Toronto-area man builds full-size VIA train in his basement

A man in Thornhill, ON, who owns a model train company has taken his love of the railroad into his home.

Jason Shron built a life-sized train in his basement over four and a half years and he couldn't be more delighted about the product of such an astonishing amount of time, effort and money.

In his video documenting the project, Shron says his obsession with trains dates back to childhood. He still has an old letter from VIA rejecting his request to buy a train seat.

Later in life, he had more luck when a coach built in the 1950s was headed to the scrap yard. He saved the car from its impending train death and dismantled it for parts like the garbage can, luggage racks and vents. Shron is crazy about such details.

If you take his word for it, he's crazy in general.

"My name is Jason Shron and I'm a train-obsessed nutcase," his website introduction reads.

He says others who want a full-sized train in the basement need two things.

"You need to be completely insane and you need to have an amazing wife."

Shron says he feels at home on the train, cozy and protected even when snow pelts the windows from outside. He replaced the bathroom with a record collection and turntable but most of the time, he prefers to listen to train sounds.