# Need to buy a diner car



## ChrisRice (Dec 29, 2016)

I have a customer for whom I just renovated his corporate office. His property is part of the old US in Jackson, TN. He would like to have a diner car serve as his break/lunch room for his staff. Anyone know where I could buy a diner car to renovate?

I have looked at the ones at ozarkmountainrailcar.com. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Maglev (Dec 29, 2016)

Are you sure some other type of passenger wouldn't be better? A dining car has a large kitchen area with no windows and is equipped with tables that are not conducive to lounging. But if you are going to refurbish the interior, maybe something like a coach with more windows would be better?


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 29, 2016)

Totally agree that a Diner isn't the ideal cantidatefor a Lounge! Look for Dome/Loynge Cars, Lounges and as was said Coach Cars! There are lots of Heritage Cars stored close to St. Louis (sorry I don't have any contact info) including ex- Santa Fe Hi -Levels that are now use in the Starlight as the Pacific Parlor Cars.

Also there are lots of Heritage Cars that have been usex on Tourist and Dinner Trains that are for sale.Just keep in mind that it will probably be pricey to buy/rennovate/transport whatever you buy.

Boxcars and Cabooses are very popular for conversions for living and working areas and are cheaper than passenger cars.


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## TinCan782 (Dec 29, 2016)

Ozark Mountain Railcar

http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/


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## Seaboard92 (Dec 29, 2016)

Try Gateway Rail Services. More of their equipment is suited for what you need just because it isn't road worthy which it wouldn't need to be.


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## Just-Thinking-51 (Dec 29, 2016)

http://www.sterlingrail.com/classifieds/index.php

http://www.cabooses4sale.com/

http://www.railmerchants.net/cabooses/

Google is your friend. (Used railcars for sale)


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## Seaboard92 (Dec 29, 2016)

Hell in about to buy a boxcar for turning into an apartment in the next year or two.


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## Cho Cho Charlie (Dec 31, 2016)

This question got me wondering about moving a railcar for such intended usage. It would need to be good condition (already restored?) in order to be hitched onto a train, no? Whereas, the OP intended use is for a railcar that would simply sit at this corporate office, never to move again. So, having good working trucks, hitches, and railcar connections (power, air, etc) would be unimportant once moved. Only the body needs to be in good condition.


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## Ryan (Dec 31, 2016)

So you put it on a trailer and move it.


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## neroden (Dec 31, 2016)

If you intend to keep this permanently fixed in one place and aren't trying to do proper museum-level historic restoration, I advise that you buy one which is totally not roadworthy, where the mechanicals are trashed. It'll be cheaper for you and it'll leave the ones which can actually run on the rails for the museums and restorers.

For a break room, unless you're planning to cook full meals, you probably want a lounge car or cafe car or "table car"; you probably don't want half the space to be taken up with a full kitchen. If your boss is willing to pay for some renovation work, a suitable coach car -- one with all or most of the seats missing, which is actually pretty common -- is pretty easy to convert into a table car too, so that gives you a lot of options.

I'll warn you, practically all used railcars seem to need window repairs so budget for that. Since you're not going to run them on the rails, it'll be cheaper than if you had to use proper "railroad glazing".

There were a lot of restaurants which used grounded railroad cars and trolley cars as decorative items indoors (people could eat in them), particularly Spaghetti Warehouse. They removed all the seats, restored everything cosmetically, and have an open floor suitable for putting whatever furniture you like in. If you can find one of these which is no longer in use by the restaurant, this may be the minimum amount of restoration work.


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