this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2024
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Wait, isn’t train autism less about the arrival or departure of the train and more anbout enjoying the mechanics of a gargantuan piece of machinery in motion? Or can people experience it in multiple different ways? I’ve just now realized that I know very little about this particular special interest.
I am no expert on train autism (I have uh, Star Trek autism?) but I feel like it’s a super diverse group. From massive model setups to the people in Japan who have amazing train driving simulator setups, to the people who know absolutely everything about the history and operation of the New York subway system, and I feel like I’ve certainly seen timetables be a part of it.
Edit: just writing that made me want to get into trains, it sounds so fun, dammit.
I've started listening to the podcast "Well, there's your problem", which covers engineering disasters. I swear, 2 out of 3 episodes devolve into talking about trains. It's great. The three hosts are all wicked into trains. Even the 9/11 podcast had a bit of a seque into talking about the WTC subway station.
I think "train autism" means train spotting (the hobby, not the movie). In the hobby, you observe trains and write down their model and/or serial number in a notebook. The goal is to get a full set of trains of a certain kind, or operated by a company. Nowadays the community also posts photos on the internet, but for a long time, they were known as the guys comparing their notebooks with nothing but numbers.
As with many ND hobbies. It sprawls out in almost as many ways as people who do it.
Some love the massive powerful machinery that is a locomotive. Others are obsessed with the timings and predictability. Still others love the organisational side of things.
It even overlaps with the model train interest groups. Recreating aspects of the train network, based on their own interests.
ND hobbyists are a bit like cats in many ways. There's not much pack drive. We tend to wander and explore interests in our own way, independent of the labels that get applied. It can be broadly grouped, but has a lot of spread.