11-04-2025
See the progress on the retired BART train being transformed into an Airbnb
JAMESTOWN – Work is now well underway to flip a vintage BART train into a vacation rental.
The old A-car is now nestled in its Jamestown area spot. Fittingly, it's next to a working Sierra Northern train line.
"They sometimes say you don't want to build your house next to the train tracks, but I was like 'How close can we get?'" said owner Michael Lin.
Longeway Construction has been hired to make Lin's Airbnb plans for the train into reality.
"Every time we drive down here, we kind of look at it and [are] still in awe every time," said Jesse Longeway.
Some heavy-duty engineering has already been done to mount the tracks where the retired train now sits.
"It's in good shape. It smells fine to me," Lin said.
Train 1234 was commissioned in the 1970s. Lin noted that BART said the train was in decent shape already, with the floor having already been rebuilt.
Regrettably, the chairs are of the old plastic kind – not the cloth ones with a unique pattern many Bay Area residents are nostalgic for.
Longeway says the next work coming up will be more cleaning up, including sanitizing the seats.
Construction will also begin soon on the back half of the Airbnb that will connect to the train, which will include amenities like a bedroom, bunk beds, a coffee bar, and a little bathroom.
People can follow the project's progress on the BART train house's
Instagram page
.
