Is liking trains a red flag for autism?

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Autism isn't something that requires red flags.

Lots of children esp boys like trains.

Having "obsessive" interests can be a sign of autism.

My apologies Aspie 1, I had a slight TOM fail and forgotten the MANY different sets of signaling principles in use throughout the world.

You would be right. I understand many railroads use "Speed Signaling", where each different combination authorises a different maximum speed to the train for the next signal, rather than "Route Signalling" where at its most basic a signal indicates whether the section is clear (Green - proceed at linespeed or max speed for your train (whichever is the lower) or occupied (Red, stop, and stop before passing the signal)and which way the points are set at a junction.
Yellows in Route signaling indicate the next signal to be reached is a red, and instructs the driver to start braking to bring the train to a stop. Trains take to long to stop to rely on seeing the RED in the distance, applying the brake and being able to stop in time. The vexed question of mixing electric trains with air brakes and top speed of 60, Steam trains with vacuum brakes (slower to apply) and top speed of 80 AND getting as many trains along the line gave birth to the "Double Yellow" early 20th century - a steam train doing 80 then had enough line to stop at the red from seeing the double yellow, while an electric at 60 could probably coast after seeing the double yellow, apply the brakes at the single yellow and stop comfortably before the red. (Aspect sequence being Green, Double Yellow, Single Yellow, Red. SPAD form and medscreen

Flashing double yellows for some junctions in the UK now, too.

Yes, where the speed reduction for the diverging route is no so great that the train needs to be brought down to a slow speed by the junction signal being maintained at Red long enough for the train to have slowed, close to a stop, and then clear together with the route indicator.

Flashing yellows have been around for a while. I have not seen them in use as there were no flashing yellows in my area, but we had to know about them as it was part of the rules exams.

No worries! I'm not familiar with UK railroads, either. Railroad operations are unique around the world. Not just signaling, but also the gauge width. The US uses a wider gauge than most of continental Europe, and Russia uses a wider gauge still. Interestingly, Union Pacific Railroad uses left-hand operations in parts of the US. It's not a homage to the UK, but rather a historical accident, as the early stations were built on the left side of the single track (facing the direction of travel). It was later easier to add a second track on the right, rather than move the stations to the right side of the track. Other railroads use right-hand operations all throughout.

Reviving a Dead thread in Honor Our Local MountainGoat . A Birthday is due him this day .......
Happy Birthday MountainGoat ..!

I guess I never got the memo. Was autistic and was NEVER into trains. Maybe the trains thing is more of a boy thing. I've always heard autistic girls are into horses. They got me there.

It’s absolutely not a red flag for autism, it’s just a common interest among children. It’s the intensity of an interest which is a symptom of ASD, not the subject.

Hello. I think autistics may like trains because trains run on rails and, therefore, are predictable in their movements. People are generally not predictable and their movements are much harder to understand than those of trains. Just a thought. Ian Mac.

most kids like trains especially little boys
my son liked trains when he was little and kept saying he wants to be a train driver when he grows up

that ambition fizzled out before he reached 10 of course and now he is training to be a vet

The original question was whether liking trains is a sign of autism. I would say not. Many NT kids like trains. But I would say that a lot of autistic kids (and adults) are fascinated by trains. My previous message expressed my theory as to why this is but didn't answer the original question.

My recently departed father had a great interest in the GWR, lots of books about it, Would regular buy a magazine might have been called the 'railway modeller' or something like that . He had lots of model trains. Was tinkering with one just days before he died. He was never dxed 'autistic' but according to my daughter he and were quite similar in many ways. It didn't stop him having a reasonably good career with the Foreign office- equivalent of a 2 star general. He made friends easily. Was a good conversationalist. Sharp witted till nearly the very end.- sudden marked decline about 24 hours before he died. When the heart's about to give up,the mind gives up too?

There are people who don't like trains? I've heard romours but I didn't think it possible /JK

Its right there in the DSM. "Liking trains is a diagnostic trait of autism". Just kidding.

But it is curious how trains are sometimes used as a metaphor for autism itself. A narrater on TV said "neurotypical minds work like cars, and can readily switch from lane to lane while autistic minds tend to stay on one track".

Actually, there are. My brother. I think it was in rebellion to growing up with me.

I have loved trains since I was around six months old or actually younger, as I remember being in my pram and waiting for a train which I saw and remember it, as it was a Western Diesel (Class 52), and I know it was when I was very young because I found out the dates these were last used in the area I lived. They were last used when I was a year old and I know it was a Western as no other diesel loco in the UK had those distinctive slopy ends! For a fair few years I had puzzled about what I had seen as a very young child and it wasn't until the penny dropped when I was in my thirties and when in my mid to late thirties while working on the railway I asked questions, when I found out how old I was at the time. It also tied in with my Mum telling me that I was only in that pram until I was about six to eight months old as she had me in a pushchair after that. We travelled to the next stop in the guards van.
But also I happened to love trains of a toy type, which I was given from about the age of six months and up. This was added to and added to where I also had electric model trains when I was the age of six. I still played with the plastic toy trains for years with my brother until when I was around 12 to 13 they were given to my cousin (I don't think I gave them. Was parents) who was much younger than me and she played with them! By then I was far more into electric trains so I hardly objected... But I did object when I lost my TCR collection when my Mum gave them to a family friends son without asking when I was in school! TCR are steerable slotless track racing cars where I had accumilated three sets to do some super racing!
I relate to trains and railway subjects to think at times. Use them as examples to explain things. In secondary school I was easily able to recite lists of Great Western Railway engine details such as wheel diameters, boiler pressures, tractive efforts and so on! Yet ask me "Normal things" and I was out of my depth! Haha!