BART Car To Become Rental Home In Sierra Foothills: Report

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A decommissioned BART car will soon be available to stay in as a short-term rental nestled in the Sierra Foothills, according to the Bay Area Rapid Transit site.

Bay Area resident Michael Lin submitted a proposal back in 2021 to repurpose the legacy car and was one of eight individuals or organizations selected. His vision was to blend the modern aesthetics with the feel of a cozy cabin.

In March, the car traveled on the back of a flatbed truck over 100 miles from BART’s Hayward Yard to Jamestown, an old gold-mining town near Sonora.

BART recycled the remaining cars in 2024 as they are not able to store them due to limited funds, storage space and equipment needs.

Lin, who works as a financial advisor and studied architecture at U.C. Berkeley, chose to relocate the car to Jamestown due to its history and access to outdoor activities. It is located about 45 minutes from Yosemite National Park.

Lin plans to attach the car, which he has dubbed The Sierra Trainhouse, to a tiny home, but in the car there will also be a small bedroom, a bathroom, a room with bunk beds and an open space for hanging out.

The car’s cab will remain close to intact, and Lin wants people to be able to push the control panel buttons and hear BART sounds. The rental will fit eight people and will be pricier than many short-term rentals, but Lin said he wants it to remain affordable.

Read the full story at the Bay Area Rapid Transit website.