this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2026
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[–] texture@lemmy.world 21 points 2 days ago (5 children)

i doubt VERY much that there is any real connection between autism and appreciating trains. much more likely that its just a "funny" stereotype that influential people made popular.

in the last few years any remotely orderly and unique interests are equated to "autism". i think its obnoxious and really wish it becomes less common.

[–] some_kind_of_guy@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The most autistic guy I know is a literal train conductor for a freight line lmao. He always gives us a huge blast of the train horn when he goes by our house.

Other than that though, yeah autistic people rabbithole into anything and everything. The train stuff and related stereotypes, like "all autistic people are socially delayed and have photographic memory like rainman" are actually super harmful and contribute significantly to under diagnosis of autism. Especially for those who don't present as "nerdy white guy who builds model trains all day and can only see the world through the lense of advanced maths".

[–] texture@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

i appreciate your comment, but i just have one question. Is the guy actually autistic or just "most autistic" as in just stereotypes?

not at all shitting on your comment, just legitimately have to ask these days bc its so commonly thrown around.

[–] some_kind_of_guy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Nope, this man is Actually Autistic ™️. The "most autistic" thing was also meant to be satirical, as you can't rank autism on a linear scale like that - each autistic person is just as autistic as the next one. Autism is not like a disease that can vary in intensity or be cured - it's a roundabout way of describing someone with a particular type of brain. DSM still refers to it as a "disorder", but a whole lot of people disagree with that because it's only "disordered" when compared to a typical brain under a zero sum system.

In that same vein, my train friend would often joke that he was "so autistic", all he had to do was walk up to the train yard off the street to get the job. It was automatically determined that, obviously, he will be driving the train.

[–] user1234@fedinsfw.app 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Very true. Though I have encountered many of the train lovers.

[–] texture@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

whats not to love?? lol

[–] Strider@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

It's not about trains, it's about hyperfixation on whatever. It just doesn't let you go, possibly a life long.

[–] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

in the last few years any remotely orderly and unique interests are equated to "autism". i think its obnoxious and really wish it becomes less common.

🙏

[–] how_we_burned@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

What about non autistics who have crazy train spotting, junkie scale, addictions? I know one bloke who is definitely a normie and yet has a massive model train setup.

Several in fact

[–] searabbit@piefed.social 1 points 2 days ago

Obviously they are ADHD with a train hyperfixation /s