This abandoned train car-turned-Airbnb brings in up to $110,000 a year | Real Time Headlines

In 2020, 27-year-old Isaac French and his family purchased a railroad car that had been abandoned on a neighbor’s farm in Deary, Idaho. They only paid $3,000.

Train Car No. 306 Built in the 1900s, it originally ran on the Washington-Idaho & Montana Railroad from 1909 to the 1950s. French told CNBC Make It that when the family got it, the wood was rotting, algae was growing, and about 20 cats were living inside.

“(My dad) had the faith and the vision for it, and I’m glad he did it,” he said. “It’s very rewarding to breathe life back into an old building that has been built with such care.”

The family applied for a $150,000 loan, $3,000 of which was used to purchase the railroad car and $10,000 to move the 61-foot-long structure to their 145-acre property.

“It’s just a beautiful, secluded place in nature,” French said. “We chose the highest point on our property so we could capture these epic views.”

French and his family spent six months using the remainder of their $137,000 loan to renovate the building with the goal of turning it into an Airbnb.

“I believe today’s travelers are looking for experiences and they want to have a story. The richer the story you can tell through accommodation, through hotels, the better the experience will be,” he said.

This French family is selling train cars on Airbnb not because they want to make some money, but because it’s a passion project.

“We just feel like it’s the right thing to do. It’s exciting for us and we think it’s going to be exciting for other people,” French said.

Remodeling included converting the old passenger room into a seating area and the mailroom into a bedroom. “Our guests absolutely love it,” French said.

“They wake up in the morning and have a direct view of the beautiful panoramic countryside. It’s truly an epic place to sleep.”

They also added a kitchenette with a gas stove and a bathroom, and renovated the floors and furniture.

Guests also have access to an above-ground mirrored sauna, hot tub and fireplace.

“The idea was to reflect the natural environment,” French said. “Since we have these beautiful pines and spectacular views, we thought it would be a cool juxtaposition of old and new.”

When French opened bookings on Airbnb, it was an immediate success. Within the first week, Restored 1909 train carriage It’s been booked for months. Accommodation costs range from $325 to $350 per night.

“I think all of our dreams were surpassed because of how popular it was and how much fun it was for us to do together as a family,” French said. “It’s worth it to see all that hard work and investment validated so quickly.”

In the first year, the train cars were 90% utilized and revenue reached $14,179. Since then, revenue has grown to $75,000 to $110,000 a year, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

In 2024, the train car earned $110,172 from Airbnb and was booked for 140 nights on the platform.

Its profit margin is about 65%, with 30% to 35% of total revenue going toward cleaning costs, ongoing minor maintenance and repairs, property taxes and insurance.

In addition to Airbnb, French and his family also accept reservations for train cars online. “We can build more relationships with our guests,” French said. “With Airbnb, it feels more like a transaction, whereas (booking direct) allows us to build more relationships.”

Despite its popularity, French said they don’t plan on raising their nightly prices anytime soon. They find it satisfying to host people from all over the world who want to experience a piece of history.

“The best experience we had hosting was when almost every other guest came up to us and said thank you for taking care of this piece of history,” Frankie’s father, Webb, told CNBC Make It.

French said that with revenue from the train cars, they recently paid off the loan they financed the train car project.

Instead of spending their own money, the family invested their money in the train cars and overall guest experience. “It’s hard to overestimate the public’s desire for story-driven, one-of-a-kind accommodations, and restoration forecasting is one of the best ways to get here,” French said.

“Even if you don’t have a background in restoration or hospitality, if you have a passion for welcoming other people, making them happy, surprising them, then you can create one of those because that’s what hospitality is all about.”

For those who want to emulate what he and his family are doing with this rental property, French’s best advice is to open your eyes and make connections: “There are so many opportunities that people don’t even realize, Because they’ve always been there and out of the box.

“Talk to your neighbors. If you don’t have the money or the experience, your neighbors might be your partners,” he said.

Although the 1909 train car was a very unique find for the family, French advises that you never know what’s out there or what might appeal to your creativity: “There are so many old buildings, old stories and old train cars just sitting there waiting to be discovered and loved?

“I think that’s the key,” he said, “you have to have some love and some inspiration to take a project like this and breathe new life into it.”

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