TORONTO – Jason Shron has one major hobby in his life and it’s a passion that has consumed his entire basement.
“This is the type of car that traveled everywhere,” said Shron. “This went from Halifax to Vancouver to Churchill, Manitoba, Montreal, Toronto…”
Shron is a train buff who has managed to build his own version of a man cave, a 1980 replica VIA Rail car.
Photo credit: Jeremy Cohn, Global News
The Vaughan, Ont. resident spent close to four-and-a-half years and 2,500 hours completing the masterpiece.
“The problem was I had no clue what I was doing, I still have no clue what I’m doing and so I made so many mistakes that I had to re-do everything,” Shron said.
Photo credit: Jeremy Cohn, Global NewsThe mock, circa 1980 VIA Rail car is made of drywall on the outside, but completely authentic on the inside, mainly put together from parts he collected over the years.
Photo credit: Phil Pang, Global News
During a tour with Global News, Shron explained some of the parts were built from scratch.
“I even made fake emergency tools here, I even made fake emergency tool tags to go with them,” he said. “You’ve got the conductor’s valve, original coat hooks, the original window blinds.”
Photo credit: Jeremy Cohn, Global News
The entire construction process was detailed in a video Shron posted on Youtube.
The rail car in the basement is just phase one of an even larger 30-35 year plan.
Shron wants to use the upper level of the basement to build a model railroad showing downtown Toronto and the railway line to Brockville, Ont.
Photo credit: Phil Pang, Global NewsUnfortunately for train lovers, the replica won’t be open for public tours.
Photo credit: Phil Pang, Global News
Watch the video of Jason Shron’s tour with Global News here.
-with a report from Global Toronto’s Mark Carcasole
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