It's Sunday, and it's time for a happy, uplifting thread.
This one came across our feed and we had to share it, because it's a testament to what some hard work, vision, and creativity can do.
My dad bought this 120-yr-old train car for $3k.
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
It was a rotting, cat-infested wreck. But after $148k and 5 months of work, we redeemed it.
Today, it’s one of the most profitable and exclusive airbnbs in the country.
Here’s how it all came together… pic.twitter.com/9Dbph6CgvQ
Watch how it goes from train wreck to wow:
I grew up in Idaho. A few winters ago, my dad got a call from an elderly farmer down the road…
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
His barn was about to collapse, and he needed help shoveling snow off the roof.
When my dad arrived, his eyes lit up.
Buried in that barn was an ancient, almost unrecognizable… pic.twitter.com/lwhsZL0EtR
Quite the find.
…combination railcar (passenger, mail and cargo). Approximately 20 cats had made it their home, and the smell was almost unbearable.
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
My dad has always loved trains, and this discovery got him really excited. But how had it wound up there of all places?
After some digging… pic.twitter.com/OYbz54NqNW
It was in such disrepair.
…we discovered this was WI&M Car 306, built in 1906.
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
In the 50’s, when the local tracks were pulled-up, the railroad decommissioned it. So a farmer dragged it 10 mi to his farm and used it to store grain and feed hay to his cows.
My dad offered the neighbor $3k.
Deal, but… pic.twitter.com/hJo3ZFVVe0
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There's always a 'but.'
Now the tricky part: How to move a 61-ft train car down winding, hilly, backcountry roads?
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
The wood was almost completely rotten, & the ground was slick with mud & snow.
2 mo later, for $10k, a local trucker hooked it up & towed the car to the hill my dad dreamed it would sit. pic.twitter.com/N5UNozlrGj
Where there's a will (and some money), there's a way.
And then the *real* work began…
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
My older brother built a timber-frame shed and platform around the car, with a roofline that mimicked traditional depot architecture.
(This would be crucial for protecting the dedicate car and reinforcing the train vibe).
It was early 2020… pic.twitter.com/R0z2YmffNE
The timing could not have been more perfect, really.
With a pandemic sweeping the globe, it was the perfect time to dive into an adventurous outdoor project.
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
So that’s exactly what we did.
My brothers and I each took on different parts of the work, tediously restoring every single piece of the car.
We reimagined the space… pic.twitter.com/K187nhQcu7
And because it was Idaho, the likelihood of the government harassing people working outside was slim.
The mail compartment became a bedroom, the cargo area a bathroom, & the passenger space a kitchenette & lounge.
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
All-in, we spent $147k, and 5 mo later we finished the last details.
We listed it on Airbnb, and bookings began pouring in.
But then, something unexpected happened… pic.twitter.com/qFhWw0TwXe
It's lovely.
But there's even more to the story.
Just a few miles away in Deary (pop. 550), the old train depot—the very one this car had stopped at countless times—came up for sale. Wasn’t worth much to most, and we pounced.
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
You guessed it: we restored it too, turning it into a unique 3-unit stay!
But it gets even better… pic.twitter.com/PgxRPSGyoU
And it does get even better!
While driving one day, my dad spotted an old caboose on the side of the road.
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
A few weeks later, the caboose was moved to Deary, set up beside the depot, & transformed into another amazing stay.
And just like that, this local Idaho “train family” is restored & reunited! pic.twitter.com/xZhYqGntuz
It's all amazing
Car 306 has now been open 4 yrs, hitting 90% occupancy north of $350/night. It’s one of the most exclusive stays in the country.
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
And what a story to share with our guests!
So there you have it—another example of one-of-a-kind stays that create raving fans (in every season;) pic.twitter.com/TBSHQAILCz
Guests will eat up a great story like that.
This historic train setup will print money for decades to come while drawing visitors from all over the world to our little off-the-beaten-path town.
— Isaac French (@isaacfrench_) April 5, 2025
And it didn’t cost a fortune.
All it took was a vision, belief, and some good old-fashioned loving labor. pic.twitter.com/Cfc86vT6JN
The things that helped make America great.
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