The Guy with the Train in his Basement


bob

bob

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YouTube movie covering the construction of the coach from start to finish in about three minutes. Enjoy!


You may have heard about The Guy with the Train in his Basement. Well, that is us. Specifically, that’s Rapido Train's owner, Jason Shron. Jason is so obsessed with trains that he built a 20-foot slice of a full-size VIA train coach (#5647) in his basement. It took Jason over four years and 2500 hours to build, often with Dan’s help.

Jason has created a web site about his basement coach and the HO scale model of CN’s Kingston Subdivision he is building in the other part of his basement and in the garage. Click here to visit https://www.facebook.com/KingstonSub/
 
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OK, I've got to be honest. I'm trying to figure out why... Now don't get me wrong. I love trains of all sizes, both real and miniature. But why a coach? I mean he did an amazing job, the thing looks totally real! Just seems like an odd choice.

But, given my "druthers", I'd have either chosen to build a locomotive cab, and hooked that up to the layout with a video screen like a flight simulator. Or, I'd have built a dining car rather than a coach, so you could more easily entertain guests and have conversations. I suppose he chose a coach as the parts he needed were more readily available I guess?
 
It take all kinds...

Good for him in that he had a vision and saw it through. I think it evolved a little along the way.

I think it'd be best suited to be an in-home movie theater.
 
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I remember Jason telling me he is recreating his experience in train travel with the coach part.
He has also restored an LRC, RDC, passenger car, and a city bus.
 
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I knew of a guy who built an airplane in his basement. The house was designed so he could knock down a basement wall to get the finished plane out. Mid-way through the process he was promoted and transferred to Chicago. Not wanting to leave his airplane unfinished, he computed to Chicago from suburban Milwaukee everyday for several years.

Greg
 
bnsf971 said:
I remember Jason telling me he is recreating his experience in train travel with the coach part.
He has also restored an LRC, RDC, passenger car, and a city bus.
Click to expand...

Yes, he went on to buy some real rolling stock and restore it. That's very cool, and I wish he'd write up more about that. I wish him luck on all of his ventures.
 
Interesting. I have seen this video and another about this project. Don't think my wife would go for it.
 
I recall seeing another one where the guy bought an intact passenger car and/or the front of a locomotive, can't recall exact details, and had it craned into the basement and then built his house on top of it. Was an article years ago in one of the model railroad magazines. There was also a dentist (I think) in Spokane that had a passenger car in his basement, or at least one side of it. Again, it's been a long while so the exact details are vague by now. I think he may have used one side of the car and you walked along that as you entered the area?
 
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