Chartering cars

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norfolkwesternhenry

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
Jun 6, 2016
Messages
474
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Where can I find low rate sleeper/lounge/end cars, preferably based in out of MSP, CHI, or anywhere in between on the EB probably for 30-60 people, with the route MSP-CHI-WAS (cap)-CHI(card)-MSP being 2,538 miles, at 2.10 a mile for the first car and 1.60 a mile for each next car, preferably keeping it under $15,000, or would it be better to rent an engine and engineer, to pull a lobg train, or even charter an entire train? Post other ideas as well, low cost is key, my family is not a huge railfan family, so I need to sell them this idea.

Thanks for any reccomendations.
 
Where can I find low rate sleeper/lounge/end cars, preferably based in out of MSP, CHI, or anywhere in between on the EB probably for 30-60 people, with the route MSP-CHI-WAS (cap)-CHI(card)-MSP being 2,538 miles, at 2.10 a mile for the first car and 1.60 a mile for each next car, preferably keeping it under $15,000, or would it be better to rent an engine and engineer, to pull a lobg train, or even charter an entire train? Post other ideas as well, low cost is key, my family is not a huge railfan family, so I need to sell them this idea.

Thanks for any reccomendations.
261.com
Your idea restricts you to a single car, as the lowest rate I've seen is $1000 per day, and you need a minimum of three days for that trip. That leaves you without sufficient funds for the second car. That also limits you to ~22 passengers if you choose a sleeper, which wouldn't have enough room for anything but basic cooking in the single car.

Good luck
 
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Sleeper/lounge car based in CHI can sleep 8, but has a max passenger limit of 16 - $4000 to $6000 per day charter/lease.
That's pretty much what each private varnish car is going to cost per day/per car.

If you have 60 people but can forgo having sleepers - The Lake Pipin.

There is a sleeper car based in MN that can sleep 21.

The Cedar Rapids - a Milwaukee Road Hiawatha Skytop lounge observation car.
 
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