So, I wonder just how many of us are “On the Spectrum?” That would explain a lot, wouldn’t it? 
https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2014/09/12/what-it-about-autism-and-trains
http://www.autismkey.com/trains-and-autism/
This is not meant to poke fun at anyone, but to engender thought and discussion. I own some of these traits.
Thank you Steve. This might just cause me to adjust my expenditures at the ECLSTS this year
I am proud to say that our club, The Michigan Small Scale Live Steamers, participate in a model train show that raises money for a group called Dog-Tales (Therapy Dogs Reading with Kids), many of whom are autistic. Watching the enthuiasm of some of the autistic kids that attend the show year after year is heartwarming. The next show is scheduled for Sunday, March 22. If you are close, do stop by.
As I walk around the numerous train shows here in UK I am very aware that there are a number of attendees who have a decidendly different view of the world than I do. Having been cinnected with disability groups since the birth of our daughter back in 1980, and regional chairman four times for a national association that centres on our daughter’s disability issues, mrs tac and I necessarily came into contact with many other groups doing the same for their particular life-problems.
As a rsult, I have to say from pure observation alone, that there is a very large element of the model train world that fits into the external presentation of of those with a degree of Asperger’s Syndrome, from slght but evident, to full-blown autism to the nth degree. There are three such youngsters in our ride-on railway association, and the one guy who brings his autistic twins along for rides, as well as gtheir adopted brother. Props to him.
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
Steve,
I don’t believe for a second you found this and researched it by accident… what gives? This is a subject that is very close to home for me. I have an aunt whom I have always been very close to that is mentaly handicap. My mother was a special ed teacher and helped in special ed classes all through grade school- high school. I married my high school sweet heart who has been deaf since birth (that was almost 24 years ago, its a great assest because se can tune me out easily when need be). My sister-in-law, who is also deaf sine birth, has a son with Autsim (He is the greatest kid so full of life). I helped start and run a disabilities ministry in my former church and am working to do the same in my new church. I say all this to say I have a heart for those with disablities.
I am very intrigued by these articles. I have not heard that my nephew likes trains or not but I passed on those articles and if she responds that he does I will get him into my hobby. Also the day I went and spent with the dismels I met a man and his mom there. He has Autsim (I think, didn’t ask but sure seemed like it, pretty severe) and they were watching the interchange between STMA and Up. They did it every Friday as part of their routine. So there is truth in it.
I am wondering how much can be done by the hobby to bring a spark of joy. Already in these posts we have seen where even if incidently clubs are doing it. I might have a new reason to send time with some people I care for and that is never a bad thing.
Thank you very much Steve for posting that.
I don’t know why my links don’t work, but here they are…
Write up of the train show from a couple years ago. http://www.themorningsun.com/article/MS/20130324/NEWS/130329798 That little kid is on the stand we have so they can get a better look at the trains.
Link to our club website. http://www.mssls.info/
As one who — as related to me by my mother — had a pet name for the train that ran close to our house before I could say Dad, this makes for interesting reading. That said, to this very day I wonder what it is that makes people keep a meticulously close record of engine and car numbers on trains that roll by. I actually asked about that on one of the FB groups, but didn’t get an answer. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-sealed.gif)I can see it about engine types, but actual numbers?
CAUTION very bad pun in the offing:
One doesn’t need to have ASD to really like trains, but apparently it helps.
I, too, share your view of folks who make notes of numbers, and numbers alone. Here in yUK we had the well-know train-spotter phenomenum. Those who undertook to strike-through the numbers on a regular basis by standing on the platforms as the trains went by were called, initially, trainspotters, and latterly, anoraks, after their preferred item of waterproof clothing.
Subjects of great scorn among the generally disinterested mass of the population, the term ‘anorak’ has come into modern English usage as a person who is obsessed by one thing or another, not necessarily train numbers, but anything at all.
I was never either a train-spotter, nor an anorak, and always had much better things to do with my life than standing ion a lonely platform in the p*ssing rain taking down lists of numbers.
Takes all sort, right?
As an example of ‘anorakism’, one member of a model railroad club with with which I was briefly connected as OIC was one such person, but his fixation was not on numbers, but on obsessivle minute detail. His model of an LNER signal box had taken him, when I took over as OIC, almost all of his adult life [he was in his late 50’s at that time]. He confessed to me that getting started had occupied much research into the domumented and hearsay evidence dealing with the ubiquitous signal box cat, its type and breed, but in particlular, the all-important colouration. He actually showed m his ‘trial cat’ collection, amounting, he pointed out proudly to no less than 122 tiny cats - in 00 scale - every one very slightly different to all the others.
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
A fascinating topic, and a further 2c from me…
I have noticed that a disproportionately large number of young visitors to my backyard railroad have been on the Autism spectrum; when I take my trains to the schools, the kids somewhere on the spectrum, all the way from profound autism to mild Asberger’s, seem the most devoted to/fascinated by the trains.
Within my circle of adult hobbyists, there appears to be no sign of the spectrum disorders. This also applies to people I have encountered at my setups at train shows - very little out of the ordinary there. There is one ‘funny chap’ who is a train show regular; I suspect him of higher level autism & a few disconcerting odd mannerisms, but one notable case is not statistically significant in this fairly large sample.
There is autism in the family of my in-laws, and from time to time I have worked professionally with people on the spectrum as well. The connection with model trains is most striking.
Thanks Steve. I’m sure you’re quite harmless!!!
Great subject. My wife was a special needs teacher for most of her teaching career. Let me say that besides beauty, she has the patience of a saint. Early on, she worked on a horse farm with children. They used the horses as therapy to get some of the most severely stiff, for lack of a better way of putting it, children to loosen up. It was astounding what the horse would do for these kids. They would come to the farm and had to be placed on the horse. After the ride they would be limber and laughing. Now some of these kids were not just autistic or with Asbergers. Some of them had more severe physical conditions.
In the classroom my wife, all 4’-11" and 110 pounds of her would sometimes be physically abused by some of the students. That wouldn’t stop her from being understanding and in her gentle way restoring calm.
She often refers to me as being Asbergers, and I suspect she may be onto something. I like facts and can recall them about seemingly un-important subjects, to most people, when the occasion doesn’t warrant it.
Asbergers? A little too close to home? Maybe LOL? would explain a few things about me, like why I like watching my trains go around in tiny circles (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
I have noticed at shows how special needs kids reactions to trains and layouts. Its one reason I like going to shows now because I know these kids react with such enthusiasm to seeing it.
Vic Smith said: I have noticed at shows how special needs kids reactions to trains and layouts. Its one reason I like going to shows now because I know these kids react with such enthusiasm to seeing it.
I have had the same experience over the past 20 years or so. We have had many “regulars” who show up year after year.
My grandchildren appear to be somewhere on the spectrum. It could be that I am, too; it would explain a lot (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Steve, I have three grandchildren with differing degrees of Autism. Aspbergers Syndrom is no longer officially recongnized, not that it doesn’t exist, it’s just one less affliction the insurance companies are required to pay for. (And if you were previously diagnosed with Aspbergers you cannot be ‘re-evaluated’ to Autism…). All three of my grands are interested in the ‘trains’.
Funny you should post this. Several people have said, in recent months, “Do you realize Tom is autistic?”
I guess that WOULD explain a few things.
Dan Padova said:
She often refers to me as being Asbergers, and I suspect she may be onto something. I like facts and can recall them about seemingly un-important subjects, to most people, when the occasion doesn’t warrant it.
Well if your criteria and trains are signs of Asbergers then heck I might have it
No, Devon, you have something completely different:
Great topic, I AM on the spectrum with Aspergers Syndrome. Was formaly diagnosed about 2 years ago, but the effects of it go all the way back to my childhood. Model trains, well trains in general is one of my obsessions. It is an excellent hobby for someone like me that preferes to be alone most of the time. After dealing with the sensory overload of a model train show, I can take refuge in my layout room and let my mind process and return to normal. Asperger Syndrome is now know as ASD level 1 in the DSM-V, but according to my therapist, the term Aspergers is still used widely and in the next version of the DSM it may well return. She told me the primary differance between true high functioning Autism and AS is speech delay as a child. I have struggled to make and keep friends my whole life. Didnt date till my late 20’s and married the first girl I dated. Our marriage was well on its way to divorce before my diagnosis. But now we both have educated ourselves how to cope with my disablity. My wife has learned that I need my “space” after a social gathering and that I am not just blowing her off or hiding. She has learned how not to enable an Autistic meltdown but help me calm down and avoid them. But they still do happen and once someone that has AS is in meltdown, you cannot and should not try to stop it unless you need to keep the person safe. When that happens, the person has zero control of it and its not a temper tantrum, those are to gain attention. A meltdown is an uncontroled outburst of emotions that have built up. I can say from my side of them, they are not fun and can be quite scarry. Afterwards I am very tired and just want to sleep, usualy under very heavy blankets. Aspies, as we call ourselves, suffer from a sensory intergration issues, both hyper and hypo sensativity. I hate being held or hugged unless I initate it, dislike being touched, bright lights and sunlight bother my eyes an cause bad headaches, loud sounds are an issue so I wear a headset when we go to the Nascar race in Indianapolis. Attending train shows and antique tractor shows are mentaly draining, usualy taking me a couple days to feel myself again. Not all aspies are math wizzes or good with computers, thats a common misconception. My gifts are in the mechanical relm. I can visualize how things work and how to fix them. I struggled to find a job that I could tollerate. I was very fortunate to take my obsession with fixing lawn mowers/garden tractors and turn it into a profession. I am the head technican for a local dealership. I also plow snow with my pickup truck in the winter time, another good solitary job with little contact with others. Mike
Mike,
Thank you. It is often dificult for those of us that are not on the spectrum to understand those that are. Even more difficult if they are not familiar with the disease. My nephew is on the fairly high functioning end of autism but still pretty delayed compared to “normal” (if there is such a thing). The obsticles you describe are classic and understanding that is key to working with people where ever they fall on the spectrum.
It takes courage to willingly open up and talk about the disease and I applaud you for educating us. I am also gald you found a lady that was willing to work with you and learn what was needed to deal with.
Devon, Aspergers is not a disease, it is a syndrome - a set of presentations in medical terms. You can catch a disease, but Aspergers and all other forms of autism are symptomatic of brain-wiring dysfunction. Most aspects of autism can be dealt with these days to some extent, as the ‘mechanics’ of the syndrome become more understood thanks to non-intrusive brain examination, though the more serious presentations are very difficult and new socialising behaviour patterns can be hard to develop.
The near-end of the specturm is found with people who experience difficulty in socialising, to the full-blown autistic, often savants, whose prodigious memories or abilities with math or music, or even art, like the British artist whose name escapes me right now, show us.
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
Thank you, Steve. By posting this information, it has possibly solved for me, what is happening to a much valued friend. I may now be better equiped to understand him better, and to react in a positive manner to his actions of late.
It also motivates me to find out more, and be more knowledgeable of these syndromes.
Thank you also to the others who have posted.
Fred Mills.
