More than 40 train cars got turned into apartments decades ago. Now 3 are for sale for just $125,000 — but there's a catch.

Jordan PandyJan 16, 2024, 03:14 IST

The exterior of the train showing off one of the decks on the property.Courtesy of Christopher Alexander.

A two-bedroom condo made out of three connected train cars in Wisconsin is seeking $125,000.
It sits on a piece of abandoned rail and is part of a community made up of 43 train cars.

What was once a unique hotel stay in Wisconsin is now a rare vacation home — and a cool piece of history.

A two-bedroom, one-bathroom condo made out of three connected train cars is on the market for $125,000 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, a picturesque resort city about an hour south of Milwaukee.

"It's a different thing for sure," Christopher Alexander, a Century 21 agent in Wisconsin who holds the listing, told Business Insider. "You don't hear of many people converting train cars."

The 43 train cars, which sit on an abandoned track just a mile from Lake Geneva Public Beach, were used as a motel in the 1980s before they were turned into condominium units.

Take a look around.

Father and son duo David and Michael Hanley bought the 43 caboose train cars in 1983.

The train-car condo for sale is just one of the many condos on the property.Courtesy of Christopher Alexander.

The Hanleys renovated the train cars and opened up Hanley’s End of the Line Caboose Motel in December 1984.

The train-car condos.Courtesy of Christopher Alexander.

In the ‘90s, the cars were turned into condominium units and sold to individual buyers, according to Alexander.

The dining area in the train-car condo for sale.Courtesy of Christopher Alexander.

The three-car condo, now seeking $125,000. is the most recent of the residences to hit the market.

The red exterior of the train-car condo.Courtesy of Christopher Alexander.

It's about 960 square feet and comes with a deck.

A decently sized deck on the side of the train car.Courtesy of Christopher Alexander.

The family that owns the car did some remodeling from the hotel days.

The train-car condo also comes equipped with a refrigerator.Courtesy of Christopher Alexander.

The condos have fans and AC units that make summers more bearable, but Alexander said the units are uninhabitable in the winter because there's "no real winterization."

The kitchen appliances are minimal and include a coffee maker and microwave.Courtesy of Christopher Alexander.

The condos have fans and AC units that make summers more bearable, but Alexander said the units are uninhabitable in the winter because there's "no real winterization."

So the condos are only able to be used between April and October.

One of the bedrooms on board the train.Courtesy of Christopher Alexander.

Potential buyers looking for a short-term rental investment are out of luck.

The condo is just under 1,000 square feet, and is quite narrow.Courtesy of Christopher Alexander.

Alexander thinks the inability to rent the cars short-term has dissuaded some buyers.

Another bedroom with a deck off the side.Courtesy of Christopher Alexander.

I've been to all 50 states. Here are 5 I can't wait to visit again — and the 5 I probably won't return to.

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

More than 40 train cars got turned into apartments decades ago. Now 3 are for sale for just $125,000 &mdash; but there's a catch.

Father and son duo David and Michael Hanley bought the 43 caboose train cars in 1983.

The Hanleys renovated the train cars and opened up Hanley’s End of the Line Caboose Motel in December 1984.

In the ‘90s, the cars were turned into condominium units and sold to individual buyers, according to Alexander.

The three-car condo, now seeking $125,000. is the most recent of the residences to hit the market.

It's about 960 square feet and comes with a deck.

The family that owns the car did some remodeling from the hotel days.

The condos have fans and AC units that make summers more bearable, but Alexander said the units are uninhabitable in the winter because there's "no real winterization."

So the condos are only able to be used between April and October.

Potential buyers looking for a short-term rental investment are out of luck.

Alexander thinks the inability to rent the cars short-term has dissuaded some buyers.

More than 40 train cars got turned into apartments decades ago. Now 3 are for sale for just $125,000 — but there's a catch.