Got a Real Train Car? Pros/Cons?

Adam, this strikes me as being in the "better in concept than reality" kind of project.

First, most pre-existing vehicles or spaces are custom designed and built for specific purposes. It seems to me the spaces within a caboose (or even some types of specialty box cars) would be chopped up with storage and other dividers, and you'd either have to gut the car and completely rebuild the interior (which is typically not very large, by housing or storage standards), or accept limited flexibility. I once tried to convert (and mostly succeeded in doing so) an old first-gen no-window VW panel van into a camper, and only appreciated how far I'd fallen short after later buying a used Westphalia purpose-built VW camper! Night and day . . . 

Second, if it was sold off cheap, there's likely a fair amount of wear and tear, and I suspect you'd find replacing the roof, for example, would be vastly more complicated (and expensive!) than just getting a few estimates from local roofers. Ditto plumbing, electrical, heating, etc. Plus, unless you completely gut it, there may be legacy systems (trucks and wheels, for instance) that would have to be preserved and/or serviced in a manner way outside typical local expertise (read, expensive!).

There may be some shortcuts that can ameliorate or somewhat reduce the above problems. For instance, instead of installing rails for your project, you might be better served by removing the body from the frame and installing it on a suitable foundation, sort of like those "Whistlestop Diner"- type conversions:



Or, better yet, just build a stick-built freestanding structure that only *resembles* a caboose or other rolling stock. What it may lack in authenticity I suspect it will more than make up for in ease of construction/reconstruction and suitability for its intended purpose. Good luck, in any event!

Before selling my farm, there was an area in our circular gravel driveway that went to barn and 2 machine sheds. In between was a large area that at one time held a corn crib but a tornado took that out. So, after insurance payout, I seriously looked into buying a C&NW Caboose which local farmer had also purchased one and set up. The cost for the Caboose was 1700.00. Transportation to site was then 800.00. Crane to set on flatbed, take off and set was 775.00. Installation and cost of rails, ties, and gravel including groundwork was a little over a thousand.
What stopped this project was rain, rain, rain, which destroyed my corn and bean fields. Was able to re-seed a 2nd growth of early corn, but the beans were gone and I had a contract to meet.

Couple of things we saw while in New Hampshire.

This is a home.  Someone bought and renovated what looks like an old Madison, maybe, passenger car.  they have been on the news before.



This is in front of the Conway Railroad station I believe.

On a trip to an Alaskan cruise, we took the White Pass Railroad up into the Yukon. At one point, the tour guide pointed out a caboose on a small siding, which served as a 'hiker cabin' for those hiking the old trail from the ocean up into the Yukon, which parallels the railroad ROW (and in fact was leased and used as the basis for the original RR ROW). Don't have any pics of the caboose, but here's a couple of shots from the train:

The owner of Ready Made Trains, (I believe his name is Walt) ran that business from a caboose in his backyard. The story that I heard was that he was a member of a train crew back in the day (CNJ) and rode in cabooses often overnight, like the one that he owns. If you wish to sleep in one, the Caboose motel in Strasberg PA offers that.

Great idea, and you're right - the logistics will hammer you; basically a heavy equipment mover and possibly heavy crane depending on site and reach. I saw this done with four generator boxcars purchased by a former employer.

I like the build-a-replica idea - there are lots of caboose drawings out there. You could build your own "kit" including wooden truck sideframes to hide support legs.

The photo is a 'caboose' trailer for layout module transport built by the Canadian Toy Train Assoc. guys out in B.C.
Note the end platform and other caboose features - maybe something similar would suit you?

Dave

[Photo: K. Miller]