I am high functioning autistic, and while swept under the rug as the shy/introverted kid thru my school years, I was finally diagnosed as an adult. It was a reckoning as all the struggles and why I am the way I am made sense. Thru discussions and processing all of this with my therapist, the importance of my trains became very clear.
Lets step back in time to my childhood. I was introduced to Lionel trains via my Grandfather on my Dad's side of the family. But I had trains of some sort since before I could walk, my parents say it was an obsession going back before I could really talk or walk. If I wasnt at school or outdoors, I was in the basement at my 4x6 Lionel world. I would be either working on adding things to my empire or just sitting there in a trance watching it run. This was my escape and safe place from a world that I didnt understand and the bullies that tormented me thru my school years. It was this safe place that kept me from going off in a bad way on the bullies or taking my own life. The Lionels stayed thru my years of learning to drive, I had no interest in dating till my middle 20's.
In my teens and 20's I was a member in a local HO scale club, but at home it was 3 rail all the way. Right before I moved to Pennsylivania, I got exposed to Prewar Lionel OO and have been smitten by that unique scale and jewel like trains ever since. I still have some O and an outdoor raised G scale railway that were added in my adult years. I got married at 27 and have been with this wonderful woman that tollerates what it takes to be with someone on the spectrum and his world of trains that many times take more priority in life than she gets.(therapist explained to her this is how it is and will always be, just how my mind works and to accept it or move on..she is still here and so are my trains!).
I am now planning a OO layout, as I finally found my way into a good job/career with FCA assembling transmissions on the assembly line. The routine fits me perfectly. The good income allows me the dispoable income to afford these little trains that are not inexpensive to buy and are not easy to find. I will add more to this story as I get it written in my head first. its off to work time now. Mike
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
That's a good story Mike, and one with a happy ending that people like.
You should consider polishing it just a bit, adding a photo spread, and then see if CTT is interested in publishing it, a real human interest toy train story, CTT readers like that too!
Mr. Carp, if you're looking in, what do you think?
I have very few pics from my childhood trains, maybe one or two. Will have more recent ones, especially once I get my new layout up and going. I have more to add, just have to process it in my head, which takes awhile at times. Mike
Thanks for your story Mike!
Although I do not have autism (that I know of) I did have a bullied childhood because "I didn't fit in". Just know, I am prould of you speaking (writing) it out.
And too, later in life than usual, I found a great (patient, understanding) wife!
There is much more depth to the journey thru the years, such as getting into live steam in G scale in my late teens, being the repair technician for Harmon's Trains doing all the Lionel repair and refurbishment for that shop. It was from there that I built up a sizable pre and post war Lionel collection and got exposed to OO trains. But the imporant take away is that the trains were the tool that helped me make it this far in life. Keeping me mentaly stable thru some very rocky times thru my school years, and to this day are a respite from the crazy world we live in. Its always the week before Christmas on my layout or sunny and 75'F depending on how I have the layout set up. Mike
Mike, As part of our "Youth Group" that the 3Railers sponsor when we have our fun runs, no class time just sign up for one of the mains to run for an hour, we specifically start a couple hours earlier so the autistic kids can run w/o some of the excess stimulation that may be present if all the other kids were running around. It gives them a chance to run and also a chance for mom and/or dad to do something together just for fun.
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Thats awsome! As of right now, the NMRA fall train show at Danville, Indiana is a go(November 21st). On the Spectrum 3 Railers will be setting up a small display, with a loop of 031 track on one table and my prewar Lionel portable layout on a second table along with trains we are not running on display. Just a small start, but once the two of us get more track and or members, the display will grow as the size just depends on who comes and what trains are brought. So the display is different and the trains getting run will be different. For now, I will take all of my engines so they can be rotated. Stars of the event will be my early 1946 Lionel 726 Berkshire, the 2343's and my custom Autism Express 2383's that CJB Custom Painting did for me. OO duties handled by a pair of NYC scale Hudsons. Mike the Aspie
Just a suggestion Mike, why not do some "Now Starring" placards about the locomotives you'll be running, such as "Now Starring, the Lionel 726, from 1946!" with maybe a little background information. I think show visitors will be amazed and impressed when they know it's a nearly 75 year old engine they're watching. Same with your OO Hudson.
People do enjoy seeing layouts at shows, and when they learn what they're seeing they enjoy it even more.
"Wow, they sure built 'em good back in those days! 75 years old and it still runs!"
Best of times at the show to you!
I was actually thinking of making some tent cards for that very purpose, along with "new members wanted" and "equipment donations accepted" ones. I have a nice solid collections to draw from to get us up and running, my friend cannot even run his trains right now as he burnt up the motor in his 4-4-2 starter set engine. Trying to get him a solid Postwar engine that I know that I can fix anything he wears out or breaks. Even a late prewar engine like a 225e would be a "tank" that he could run and run without fear of it croaking on him
Same here. Finding out later in life that I was on the autism spectrum has helped explain a lot of my childhood struggles; and some that continue today.Lionel has been part of my life since my grandparents gave me my first set for Christmas when I was 4. Still have that set all these years later. Running trains during my school years was a safe haven.And I'm also fortunate to have a spouse who has been here with me for 32 years, supporting me, my odd habits and trains.I know we're not alone, but it does help to see others.
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