Private rail car owners get to ride the rails in style. (Expand the gallery to fullscreen for the full experience.)

In order to get from place to place, private car owners must hitch a ride with an already-running passenger train.

Those looking to have their own private cars have two choices: Buy a car that's already been restored or restore one themselves.

To cover the significant expenses of keeping a private car, many owners charter them—like the one above, which was recently chartered for a trip to the Kentucky Derby.

In order to keep a private rail car running, you need a point person to ensure that dinners are served, the plumbing works, and cars are switched to the right trains.

Rail cars don't just come in one style. Dome cars, like this one, are popular in the western US.

Dome cars are great, but they don't fit through many of the tunnels found on the East Coast. For outdoor views in New England, for instance, you'd need an observation car, like this one President Obama rode in 2008.