What would you do with a used transit car?

[y_p_w]

I was thinking of saying a "subway car" but this is the San Francisco Bay Area Transit District (BART) and not sure how familiar some would be with the name. I've seen oddball items being repurposed. Like retired shipping containers for a beer garden or an old plane being turned into a restaurant.

BART is adopting out old cars. Here’s what people are doing with them

BART officials have revealed where the agency’s decommissioned transit cars will be...

www.sfchronicle.com

 

[paulri]

Cute idea, but the article is behind a paywall. Can someone paste the text into this thread?

 

[Pew]

Put wheels on it to drive it and make it look like a torpedo so people stop cutting me off.

 

[ctechbob]

Cute idea, but the article is behind a paywall. Can someone paste the text into this thread?

12ft

12ft.io

Works for this article. Doesn't work for everything, but comes in handy.

 

[Rand]

Cute idea, but the article is behind a paywall. Can someone paste the text into this thread?

Open in private browser window.. no paywall.

 

[y_p_w]

Cute idea, but the article is behind a paywall. Can someone paste the text into this thread?

I'm not paying anything and I don't see the paywall. It takes a few articles before it should get to that point. I will say that it's kind of weird because the free SFGate website used to post San Francisco Chronicle articles, but now it's a separate operation in the same building with the same ownership. And now they've made it so that only subscribers can post comments. But I guess three paragraphs and a photo would be fair use.

The proposal process, which started on Jan. 1, 2021, seemed more like finding the right foster home for a beloved pet than a financial transaction. BART was eager to part with the cars, some of which are more than 50 years old. But there were a lot of rules, including a requirement to remove the transit agency’s logos, and a plan for environmental safety and ultimate disposal.​

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Tsukamoto and BART Chief Communications Officer Alicia Trost said they expected some creative ideas. But the first eight recipients, who each submitted a proposal, appeared to exceed expectations. The new incarnations of a (somewhat) shiny BART car will include:​

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An Oakland A’s beer garden: The team had already called its shot, when A’s President Dave Kaval showed interest in acquiring a BART car in a 2019 tweet, but the A’s proposal provided a lot more detail. The team suggested that the car would be called “Coliseum BAR(T),” and be used as a beer garden and history museum.​

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[skyactiv]

Turn it into indoor garden and eat well.

 

[Malo83]

Turn it into a little house.

 

[Kira]

The biggest, A#1 problem with these schemes is that the severe industrial design parameters needed to provide durability, easier cleansing, weatherproofing, resistance to abuse and forces caused by movement don't jibe with warm and welcoming homes, restaurants or clubhouses.

Like the semi-underground houses made from 2 shipping containers (which I love), the weatherproofing and structural integrity carry the project.

 

[PandaBear]

Usually, they are past useful life and are taken apart for parts for maintenance and repairs, the never worn out part are just scrapped. Some people in HK were trying to preserve some old double deckers and the PR dept of the bus companies told them they are salvaged for parts to keep other buses on the road, they cannot just "preserve" old buses with the parts already discontinued and not take apart retired buses.

 

[y_p_w]

Usually, they are past useful life and are taken apart for parts for maintenance and repairs, the never worn out part are just scrapped. Some people in HK were trying to preserve some old double deckers and the PR dept of the bus companies told them they are salvaged for parts to keep other buses on the road, they cannot just "preserve" old buses with the parts already discontinued and not take apart retired buses.

At least with BART they've gone through so many different refurbs. The original cars were already gutted with new internals in the 80s to extend their lives. And those are the ones being retired and repurposed. What I heard about them back in the late 80s was that the aluminum alloy shells were in remarkably good condition since unpainted aluminum is extremely corrosion resistant - especially when it's not in the water. It actually corrodes really quickly enough that it forms a protective oxide layer, and when the layer is nicked it quickly reforms. The same happens with titanium and the chromium in stainless steel. I suspect they'll be like a lot of old airliners that have been repurposed. The shell will last for a long time as long as they stay away from salt water. I know there's a little bit of leaking

BART isn't trying to keep any of the original cars in service, so they're not going to be cannibalizing them for parts like Iran trying to keep F-14s flying.

 

[Snagglefoot]

A diner or a Shisha Lounge.

 

[PandaBear]

At least with BART they've gone through so many different refurbs. The original cars were already gutted with new internals in the 80s to extend their lives. And those are the ones being retired and repurposed. What I heard about them back in the late 80s was that the aluminum alloy shells were in remarkably good condition since unpainted aluminum is extremely corrosion resistant - especially when it's not in the water. It actually corrodes really quickly enough that it forms a protective oxide layer, and when the layer is nicked it quickly reforms. The same happens with titanium and the chromium in stainless steel. I suspect they'll be like a lot of old airliners that have been repurposed. The shell will last for a long time as long as they stay away from salt water. I know there's a little bit of leaking

BART isn't trying to keep any of the original cars in service, so they're not going to be cannibalizing them for parts like Iran trying to keep F-14s flying.

Still, an old aluminum shell has little value outside of scrap if the design is obsolete. Transporting it to another place to repurpose is going to cost more than its material is worth and if they are not a style that's fashionable.

I remember someone brought a pair of old 747 wings and use that to build the roof of his custom-house, the transport is probably more expensive than a standard roof.

 

[y_p_w]

Still, an old aluminum shell has little value outside of scrap if the design is obsolete. Transporting it to another place to repurpose is going to cost more than its material is worth and if they are not a style that's fashionable.

I remember someone brought a pair of old 747 wings and use that to build the roof of his custom-house, the transport is probably more expensive than a standard roof.

At least with a BART car there is sentimental value beyond simply the cost of a similar structure.

 

[Dave Hess]

Anybody remember Victoria Station restaurants ?

I remember the one in Miami Springs near Miami International Airport.

Victoria Station (restaurant) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Shel_B]

Cute idea, but the article is behind a paywall. Can someone paste the text into this thread?

Are you using an ad blocker?

 

[twouvakind]

Artificial reef(s)