It's the present in the US. Many people own personal train cars, and you just contract with Amtrak to hook you up and you're off on vacation. You can even bring Babu. You can rent personal cars as well, though you probably should make sure yuor ocelot is housebroken if you're taking a rental.

Now, I say "many" but what I means is that's more than a few. Many is still probably in the 3-4 digit number (I'm guessing). And you'd be correct in assuming that it's not a luxury most people can afford. But it does exist.

[–] tburkhol@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I was just googling around, and it looks to me like a private rail car costs something like a 2nd home, storage fees similar to property tax, $4/mile to have Amtrak haul you around. Basically a vacation home, but mobile. Definitely a 1% thing, but not billionaires-only. Probably way more prestige in saying you've got a private rail car than a beach house. At least among a certain segment.

Most interesting thing I've learned all week.

[–] Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 year ago

I'd love parking for these cars at various places I want to visit though, think railway parking timeshare.

[–] bluGill@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

DO they still? Last I heard Amtrak was no longer taking private train cars as too many were not in good mechanical shape and thus a large cause of their delayed trains.

[–] Baketime@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Who is Babu?

[–] PizzasDontWearCapes@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago

An ocelot from the cartoon Archer

Another character in the show, Carol/Sheryl, comes from a wealthy family and owns a private rail car

And, there's an ocelot named Babu