Do autism and trains go together?

April is National Autism Month. 

Do all autistics like trains? The answer may surprise you. 

While it is true that some autistics may have strong interest in trains or transportation systems, this is not a universal trait among all autistics.

The origins of this autism stereotype are unclear, some guesses. 

Autistics may have a special interest in certain topics or subjects, and trains may be one of these areas of interest for some. 

So what specifically is fascinating about trains

• It's the SPINNING WHEELS stupid. Some autistics are fascinated with anything that spins and rotates. As a child  I have endlessly spun the wheels of my tricycle as a toddler just prior to my dx. 
• Precision, Routine, Patterns and Structure are comforting for some autistics.  Trains runs on a timetable, they have a schedule, they run precisely on the tracks and never deviate. You can set up the tracks in specific patterns. 

Some autistics LOVE trains into adulthood.  It should be noted that many neurotypical children and adults are wildly passionate about trains too, given the prevalence of the 'model-railway' industry which had been going strong for decades. So it turns out that train obsession is a very "socially-acceptable" lifelong  adult hobby.

As a child I loved trains, especially Thomas The Tank Engine. However I kind of outgrew that obsession, trains are now NEUTRAL for me. 

Other autistics DON'T CARE about trains at all, whether in childhood or as adults. 

 Ergo, trains is not just an autism thing or a universal autism thing.

Autism Humor: 

PS: I've was told by another autistic that trains have no business having faces!! LOL.