Guest Experiences in Railcar 456

We had a wonderful time relaxing, enjoying the view, and getting away from it all in this beautiful space.

Enjoyed a wonderful dinner at DaVinci’s Italian in Lebanon, MO.

We will definitely be back to enjoy this beautiful hideaway.
Thank you!

Just the perfect place to ring in the New Year!

So quiet, cozy, and relaxing. We laughed, played games, and enjoyed each other’s company!

We surprised our boys with this stay and they loved it.
Thanks for helping us make memories!!

“We surprised our kids! This train is beautiful and we want to thank you for allowing us to stay.

We're from Fredericktown, Missouri, here visiting family!”

“Staying in the train to celebrate a birthday!

Such a cute & relaxing stay! You guys have done a great job making this a perfect getaway!

Thanks for hosting us! 😊”

“The train is so cozy! I love the attention to detail; you can tell Ashley & Clayton have put into this B+B!

The serene space was exactly what we were looking for in such a unique way!”

“In this adventure of life it's not always the destination, but the person you travel the path with.

We were grateful to come here and celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary/honeymoon!

It gave us the time to reflect and rekindle the love that brought us together.

As we sat and admired the panoramic view, it reminded us to not always look at what is in front of you, but everything and everyone you are surrounded by.

Thank you for making this ‘trip’ worth all the memories we have made ♥”

“Very grateful to have spent our Valentine’s Day and anniversary weekend here.

Beautiful property, cozy, perfect, and relaxing.

We cooked, walked around the property & admired the birds!

Thank you so much for hosting us. We had an amazing time!”

“I have a lifelong obsession with the Rock Island. It started when I was a young boy driving with my folks and seeing the line — and when lucky, the trains.

My wonderful, lovely wife has endured this obsession for almost 38 years. She could not have given me something so amazing as a weekend in a Rock Island passenger car.

I’ve literally dreamed of something like this.

To you for making it, and my wife for finding it — you have made a dream come true!

P.S. — I have sooooo many questions!”

“We absolutely loved it here. We have traveled all over to find unique Airbnbs for ideas of our own someday. This was an extra special surprise for my wife on our anniversary.

Now I need to figure out how I can get a train to the middle of nowhere — permits, etc.

This is definitely a dream of ours in the future. Thank you for the great memories.”

“We came from Republic & Springfield, Missouri to have a quiet getaway. I requested somewhere quiet, private, and away from big towns and shopping.

We absolutely loved this railcar!

On our second night a thunderstorm passed through — hearing the hail, wind, and rain while lying in bed was wild & fun!

I absolutely love gold & a good soaking tub. The Bennetts did so well with attention to detail in the décor and overall ambience.

We will definitely be back!”

“We absolutely loved our stay here!! Getting away with family, making memories, and taking in the country scenery. This train car is so cozy and the attention to detail is incredible. It really has been a stay like no other!

Last night we all sat by the fire pit outside, played cornhole, and ended the night with card games and eating breakfast for dinner.

We really appreciate all the thought put into making our experience enjoyable and comfortable!

We are definitely coming back again one day.

All glory to Christ.”

“We had an amazing time here on this amazing train. We had a fire, relaxed in nature, and soaked in the amazing bathtub.

We enjoyed our time and will definitely be back.

Thanks so much for helping us create such an amazing memory!”

“We came back to the railcar to celebrate our 27th anniversary! Such a wonderful getaway from this crazy busy world.

We enjoyed relaxing and spending our time in the train car — playing games, watching the many birds, reading books, and a great dinner at DaVinci’s.

We will be back!”

“What a wonderful place! This trip was a surprise from my husband for our 38th anniversary. I’ve always wanted to stay in a railroad car. You have a beautiful place. The only thing that dampened the trip was the rain — but the sound of it on the roof was easy to sleep by.

Thank you for hosting us.”

“We needed a quick, last-minute reprieve from the real world so I got on Airbnb and started looking. We usually go to Branson but decided to try elsewhere and I’m so glad we did!

I’ve stayed at many Airbnbs and this may be my favorite. It is rare to find a place with both inside and outside superbness, but this is it. Only an hour away from us.

My husband, who works for the railroad, loved it!!

Thank you for creating this beautiful escape — we can’t wait to tell our friends and come back again!”

“We had an amazing stay in your incredible railcar! Our young boys loved the adventure of staying in a train, exploring the property, and playing games and putting together a puzzle as a family.

We even had fun watching your YouTube videos and marveling at your design choices — well done!

Thank you for a fun and very comfortable stay!”

“We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a quick trip to your delightful Rock Island Railcar. We appreciated your attention to detail in the renovation.

Thanks for providing a fun night of stargazing and s’mores!”

“What an amazing place. So peaceful. Nice getaway from KC. Now my wife has so many ideas for our home.

Thanks!”

“We celebrated our 5-year anniversary here and couldn’t have picked a better place! So peaceful, beautiful, and relaxing. Thank you for sharing this special spot with us. We'll always remember it and can’t wait to come back!”

— Marshall & Natalie

“What a wonderful place to lay low and enjoy each other’s company. Far enough away, but still close to explore the neighboring towns.

We will definitely be back!”

“Cheers to a new year full of adventure. Wishing my husband Tom a wild & wonderful 75th birthday. Tom loves trains and we love finding unique places to stay.

Tom was shocked and surprised when we arrived at Railcar 456!

Thank you for the memories.”

“We celebrated our 11-year anniversary here on your beautiful railcar. Our two boys, ages 8 and 6, had a vacation to remember and are asking to come back. Thank you for sharing this special place with others.”

“Thank you so very much for allowing us to stay in this beautifully restored train car.

Our 4-year-old son is obsessed with trains right now. So, we thought this would be a one-of-a-kind experience for him (and us 😊), and it certainly lived up to our expectations… and then some!

He was also able to try fishing for the first time ever and caught a few little bluegills. And of course a bonfire with s’mores was a real treat!

Such a wonderful stay! Thanks again!”

“How do you take your coffee…”

Quietly…
Listening to the birds greet the day…
With a soft breeze sweeping across the water…
The sunlight slowly glowing through the trees…
The hum of the ceiling fan overhead…
And the smell of fresh grounds warming your hands…

…that is how I took my coffee this morning.

Thank you for an amazing experience!”

“Thank you for allowing us to stay in your beautiful railcar. Everything about it is wonderful. It was so cool to cozy up and watch/listen to the thunderstorm that rolled through.

❤️ Heather & Ben Z”

“To the Bennetts,

You all are the Chip & Joanna Gaines of railcar renovators!

We enjoyed our stay here more than we can express. Our 3-year-old (the reason we sought out a renovated railroad car!) could not wait to get back to the “train car” each day.

From the fishing to the bonfires, water balloon fights and cozy family movie nights, you created an unforgettable space for us to enjoy time together.

Thank you for having us!

P.S. Sorry for the mark on the journal — couldn’t get to him fast enough!”

“What a lovely place!

We have stayed in MANY Airbnbs and your place ranks at the top. The attention to detail is superior.

Thank you and we will be back.

— Lynda & Brett”

“What a magical stay! The attention to detail and the feeling of place… having 3 “train boys,” it was magical and exciting.

Walking in the woods was perfect. We look forward to staying again!

Thank you for this magic!

— The Arnolds”

“We had a wonderful weekend getaway!

We came to float the Niangua and found this gem on Airbnb. We had fun fishing, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and relaxing in the peace and serenity.

We couldn’t have asked for a better weekend!

The railcar is SO cool!!!

Thank you!”

“Birthday Weekend!!!

What a wonderful weekend! I got to surprise my husband with this lovely getaway for his 30th birthday. He loves the railroad, so this was the BEST surprise!

Highlights:
• All the Scrabble games
• Watching the hubby “nerd” out on all things railroad
• Watching the doe + two fawns
• The bathtub!!!
• Seeing the reno process on your page

Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece of history with us!

❤️ The O’Donnells”

“We absolutely loved the train — very peaceful and relaxing.

I enjoyed seeing my wife smile and laugh; reminds me why I love her so much and want to spend the rest of my life with her.

Looking forward to new adventures and romantic destinations with her.

To be continued…”

“We came for a weekend away from the hustle and bustle up north.

We loved the attention to detail at every turn.

This is the PERFECT book-weekend retreat!

Our first unique stay anywhere — it will be hard to beat.

We’ll be back. ❤️

— The Styers”

“What a great concept, and decorated beautifully.

This was a last-minute trip and we were able to relax & reset.

Thanks for the hospitality!

— The Beckers”

“Thank you for sharing your oasis.

We enjoyed the quiet, the wildlife, and the space in general.

We felt like we were taking a step back in time.

We hope to make this a future getaway location.

— The Bolins”

“Thanks for letting us stay — it was a cute and cozy getaway.

We were only 20 minutes from Bennett Springs, so we went trout fishing.

We all loved it. Thank you!

We had the best time in the train!! ❤️

— The Arnolds”

“Thank you for an amazing stay!

Best sleep we’ve gotten in a while — the bed is so cozy!

The train car was perfect and decorated perfectly.

We will be back for sure!

❤️ Jeff & Heather”

“What an amazing space you have!

Everything was so thoughtfully decorated.

You’ve created quite the experience here. ❤️

Thank you for sharing your space with us!

— The Berras”

“Thank you for creating such a beautiful and special place for families to escape to — especially our train-loving boys (ages 9 & 11).

We fished, roasted s’mores, played games, explored Buffalo, watched movies, and made memories.

Our youngest has autism and traveling can be difficult, but this place was perfect for him — a safe haven for our entire family.

We look forward to returning soon!

Much thanks & many blessings,
— Brian, Amanda, Max & Matty”

“A luxuriously appointed railcar situated in a beautiful setting beside a forest of oak trees celebrating the occasion with their display of fall colors while the gentle sound of the rain served up a relaxing backdrop to our continuing conversations.

This couldn’t have worked out any better if I had planned it. (Oh wait a minute. I DID!)

Thank you, Ashley & Clayton.

P.S. Took a couple of days, but finally on the day we were getting ready to leave, the deer came out to the front yard to show the dummies in the railcar that the crossing signal actually works! We’ll leave it to some later guests to solve the mystery of what triggers it.”

“We absolutely loved our stay!

The train car was so beautifully redone and decorated.

We have stayed in many Airbnbs, and most don’t even compare to this one.

Thank you!”

“Thank you for hosting us.

We had a very calm and relaxing stay.

We are both always on the go with work, so it was great to just sit and take in all the nature.

You have a beautiful and unique home.

We are already planning our next staycation.

Thank you!”

“Such a beautiful and nostalgic experience. The moment we stepped into the railcar, it felt like being transported back in time in the best way.

We celebrated my partner’s birthday, and because he loves trains, every detail from the woodwork to the atmosphere made it feel deeply special and personal.

It was peaceful, cozy, luxurious, and unlike anything we’ve stayed in before.

A truly memorable and heartfelt getaway!

Thank you!”

“Thank you for hosting us! We had such an amazing weekend.

Our 3-year-old son is obsessed with trains and he had so much fun.

Quote: “I want to stay here forever.”

Thank you! 😊”