Buying a Private Rail Car?

[Devil's Advocate]

Let's say you wanted to purchase a private rail car. In most cases this is simply not possible because the costs are high and the financing might be less than favorable or be difficult to find period. But what if you bought it with a mortgage on the understanding that you could live in the car as if it were a house? At that point the financing might become a bit more reasonable and possibly even semi-mobile depending on how well the car has been maintained. Have any of you fellow train nuts ever considered something like this?

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Sure since I have met a gentlemen who not only owns a rail car but a steam locomotive which ran up until recently. The concept is totally insane, but it would be awesome to own rolling stock you could call your own.

I often look through Ozark Mountain Railcar's offerings and wonder what it would be like to own something like this.

Link here if your interested :lol:

 

[TouchToneTommy]

http://comics.com/ballard_street/2010-10-04/

 

[MikefromCrete]

I suppose if you wanted to park it on a piece of land and use it as your home, it could be financed like a mobile home, but I don't how financing would work if you want to actually use as a mobile railroad car.

 

[jimhudson]

central Texas has lots of ranches and farms in the sticks that have turned old rail cars, cabooses etc. made into bedrooms/guest quarters etc. Also in taylor there is an old Southern RR diner that was made into a resturant/bar with a patio/stage etc. but is closed! The famous Antlers Hotel in Kingsland (several Presidents have stayed there)has cabooses and rail cars made in to rooms similar to the Chatanooga Choo-Choo Hotel?Museum.

Also the Hill Country Flyer has a rehabbed Business Car that can be rented out for group outings/parties etc, thats hooked to the rear (it has a platform/kitchen/lounge/bedrooms ).Its an old Southern RR also and costs like $2,000 for the day trip into the Hill Country plus food/beverages/etc. Pretty nice! I know these are everywhere, running your own car is Millionaire stuff, having your own train is Bill Gates or Queen of England territory!