This abandoned train car turned Airbnb brings in up to $110,000 a year

11
Jan 25
By | Other

In 2020, Isaac French, 27, and his family bought a train car that was sitting abandoned on a neighbor’s farm in Deary, Idaho. They only paid $3,000.

Train car No. 306 was built in the 1900s and originally operated on the Washington Idaho & Montana Railroad from 1909 to the 1950s. When the family got hold of it, the wood was rotting, algae was growing and about 20 cats were living inside, French says. for CNBC Make It.

″[My dad] had the faith and the vision for it and I’m so glad he did,” he says. “There’s something so rewarding about taking an old structure that was built with so much love, and bringing it back to life.”

The renovation and restoration of the abandoned train carriage was a family project for the Frenchman, his parents and siblings.

French Isaac

The family took out a $150,000 loan, including $3,000 to buy the train car and $10,000 to move the 61-foot-tall structure onto their 145-acre property.

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

French and his family spent the rest of the loan, $137,000, and six months renovating the structure with the goal of turning it into an Airbnb.

“I believe travelers today are looking for experiences, and you want to have a story. The richer a story you can tell through a stay, through a property, the better the experience will be,” he says.

Frances’ father first saw the train car on a neighbor’s farm.

French Isaac

The French family didn’t list the train car on Airbnb just because they wanted to make money, but because it was a passion project.

“We just felt it was the right thing to do. It’s what excites us and we think it will excite other people,” French says.

The renovation included turning the old passenger room into a sitting area and the mail room into a bedroom. “Our guests absolutely love it,” says French.

“They wake up in the morning and look straight out at these beautiful panoramic views of the countryside. It’s a really epic place to sleep.”

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

The train car is located on 145 acres.

Mickey Todiwala. Photo by CNBC Make It

Guests also have access to a mirrored sauna, hot tub, and firepit right on the grounds.

“The idea is to mirror the surrounding nature,” says French. “Since we had these beautiful pine trees and this spectacular view, we thought it would be a cool juxtaposition of new and old.”

When French opened Airbnb bookings, it was an instant success. Within the first week, the restored 1909 train car was booked for several months. Stays range from $325 to $350 per night.

“I think all of our dreams were surpassed with his reception and how much fun it was for us to do as a family,” French says. “It was rewarding to see all that hard work and the investment pay off so quickly.”

The family listed the train car on Airbnb in 2020 and it has been booked ever since.

Mickey Todiwala. Photo by CNBC Make It

In its first year, the train car had 90% occupancy and $14,179 in revenue. Since then, earnings have grown to between $75,000 and $110,000 a year, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

In 2024, the train car generated $110,172 in Airbnb revenue and was booked for 140 nights on the platform.

It has a profit margin of about 65%, with 30 to 35% of gross revenue for cleaning costs, ongoing maintenance and minor repairs, property taxes and insurance.

In addition to Airbnb, French and his family make reservations for the train car online. “We can have more of a relationship with the guests,” French says. “With Airbnb it feels more like a transaction, whereas [the direct booking] it allows for more of a relationship that we can build on.”

The train carriage contains a sitting area, kitchenette, gas stove, bathroom and king-size bed.

Mickey Todiwala. Photo by CNBC Make It

Despite the popularity, French says they don’t plan to raise the price for a night anytime soon. They find it satisfying to host people from all over who want to experience a piece of history.

“Our best experience at the reception has been the thanks that almost every other guest sends us for taking care of this piece of history,” French’s father, Webb, tells CNBC Make It.

With the proceeds from the train car, French says they recently paid off the loan they took out to finance the train car project.

Instead of paying for it themselves, the family is investing the money into the train car and the overall guest experience. “It’s hard to overstate how hungry the general public is for story-driven, unique attitudes, and restoration predictions are one of the best ways to get there,” French says.

“Even if you don’t have a background in catering or hospitality, if you have a passion for hosting other people, for pleasing them, for surprising them, then you can create one of these, because that’s what to do with hospitality.”

A stay in the train car includes access to a mirrored sauna, hot tub and fire tub.

Mickey Todiwala. Photo by CNBC Make It

French’s best advice for those who want to emulate what he and his family have done with this rental property is to open their eyes and make connections: “There’s a lot of opportunity underneath people that they don’t even realize because they they’ve always got it. I’ve been there and they’re out of the box.”

He says to “talk to your neighbor. Your neighbor might be the person to partner with if you don’t have the money or the experience that your neighbor might have.”

Although the 1909 train car was a pretty unique find for the family, French advises that you just never know what’s out there and what you might be drawn to creatively: “So many old buildings and old stories and wagons. old trains are sitting there waiting to be discovered and loved?”

“I think that’s the key,” he says. “You have to have a little love and a little inspiration to take part in a project like this and breathe new life into it.”

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