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Posted By: pauluk Want to live on a train? - 08/02/03 11:27 AM
Well, not quite living on a train, but the closest you can get without rails:

[Linked Image]

Yes, behind that wooden verandah it's an old rail car ("railway carriage" is the British terminology) which was converted to living accommodation many years ago.

Many homes in England are boring in the extreme: Road after road of identical little brick boxes with little personality and even less style or uniqueness.

But there are some interesting places around, and the settlement in which I live has quite a lot, as it grew up as a holiday village originally. This unusual holiday home is only about a quarter-mile from me. I'd love to get a look inside it.


[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 08-02-2003).]
Posted By: ThinkGood Re: Want to live on a train? - 08/03/03 02:32 PM
Over here, there are restaurants called "diners" that are converted from diner cars.
http://www.silverdiner.com/about_the_diner/articles/forbes.html
Posted By: SvenNYC Re: Want to live on a train? - 08/04/03 03:36 AM
Originally that's what diners were made out of. But now they're mostly built to look like a railroad carriage.

I keep forgetting -- an average long distance train car like the New Jersey Transit trains or the Amtrak cars is big enough to use as the lunchroom for a diner -- plenty of counter space & table space, especially if you also build an adjoining structure for the kitchen, etc.

I'm so used to seeing Metro (subway for us New Yorkers) cars that are like 1/2 the size of these railroad train cars -- and narrower -- so obviously I've always been scratching my head as to how you can make a restaurant out of a subway (train) car. [Linked Image]

When you say the word "train" to many of us, the first thing that pops in our heads is the underground & elevated rapid transit system, not that overpriced, obsolete cross-country thing that has been largely supplanted by buses and aeroplanes. [Linked Image] [Linked Image]
Posted By: pauluk Re: Want to live on a train? - 08/04/03 09:39 AM
I've always liked the look of those shiny streamlined aluminum trailers like you see used as roadside diners in old movies.

Subway cars -- Now there's an idea. Converting an old car from the London Unerground would be neat. The latest ones are pretty modern, but the old 1972/73 stock would be nice. You could even keep the pneumatic doors as a "feature" [Linked Image]

Does anyone else have interesting homes in their area, something a little different?

C-H,
If you're reading this, how popular are those nicely painted wooden cabins and chalets that we associate with Sweden? What sort of the price do they go for on their own bit of land?
Posted By: C-H Re: Want to live on a train? - 08/04/03 01:29 PM
Paul,
Quote

C-H,
If you're reading this, how popular are those nicely painted wooden cabins and chalets that we associate with Sweden? What sort of the price do they go for on their own bit of land?

You are referring to our red and white houses?
[Linked Image from hjaltevadshus.se]

Almost all single family homes in Sweden are built of wood, but today other colours than red are popular. These red and white houses would just look weird in a street.

The price of a house depends entirely on the location. But a new house (like the one above) with land typically cost a million or two (SEK) or about $100 000 - 200 000.

You really have to be out in the sticks to find a house at less than $50 000.

The house above looks like this on the inside
[Linked Image from hjaltevadshus.se]

[This message has been edited by C-H (edited 08-04-2003).]
Posted By: ThinkGood Re: Want to live on a train? - 08/04/03 06:40 PM
Paul:
Would you consider an obsolete missile silo, turned into a home, unique?
http://www.silohome.com/
Posted By: pauluk Re: Want to live on a train? - 08/04/03 10:28 PM
Quote
Entire steel superstructure hangs from gigantic spring suspension system
designed to absorb shock of a direct nuclear hit.
Wow! Sounds like a good place as a safe house if the Feds are after you big time! [Linked Image]

C-H,
Do I take that to mean you can actually buy a reasonable sort of place (maybe a fixer-upper) out in rural sweden for under $50,000 ?

I'm in a fairly cheap place in the county, and there's nothing on the market in this settlement under $100,000.
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