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

In 2020, 27-year-old Isaac French and his family bought an abandoned train car on a neighbor’s farm in Deere, Idaho. They paid only 3000 dollars.

Train car number 306 was built in the 1900s and originally ran on the Washington Idaho & Montana Railroad from 1909 to the 1950s. When the family got their hands on it, the wood was rotting, algae was growing and about 20 cats were living inside, French tells CNBC Make It.

“(My dad) had the faith and the vision to do it, and I’m so glad he did it,” he says. “There’s something so rewarding about taking an old building that’s been built with so much love and breathing life into it.”

The family took out a $150,000 loan, including $3,000 to purchase the wagon and $10,000 to move the 61-foot-long 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 to capture these epic views.”

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

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

A French family put a train car on Airbnb not 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 something that excites us, and we think it will excite other people as well,” says French.

The renovation included converting the old passenger room into a lounge area and the mail room into a bedroom. “Our guests really like it,” French says.

“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 completed a mini-kitchen with a gas cooker and a bathroom, repaired the floor and furniture.

Guests also have access to a mirror sauna, hot tub, and fireplace right on site.

“The idea is to reflect the natural surroundings,” says French. “Since we had these beautiful pine trees and this breathtaking view, we thought it would be a cool juxtaposition of new and old.”

When the French discovered Airbnb booking, it was an instant hit. During the first week, restored train car of 1909 was booked for several months. Accommodations range from $325 to $350 per night.

“I think all of our dreams have been surpassed with getting this and how much fun it’s been for us as a family,” French says. “It was great to see all that hard work and that investment pay off so quickly.”

In the first year, the train car was 90% full and made $14,179 in profit. Since then, the income has increased to $75,000 to $110,000 a year, according to documents seen by CNBC Make It.

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

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

In addition to Airbnb, French and his family reserve seats in the train car online. “We can have more of a relationship with the guests,” French says. “With Airbnb, it’s more like a transaction, whereas (booking direct) allows for more of a relationship that we can build.”

Despite its popularity, the French say they have no plans to raise overnight prices any time soon. They find it satisfying to host people from all over who want to experience a piece of history.

“Our best hosting experience has been the gratitude that almost every guest has given us for caring about this part of history,” French Webb, father of Make It, tells CNBC.

With the revenue from the railcar, French says they recently paid off a loan they took out to finance the railcar project.

Instead of paying for it themselves, the family invests in the train car and the overall guest experience. “It’s hard to overstate how much the general public craves original, unique places, and restoration projects are one of the best ways to get there,” says French.

“Even if you don’t have experience in restoration or hospitality, if you want to host other people, delight them, surprise them, you can create one because that’s what hospitality is.”

French’s best advice for those who want to emulate what he and his family have done with rental properties is to open their eyes and make connections: “People have a lot of opportunities that they don’t even know they have because they’ve always been there and out of the box “.

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

While the 1909 wagon was a pretty unique find for the family, French advises that you never know what’s out there and what you might be drawn to creatively: “There are so many old buildings, old stories and old wagons just lying there waiting to be discovered and loved?”

“I think that’s the key,” he says. “To be involved in a project like this and breathe new life into it, you have to have love and inspiration.”

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