Railfan (verb): to ride trains or subways with no particular destination in mind. Railfan (noun): a person who is recreationally interested in trains and rail transport systems. Railfan (the film): a documentary feature that follows a photographer taking portraits of his son and other autistic kids who love subways in NYC.

We have not announced any dates yet, but we are aiming for a festival release before the end of 2026. This will be followed by a set of theatrical screenings in select cities as well as community screenings in 2027 and beyond. Keep an eye on our social media for announcements of screenings near you!

We are working with partners to arrange for both virtual and live screenings of our film in locations across North America. Details will be announced as we have them. In the meantime, you can write to us at [email protected] to ask for a local screening.

We are a group of Toronto and New York City filmmakers who have come together to make Railfan because they believe in positive parenting and want to make a difference in their communities. The film is inspired by the photography of Travis Huggett, who started making a portrait series of kids who loved trains after watching his autistic son and nephew. The team includes Ian Daffern (Director); Joe Tomcho (Director of Photography); Jeremy McCracken (Editor); Disasterpeace (Composer); Colin Geddes (Producer); Katarina Gligorijevic (Producer).

Having deep "special interests" in subjects a trait that is common to some but not all neurodivergent people. We are not looking to answer WHY that is in Railfan. We accept it – and then we explore and celebrate that fascination. The best answers we feel come from autistic people themselves. You can seek out authors like Pete Wharmby who goes deep on this subject in his book "What I want to Talk About" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJTfIbTSaPY You also might want to read the wikipedia article on Special Interests: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_interest_(autism)

Let’s talk! You can reach us at [email protected]

While overlooked by many commuters, for some, subways retain a magic in their ability to transport us to the destinations of our choosing. And for autistic children, they can mean so much more. By following a group of these unique kids in New York City, Railfan explores the deep fascinations and passions that many autistic people have (a.k.a. “special interests”) through gentle observation, and invites you into a secret world where imagination and urban geographies overlap. For the kids in Railfan, the subway is a refuge, a source of fascination, a history lesson, an unfolding mythology, a system to be decoded. Joyriding on the subway with their parents becomes a special way to bond, as this very public place becomes a miraculous world of their very own. Railfan is a fly-on-the-wall story of these children, for whom regular life can be a struggle – but on trains they find joy and release. It is also about the bond between children and the caregivers who find themselves pulled along for the ride by this unusual hobby.

Everyone will have a different answer to this. Booker tells us his favorite that might appear in the film are the R211s (the newest trains). His favorite train of all time is the retired R38. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R38_(New_York_City_Subway_car) They do not appear in this film. What's YOUR favorite train?

We put this one to our subway expert, Booker Arnold: BEST SUBWAY LINE? Booker was uncomfortable with the term "best". "The "best" for what", he said. So he changed it to the best for him. He said the M, because it makes stops near many of his favorite bakeries. WORST SUBWAY LINE Booker says the "worst" is probably the W because it causes bottlenecks along the Broadway line, and it also uses the R46 and R68 cars, which are not his favorites.

BackerKit Crowdfunding is an all-or-nothing collaborative funding platform. Creators share their project ideas and set a funding goal with a deadline. Backers pledge money to help make the project possible.

If the project meets its goal by the deadline, pledges are charged and the creator moves forward. If it doesn’t, no one is charged.

Pledging in crowdfunding is a commitment to support the creation of a new product or project. Unlike a traditional purchase, you're not buying an item that already exists. Instead, your contribution helps bring a creative idea to life, and in return, you typically receive rewards (such as the product itself) as a thank you for your early support.

1. Select a pledge level with the reward(s) you would like to receive
2. Select any add-ons
3. Confirm your pledge!

• You are charged only if the campaign meets its funding goal.
• Charges happen when the campaign ends, not when you pledge.

After the campaign ends, you'll receive a survey to pay for any applicable shipping fees, calculated based on your shipping address.

Pay Over Time allows you to split your pledge into multiple payments over a set period. Your card will be charged according to the payment schedule (four monthly payments). Only available for projects that enable this feature. Learn More »

Only the project creator and the BackerKit Support Team can see your pledge and contact information. Other backers and the public cannot see your individual pledge amount or personal details.

You can change or adjust your pledge level and add-ons before the campaign ends. After the project concludes, cancellations or changes are at the creator's discretion and may depend on what stage the project is in.

Overtime Mode extends your campaign past its original end time to give backers a final chance to make their pledge. It will add an additional 10 minutes past the end time as long as pledges keep coming in. The campaign will end when there is a 10-minute period without any new pledges.

For specific questions about your pledge or the project, you can view the Project FAQ below, search for your answer within the project, or send a message to the BackerKit Support Team or to the project creator.