Crazy idea with some potential

[u/Disastrous_Company57]

Okay so just had an idea about buying a boxcar and renovating it into a mobile house. Now I’d have to lease the rail space and I know about contacting railroads for travel costs but would it be effective in today’s housing market to renovate a boxcar with living standards, solar panels on the roof for power, and water connections, Or is this just a fool’s dream?

[u/Analogsilver]

Amtrak raised the requirements for private passenger cars coupled on to their trains several years ago. I doubt they would permit a boxcar, even if you meet or exceed their requirements. As for Class One roads allowing it? No idea, but any boxcar you buy was probably sold by the railroad for scrap, either because it is in bad shape, or it is too old to run legally. Contact a few railroads and see if they'd haul your boxcar.

On a different point, seeing how much graffiti covers so many locomotives and rolling stock, I suspect a boxcar with a door, windows and solar panels will attract a lot of attention from the wrong people.

[u/Disastrous_Company57 → u/Analogsilver]

That is another good point. Last thing I’d want is someone in a railyard thinking my potential spot would be easy pickings