When you’re apartment hunting, you’ll come across different types in terms of structure and layout. One of the most unique apartment types are railroad apartments. But what is it exactly? In this blog, we will introduce what a railroad apartment is and how they differ from more common apartment types. On top of that, we’ll break down the potential advantages and disadvantages of living in a railroad apartment to help you decide if it’s the best fit for you. Ready? Let’s jump right in!
Key Takeaways
- A railroad apartment features rooms arranged in a straight line, similar to train cars, often without hallways.
- The benefits of railroad apartments include affordability, charm, and efficient use of space, while the cons involve lack of privacy, unusual layout, and noise issues.
- Generally, railroad apartments cost below local averages due to feature trade offs.
What Is a Railroad Apartment?
As a property services company based in San Antonio, we know how challenging finding the perfect apartment can be. That is why we want to introduce you to railroad apartments and how they could be the perfect home for you.
If it’s your first time hearing about railroad apartments, one of the first things that come to mind is that these are simply rental units situated next or close to a railroad system. Well, you can’t be anymore wrong. Actually, the term “railroad apartment” has nothing to do with its location, but more on how it is designed.
Railroad apartments got its name from the way its rooms are arranged in a linear and elongated layout, much like how train cars look like. In one, you’ll find rooms linked in a sequence, with each room leading to the next. This style is primarily found in older buildings in urban areas. This is because the concept of railroad homes date back to the early 1900s as a solution to the growing population and housing crisis.
Typical Railroad Apartment Layout
To better picture what a railroad apartment looks like (and how it differs from others), you need to know what key characteristics make an apartment into a railroad layout. First, rooms in railroad apartments are connected to each other in a way that there are no hallways in between.
Imagine you’re riding a train and you’re on the farthest train car. You move up and open the door to get into the next train car, and again to reach the next. That’s basically how railroad apartments work. From the front door, you walk into one room, let’s say the living room. Then, you move up and you get into the dining room/kitchen. Walk up again and you get to the bedroom, just like you’re walking through a series of train cars.
Aside from this, a railroad apartment is characterized by long and narrow layouts. Generally, they are longer than it is wide, considering that they’re typically just 12 feet wide (or even less). On top of that, access is often only at one side of the apartment, allowing you to walk through the rooms from end to end.
Pros of Living in a Railroad Apartment
Now that you have a better idea what a railroad apartment is, it’s time that we talk about what it is like to live in one. Much like any other apartment, these rentals come with its share of advantages and disadvantages. Knowing the benefits and potential drawbacks will help you decide if you want to live in one or not. With that, let’s start with the pros:
Affordability
One of the key benefits of this type of apartment is they are more affordable than of typical apartment rentals, like those with several dedicated bedrooms or apartments with a den or loft. This is because railroad apartments are typically found in older buildings, are generally smaller, and offer less flexibility in terms of layout. Because of this, you can expect lower rent prices
Efficient and Effective Use of Space
While railroad apartments are generally smaller, they offer an effective way to utilize and maximize the linear layout. In fact, the lack of hallways in railroad apartments allow for a more efficient use of space without wasting any inch.
Unique Charm
Another benefit that you can get from railroad apartments is its particularly unique charm. If you’re into vintage design, like crown moldings, exposed bricks, or original wooden floors, you’re likely to get that in these apartments.
Cons of Railroad Apartments
But what about the cons? First, there is the matter of space. Even if you utilize the space as much as you can (use space-saving furniture, minimize clutter, etc.), you still won’t get equivalent floor space than renting a full one-bedroom unit or an apartment with a loft.
Aside from that, you also need to think about privacy. While this won’t be much of a problem if you’re living alone, it could be an issue if you’re sharing the space with a roommate, or even a loved one. Since rooms are connected to each other (and often without doors), you won’t get as much privacy in such a tight and small space. The same goes when it comes to noise. Having a cramped space with minimal walls and doors doesn’t help in minimizing how noise travels from one room to another.
Lastly, there are concerns about ventilation and natural light. Since railroad apartments run long and there’s only one access point in front, there’s not much opportunity for windows for natural light to get in. The same goes when it comes to ventilation, where the long and narrow layout makes it difficult for air to flow through and out of the unit. To help you visualize this better, here a summary of the pros and cons of living in one:
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How Much Do Railroad Apartments Cost?
There are several factors that may influence how much a railroad apartment costs. For example, there’s location, market conditions, and even local market competition. Despite this, it is safe to say that these apartments come at a lower cost because of the common trade offs of having less privacy, unorthodox layout, and the like.
However, premium locations (like New York City or San Francisco) may maintain relatively high or close-to-average rent prices for railroad apartments, even despite its cons. Regardless, you can still expect them to be somewhat cheaper than the national or even state averages.
Find Your Perfect Home with Bay Property Management
With all things considered, railroad apartments offer a budget-friendly housing option in the middle of bustling city centers. With its unique layout, you can transform railroad apartments to be your charming home – with space-efficient furniture, smart storage solutions, and minimized clutter, to account for the limited floor space.
If you’re searching for your next home in San Antonio and nearby areas, you’re in luck! As a San Antonio property management company, we have an expansive portfolio of rental properties – including railroad apartments, condominiums, single-family housing, and more! Interested? Contact us today.