Anybody here ever owned or operated their own passenger car?
Costs seem high from what I see on the AAPRCO site.
Are people actually chartering these cars?
LC
Bill Gates
The private car business seems to be brisk. The Cardinal runs through the woods in back of our home and this time of year the weekend trains seem to always have private cars going through for leaf peepers enjoying the fall colors in Virginia and West Virginia.
Here you go, the perfect solution.
I can’t remember exactly which car it is, but Hugh Hefner charters a heavyweight observation relatively often.
The costs are similar to those of large private aircraft. We have been on several PV trips and found them delightful. As for costs–we recall our wife asking the president of a well-known regional railroad “…how much does it cost to own a car like this…” as we stood on the back platform of his PV, at the end of a long freight train. “Trust me,” he said in a tone that sounded like Thurston Howell. “It’s cheaper to own the railroad first…”
LC
The office car recently acquired by the Iowa Interstate was in the consist for the inspection trips I was on last week. Maybe the folks over at RDC would have some information about other cars on the market.
Jay
Thanks for the input. I have seen PVs on a number of occasions and always wondered what it wold cost to own one. I know there are a number of folks who have PVs and charter them to offset the cost of having them and some even make money with them.
I have heard numbers thrown about between $50,000 to $450,000+ for PVs including purchase and repairs and upgrades.
I am among the generation that rode many of these cars before Amtrak and remember the fine service and adventure that was “real” passenger rail travel. I think I probably could acquire such a car, the question for me would be where to keep it, how to preserve it as an asset and what the costs and advantages are of rehabilitation of the car and, as all this would be expensive, how much revenue I could expect to generate from the car. Any ideas?
LC
There is an old joke about Ocean Racing Yachts (I knew a man who owned one, and he certainly had no other money) attributed to Sir Thomas Lipton during his many unsuccessful campaigns for the “America’s” Cup:
“If you have to ask how much it costs, you can’t afford it”
M636C
I’ve heard the same story credited to J. P. Morgan, when questioned about his steam yacht.
Either way, or extended to ownership of your very own rail-borne luxury cruiser, the underlying idea is sound.
Chuck (who always rides at the least expensive rates)
You might have the B&O “Silver Spring” on your train Saturday. It came up to Thendara a few weeks ago…
About a week ago, The eastbound CZ went by with 4 real CZ cars hung on the end but I think they were BNSF executive cars. The last one was a streamlined open platform obs with a floor to ceiling rear window.
There was a show on the Travel Channel recently about Dome cars, and I was surprised how many are still in service and privately owned. One private individual rebuilt one of the ex-UP dome diners and they did mention the costs, but I don’t recall the exact figure. I think they did say the American Orient Express spent $1 million to restore one of theirs.
LC, check out these websites for cars that are for sale( ozarkmountainrailcar.com and iltransit.com ) the cheap part is buying the car. Amtrak required PC1 and PC2 truck inspections every few years can cost up to $20,000. If you want the car to be hauled be them they require the car to have HEP, pass through 27pin MU plugs, generator ( in case you go some where that dont have HEP) markers, etc.Then you have to find some where to store it. Some shortlines will keep them on property for a decent fee, they may even give discounts if you allow them to use it. I hope this helps.
Chris
Join a historical/preservation society, and “own” 1/1000th of one…[;)]
First, let me get this straight. I’m not asking how much the cars cost to purchase in existing condition. I know most of the equipment brokers already. I’m not concerned about the initial acquisition cost. I was looking for some experiences those of you may have had with Private Varnish beyond the “I saw one tuesday” type of experience. I have some information from AAPRCO and RPCA and I guess I’ll need to go further in that direction if I opt to pursue it.
LC
No thanks. I already own a locomotive, so I have no desire to get into fractional shares…
LC
Chris -
Thanks, best response so far. I am looking at a couple of cars now and I’ll have to make my way west to see what Mr. Butterworth has at iltransit at some point. I have a couple places I can store the car lined up. Problem is that both are a ways from me. Also, I may acquie a nearby spur and put up a pole barn for it, but that hasn’t happened yet. First I have to get the car(s) inspected and make some choices, assuming I decide to take the plunge.
Thanks for the input on Amtrak though.
LC
Thanks, I’ll be looking for it.
LC
The cost for a car is on par with today’s upscale RV’s. You decide the level of opulence desired for the interior acutraments. Many owners offset the fixed expenses such as maintence, annual inspections, bad orders and strorage by making their crs available for lease or rent when they do not need them. Some do this themselves while many others use a broker or agent who books, staffs, outfits/food and arranges for pickup and delivery. I knew a gentleman who had two beauitiful heavyweight observations which were gone quite often as smaller railroads without their own business cars used one or both for inspection/sales trips. These were at the upper end of cars. You can get Hertiage equipment for much less and convert the interiors. Ideally for lease you want a kitchen/ dinning area, minimun 3 double bedrooms for yourself and guests and a lounge/seating area. Good luck. I will be bying my R/V with steel wheels when I retire. I prefer seeing where I have been and looking out those big windows while traveling. The engineer already knows where I am going. Leave the driving to AmTrak.
Did you win the lottery?[:)]