Most people see train tracks and think "obstacle." Kevin Damoa sees the ultimate highway hack. After six years in the Army doing rail operations and stints at SpaceX and Northrop Grumman, he's realizing something crazy: America has 140,000 miles of rail that's basically empty while our highways are parking lots.
So he's building a vehicle that doesn't care. Road congested? Jump on the rail. Train coming? Hop off and take the service road. Bad track ahead? The vehicle's sensors catch it, and you route around. It carries full shipping containers (60,000 pounds) and runs on whatever fuel you've got handy.
Here's the thing: moving freight by rail costs 70% less than trucking, but nobody uses it because you need cranes, multiple vehicles, and weeks of waiting. Damoa's vehicles are eliminating all of that. Drive straight from a ship to the rail, ride to your city, drive off to the warehouse. Done.
In this episode, the Glīd CEO breaks down why investors just oversubscribed his funding round, how this technology could transform shipping in developing nations, and why he calls logistics "special forces for regular people." Plus, the wild story of testing these beasts at an abandoned Kansas munitions depot.
More at https://FUTR.tv Audio version at https://futr.buzzsprout.com Learn about Glīd: https://glidrail.com/ Book mentioned: The Box by Marc Levinson: https://amzn.to/46u8Rm4
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FUTR.tv focuses on startups, innovation, culture and the business of emerging tech with weekly podcasts talking with Industry leaders and deep thinkers.
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Send us a text Most people see train tracks and think "obstacle." Kevin Damoa sees the ultimate highway hack. After six years in the Army doing rail operations and stints at SpaceX and Northrop Grumman, he's realizing something crazy: America has 140,000 miles of rail that's basically empty while our highways are parking lots. So he's building a vehicle that doesn't care. Road congested? Jump on the rail. Train coming? Hop off and take the service road. Bad track ahead? The vehicle's sensors catch it, and you route around. It carries full shipping containers (60,000 pounds) and runs on whatever fuel you've got handy. Here's the thing: moving freight by rail costs 70% less than trucking, but nobody uses it because you need cranes, multiple vehicles, and weeks of waiting. Damoa's vehicles are eliminating all of that. Drive straight from a ship to the rail, ride to your city, drive off to the warehouse. Done. In this episode, the Glīd CEO breaks down why investors just oversubscribed his funding round, how this technology could transform shipping in developing nations, and why he calls logistics "special forces for regular people." Plus, the wild story of testing these beasts at an abandoned Kansas munitions depot. More at https://FUTR.tv Audio version at https://futr.buzzsprout.com Learn about Glīd: https://glidrail.com/ Book mentioned: The Box by Marc Levinson: https://amzn.to/46u8Rm4 Click Here to Subscribe: FUTR.tv focuses on startups, innovation, culture and the business of emerging tech with weekly podcasts talking with Industry leaders and deep thinkers. Occasionally we share links to products we use. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases on Amazon.