The legality/liability conversation is the stumbling block, but I personally like the idea of using an outside braced boxcar. I know there are a few in tourist service but I can’t recall the particular operations off the top of my head. Seems like a slam dunk for a conversion, if you have one to use.

Perhaps this would follow the caboose conversion of such cars, a historical precedent.
Although I don't know of any drover's cabooses made this way, it ought to be possible to use multiple windows in the panels between bracing to provide 'more window seats'.

The question becomes the extent to which the sheathing in outside-braced composite construction actually forms part of the structural integrity of these cars. I think that is at least a plausible reason why round windows were seen in the caboose conversions, the thing about them being the apparent strangeness of a row of porthole windows, as with McKeen cars.

I agree. Was it just sheathing or was it structural? Good question.

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What Kelly and Alan posted is more what I was looking for; those are obviously boxcar conversions - but in both cases there was some effort made to replace the door space with steel.

I got a chuckle out of that concession car, there may be a special prize for that one, pick your category.

Very familiar with the FRA and ride issues, and I can personally attest to how rough Sloan's converted auto racks rode, I slid off the bus seats and landed on the floor from the upper deck of the Gettysburg one, a testament to no effective side bearings. That car on low joints was a thrill ride like a horizontal tower of terror. Wayne, your rowboat analogy doesn't adequately communicate the fear element.

I've also ridden the one Galveston 'trolley' that ended up in Kingston on the freight car trucks, and have the loose fillings to prove it.

This organization already has a couple cabooses and a converted gondola. They need temporary storage space and are thinking of boxcars with a subsequent car conversion after the storage project is done, so at least it's not 'impossible', and there are at least a few real-world examples to consider, although there are certainly 'issues' here.

"I've also ridden the one Galveston 'trolley' that ended up in Kingston on the freight car trucks, and have the loose fillings to prove it."

I didn't realize that the Galveston Trolleys were a thing of the past. I grew up riding them and the New Orleans Streetcars on family vacations. I have very fond memories of them.

Are caboose trucks still a common enough 'thing' to be cost-effective? Some of their construction principles might be useful in conversion, too.

Has anyone tried opening up the top deck of a bi-level commuter car? One reason bi-levels are unpopular in excursion service is the sealed windows; removing most of the side would obviously solve that problem, and they are equipped with passenger trucks etc. I'll bet the price is right, too, because you would mainly be competing with scrappers. The most obvious problem that I can see (besides possible clearance issues and yawing on bad track) is that the top deck/ceiling is not made to be exposed to water and would need to be sealed somehow and equipped with drains.

There probably aren't many unclaimed ones around any more, but I always thought that transfer cabooses would make decent low-cost coaches. Put a roof over the long end platforms and add a few windows to the center body and you're all set. It might be necessary to replace the steel grating deck on the platforms, but some sort of waterproof plywood or treated decking material would take care of that. Build lengthwise benches on the outside and find some kind of seats for the inside. Voila!

One happens to be for sale on "Discover Live Steam" right now...
https://discoverlivesteam.com/discoverf ... ex.htm#782

We have a 50' former Troop Sleeper we converted from C&O MOW service to a coach a few years ago. Troop Sleepers were based on a boxcar design.

I believe troop sleepers are considered passenger equipment already. No?

I think an ideal car would be one of the mail storage cars constructed in 1962 by the Missouri Pacific in their DeSoto shops.

The Atchison railroad museum has one in their collection converted by the UP into a kitchen car: http://nekr.tripod.com/ATCHISON_RAIL_MUSEUM.htm

UP had a number of these cars around the system converted to various support roles and some might be available with the changed brought about by PSR.

The advantage is you have a boxcar that is suitable for storage, but much of the work for use as an open car has also been done for you. And you have a simplified passenger car truck as well.

Their interesting history in MofW service and being among the last specialized equipment constructed for US Mail service is a bonus!

While not what the original poster asked for, it is an expansion of Mr. Laepple's idea. It seems that a lot or groups have baggage cars in abundance, so I'm surprised more havent followed up on the Niles Canyon and their modification.

https://www.ncry.org/about/collection/p ... lway-1830/

It wouldnt meet the ready to interchange status without some major work, but its great for storage and later conversion to a "mixed" open and closed car, while keeping the traditional passenger car look.

It WAS a troop sleeper. Since the war it was in MOW service as storage. But I don't really see your point.