No one bats an eyelid anymore at a billionaire with a private jet or a collection of exclusive luxury cars. But having your own private train carriage or railway line is, of course, a different matter altogether.

In the United States in particular, investing in historic train cars has been the latest status symbol for the super-rich for several years now. Exclusivity and extravagance have always been a dream for the super-rich, so it’s no surprise that modern American millionaires, whether driven by nostalgia or not, buy or own their trains – it is estimated that about 130 to 150 private railcars roam the US.

Traveling in style

One of the best-known Americans in this field is John Paul DeJoria, a self-made billionaire with a distinct taste for stylish travel and luxury. DeJoria (81), known for the hair care brand Paul Mitchell and Patrón Tequila, one of the most famous premium tequila brands worldwide, owns or rents luxury trains for events and business trips.

For example, he transformed a 1927 train into a palace on wheels for a cost of no less than 2 million euros. The self-made billionaire, who was homeless in his younger years but later embraced a touch of Hollywood glamour, used his trains as a kind of mobile VIP lounge for networking events, including dinners, tastings (such as Patrón Tequila), and benefit galas.

Another billionaire with a passion for trains is Robert Menzies. He is the owner and chairman of the Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway (ACWR), which, with approximately 225 km of tracks, is one of the largest private regional railway companies in North Carolina. He not only leases the network for freight transport but also offers prestigious luxury trips in historic carriages.

Finally, other examples of individuals or associations that own beautifully restored train cars that are used as luxury private cars for excursions and charters are Pacific Sands and AAPCRO, an association of people and companies that together own dozens of often lovingly restored luxury private cars, including the ‘Silver Solarium’ with its panoramic glass.

Unprecedented luxury

The phenomenon is almost as old as the history of the railways themselves. Still, it was mainly during the so-called Gilded Age, the period from around the late 1870s to the late 1890s that coincided with the heyday of the railways in the US, that owning a private carriage became a showpiece for industrialists.

Business magnates such as J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and Cornelius Vanderbilt all had their private train cars. Many of these financiers also had interests in railroad companies.

Morgan, for example, also had an interest in the Pullman Car Company, the inventor of the sleeper car for first-class travel, which was then considered the pinnacle of luxury rail travel.

They had their palaces on wheels built, allowing them to travel by rail in unprecedented luxury. Their luxurious carriages were finished with velvet, leather, mahogany, and crystal chandeliers and included a lounge with a fireplace, a library, or a smoking room. In addition, they also had up to eight staff members on board, including, of course, a chef to prepare haute cuisine for them and their guests.

Up from $250,000 for a carriage

However, not all modern rail-loving millionaires have their private rail network. American millionaires with their luxury train must first make an appointment with railway companies such as Amtrak or BNSF to use their private carriage.

Once restored, depending on their condition and rarity, these carriages can cost between $ 250,000 and $3 million (plus annual maintenance costs) to be coupled to Amtrak trains at a rate of approximately $4 per mile. And the costs, of course, rental, dinner events, and services are not yet included. In total, you can easily end up paying a range of $16,000 to $30,000, depending on the number of days, the kitchen, and the staff.

But if you have the money, you can indeed travel from Chicago to Los Angeles by rail in old-fashioned elegance, sipping your favorite cocktail. Or, as the old saying goes, “Money can buy anything.”