Are millionaires running out of things to do? We applaud this story from The Robb Report and MSN about how you can purchase your own railroad train car, outfit it as lavishly as you’d like, and then pop it onto the back of an Amtrak train to be towed anywhere the line goes. It sounds ridiculous and fun and we’re totally, well, on board. Let’s explore this great way to invest money in something that’s off the rails.
Will Amtrak tow you for free?
No. They charge about $4/mile. Steep!
But besides the railcar itself, that’s the only charge?
No. You’ll have to pay storage, and Amtrak charges $2-3,000 a month.
Do you just show up with your railcar and a trailer hitch?
No. You have to give 30-day notice per trip and fill out a lot of paperwork. You need to do annual inspections, carry insurance and install specific wiring required by Amtrak’s electrical systems.
How much does a railcar run?
You can get an old railcar for about $200,000. But making an out-of-commission rustride into a cushy ride is where you really have to throw down.
How do we get such a railcar?
One place is the Ozark Mountain Railcar in Missouri, which specializes in vintage railcars from 40 to 100 years old. Get yourself a caboose or a boxcar, and then prepare to spend about a million to renovate it with air conditioning, plumbing, a new electrical system and other boring things. Then, you’ll whip out your wallet again to start doing the plush upholstery on the seats and all the enjoyable interior things.
What if we really want to do this but don’t have a million to throw down?
You won’t have the railcar to yourself, but you'll love the ride on one of these funky train excursions. Or go out in the night on Santa Fe’s StarGazer train, or get ready for fall with these fall foliage train rides.