Four friends who just found out they won an Airbnb design contest.

We’re Winston, Walter, Kim and Lindsey, four friends living in Queens, New York.

One summer afternoon in 2022 we saw an ad from AirBnB: “Have a crazy idea for a space? You could get funding to build it.”

Challenge accepted.

A few months later, we were on our way to make our crazy idea a reality. We had what we thought was a relatively straightforward plan. First, buy a train car (this turned out to be the easiest step, you can get them online). Next, we find a perfect plot of land in the mountains. Then, we move the train car onto the land and renovate. Easy!

It wasn’t.

Hauling an 85-ton train car across multiple states was a complicated logistical puzzle. Finding contractors who could work on a non-traditional project proved difficult. And getting a loan to fund the costs our prize money didn’t cover took months of convincing.

We devoted every weekend for three years to bringing this project to life, from pouring new concrete floors and painting the roof, to planting trees and refinishing the wood-paneled walls. This project brought us closer together, taught us new skills, took us to new places in our state and introduced us to a wonderful community of people.

Through all this, we’ve fallen in love with the Catskills and Sunswick Railcar. It brings us immeasurable joy and pride to share this magical place with you.

Who We Are

Construction

At the Rail Yard

When we purchased the train car, it was at a yard in southern New Jersey and in poor condition. With the help of some local experts, we had the car repainted and addressed the damage rust had done to the steel body over time.

Before we purchased the car, we toured it in a rail yard when it was still the New York & Greenwood Lake Chestnut Hill.
Close-up of a train car with a patched exterior, showing several windows, some covered or taped, in an indoor train maintenance area before it is repainted.
A long blue train car freshly painted with windows and a set of steps at the entrance, parked on railway tracks under a cloudy sky.

Our Site

After months of searching the Northern Catskills region, we found our perfect plot in Acra. A small portion had been cleared for a driveway, but it needed a septic field, a foundation for both the train car and the bath house and a heavy-duty driveway to support the weight of the vehicles needed to deliver the train.

The four of us enlisted the help of Winston’s parents and brother, and we cleared many of the trees that stood on the site of the foundation and septic field by hand — sparing as many as possible to preserve the mature forest. We marked out the exact location for the train and bath house with stakes, cleared out brush and planted 300 seedlings around the property.

People doing yard work or clearing debris in a wooded outdoor area on a sunny day with snow on the ground.
Construction workers are building a concrete form with wooden and metal framing, with a large pipe overhead, in a wooded area with trees and autumn leaves.
Construction site with trucks, excavators, and machinery in a wooded area with fall foliage.
Workers repairing and constructing a railway track in a wooded area, with gravel surrounding the tracks and construction equipment nearby.

Delivery

Delivering the train 250 miles to our site took months of coordination. The wheels arrived first, while the railcar itself was loaded onto an 18-wheeler with a steerable dolly that allowed the truck to make the sharp turns required for delivery. Our crew had to secure permits to travel across New York and New Jersey and they shut down the Rip Van Winkle bridge to traffic so they could cross. When it finally arrived after three days and two nights in transit, two cranes used a synchronized lift to place the car onto the wheels.

A blue train car on train tracks in a winter landscape with snow and a background of leafless trees and a cloudy sky.
A white semi-truck with an attached flatbed trailer carrying a large blue train car is parked at a rail yard with a crane lifting the train car into place.
A large train car is being lifted by a yellow crane onto railway tracks at a construction site with workers present.

Interior Restoration

Our biggest challenge once the train arrived was addressing water damage. All 21 windows on the car needed to be replaced, which required a custom design by a local contractor. Once the train was watertight, we got to work removing damaged fixtures and furniture, ripping out the old carpeting and damaged wood paneling, and sifting through nearly 20 years of detritus. When it was over, we’d filled a dumpster with 5,432 pounds of garbage.

We partnered with local professionals to build the bath house and run new wiring and plumbing in the train. We spent our weekends pouring new concrete floors, installing new wall panels, and sanding and scrubbing every inch of the interior.

A stack of old, rusty windows leaning against a tree in a forested area with cut logs in the background.
Interior of a room of a train under renovation with multiple windows, a red rug, painting supplies on the floor, and wood paneling.
Interior view of a bath house under construction with wooden framing and a large window showing an outside winter scene.
A train interior cluttered with tools and construction equipment during a renovation.
A dumpster filled with discarded furniture, carpets, and trash, parked outdoors with a background of colorful autumn trees.
A kitchen under renovation with exposed wiring, empty cabinets, and a view outside through the window of trees and greenery.
Inside a room with a row of windows revealing a green forest outside, with construction or renovation materials and boxes on the floor.
An bedroom in the train with stripped walls, exposed floorboards, and an old window before it is renovated.
Room with a freshly poured concrete floor, studs for a wall, and large windows revealing an outdoor parking lot and trees.
Interior view of a building under construction, showing wooden framing and a large skylight window installed in the ceiling.

Exterior Work

Winston designed a bridge made of steel and wood to connect the railcar to the bath house and match the train aesthetic. We hand-cut leftover railroad ties to use as stairs, and we built a patio with the unused track stone material. We planted trees, native grasses, and flowers to bring our vision of a lush forest surrounding the train to life.

Finishing Touches

To complete our vision, we paid extra attention to the details. The train’s roof and the exterior lettering were hand painted. The interior wood panels were all re-stained and re-sealed to a shiny finish. New carpeting and fresh wallpaper were added, and all original hardware was reinstalled.

Nighttime scene of a blue train carriage on a track, illuminated string lights overhead, surrounded by trees, with stairs leading toward the train.
A modern bathroom with a freestanding bathtub by a large window showing snow-covered trees outside. The bathroom has a white wall with built-in lighting, a skylight, and a vanity with under-mount sinks and dark cabinetry.
A finished train car lounge with wooden walls and large windows and freshly installed blue carpet.
Outdoor scene with trees, a large blue train car, potted plants with white flowers, and gravel ground under a clear blue sky.