Booker shows off a line sign.
CROSSING THE HALF-LINE... This week we hit the halfway mark on Backerkit! But there's still a long track ahead to get our film fully funded. We know how busy life is for autism families, so taking minute to read this, is appreciated. If you DO have a moment to spare, why not grab your favourite reward. There are still a number of cool pledges to claim including getting your name in our credits, as well as a copy of our official art book, a professionally printed, perfect-bound softcover book collecting selections from Travis Huggett's Railfan photo portrait series as featured in the New York Times.
TORONTO PREMIERE: OCTOBER 24TH For our Canadian supporters, please mark your calendar for Saturday, October 24th for our premiere date. (And a reminder: If you want to support Railfan in a BIG way, you can be one of our VIP GUESTS at the event). There are some big surprises coming for those who will join us thanks to our new partners. Ticket details to be revealed October 10th!
Charlie loves connecting with his friends in the bus and subway community. He's also an early supporter of Railfan, who reached out to us to ask how he could help.
We thought it be nice if he could record some greetings for fans, but Charlie decided to take it to the limit by offering a personal museum tour of the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn. If you want to be that lucky family: Check out our new pledge reward that just opened up on Backerkit!
Anyone familiar with Charlie knows how much of a treat it would be to explore the exhibits and vintage trains with him. He's someone who loves subways and buses just as much as you. But more than that, he knows the transit community and how meaningful a role transit can play in lives of families. This is a very unique opportunity for families who want to have a great day out while helping our film get to the next level.
For those who haven't been, the NYTM is so wonderful. Situated in Brooklyn entirely underground, the museum has one floor which is for features and exhibits; the other which is a working subway platform filled with vintage trains. (You'll get to see a lot more of this once you watch our film!) The museum is also legendary for its contributions to the autism community through programs like Subway Sleuths, an after-school urban adventure for kids on the spectrum who share a love of transit.
The New York Transit Museum is also a huge part of Railfan: they shared their platform to film our finale.
Railfan - Behind the Scenes at NYTM
We are so grateful to the New York Transit Museum AND to Charlie for his generosity in sharing his voice and his time. So come on out folks and be the first to claim this incredible reward! We'll throw in our Railfan swag, and who knows, Travis might be around to drop in and join you.
Hi, Ian Daffern here. This is a very unique update as I’m turning the mic over to Travis Huggett, photographer, subject inspiration for the whole Railfan endeavour. We’ve put a lot of the focus on the autism + transit side of this story: but for documentary fans, our story is also one of an artist trying to find his way, drawing inspiration from some my favourite documentaries like This is Marwencol and Wasteland.
Travis runs a blog called East Side Art Supply, about his artistic process. He just wrote a feature there about Railfan’s origins - a soulful reflection on inspiration, parenting, and finding the right outcome for an artistic concept (should it be a book? A gallery show?)
But before we get there:
NEWS
Railfan is close to reaching the halfway mark on Backerkit! Which is thrilling since we only started two weeks ago (CHECK). We have however hit a plateau. We know how busy life is for our autism families, so even your taking a minute to read this, is appreciated. For everyone else: why not take a few minutes and grab your favourite reward (hey it’s the end of the week, you made it! Pick up something fancy!)
And without further ado:
EAST SIDE ART SUPPLY:
Documentary Now: How my Photo Series Became a Documentary Film by Travis Huggett
This is a post that, for a few reasons, I’ve been putting off writing.
The first is that I think if you know me, or my photography at all—even if it’s just from Substack or Instagram or wherever—you’re at least partially aware of the story. The second is that I’ve had to tell the basic background of it a dozen or so times on a dozen or so Zoom calls, and I’m kind of tired of telling it.
AND YET, here I am, about to tell the story again, because it only seems fair that if I’m going to ask you, reader, to support this project in a few different ways, you should at least know how it happened.
If you don’t care how it happened, now is the perfect time to bail.
So we’ve made a documentary inspired by my photo series Railfan, called Railfan. It’s about autistic kids in New York City and their love of trains. It’s also about the families of those kids, and how they love and support them.
**I’ll mention something here so that you don’t have to write it in the comments: Not all railfans are autistic. Maybe most aren’t, I don’t really know. Also, not all autistic people are railfans. Many have other interests. This movie just isn’t about them. Also, I know that it’s almost all boys in the series. Trust me when I tell you I tried to find more girls. That’s just one of the many reasons I’m so glad Marley is in the series and movie.**
So, the doc is done(ish), but it turns out that making a film—and then figuring out how to get people to see it—costs money. We’re crowdfunding to help cover some of the post-production costs.
From an early age, Orson was very interested in trains. There are times, like last Sunday, when it seems to be the only thing he is interested in.
When he was really little, he would ask to take the subway to Union Square because you can watch the trains from above. I remember him there so well, always wanting to stay for just one more. When he got tired, he would sit on my feet and watch.
My nephew Booker is seven years older than Orson. Before Orson was even born, Booker was talking about trains, collecting every possible Muni Pals subway line, and asking about the different routes of Metro-North. Although they seem to love different things about trains, they both LOVED trains, and they are both autistic.
At some point, I started to think differently about the subway. As a parent, I realized this obviously wasn’t going to be the same as just using it to get around the city. Riding the train was going to be something we did.
If your kid gets interested in hockey or dance, you spend time—sometimes a lot of time—doing whatever it takes for them to enjoy and explore that interest. I never had to get Orson to soccer practice. Instead, I had to take the A train to Howard Beach.
Roughly 10 years ago, We were at the New York Transit Museum. He was seven at the time. It was something we did a lot. Like, too much maybe.
The Transit Museum is pretty great. I take it for granted now, but it’s a small, excellent museum tucked into a now-inactive subway station in downtown Brooklyn. It’s full of historic photos, art, and, of course, old decommissioned subway cars that sit quietly on the tracks, doors open, just waiting for you to hop on—never pulling away as you hustle down the stairs.
The first photograph I took that I consider part of the series Railfan was on that day, in one of those trains. It was one of the more modern cars in the station, one I probably rode in college.
I took a hundred photos of Orson on the subway before that day, but this one felt different. He had been holding a center pole, staring down the length of the train. He focused on me for a second. He didn’t pose; he just held very still. He had reached an age where he seemed to understand when I was really taking his photograph, rather than just grabbing moments with my phone.
Orson at The New York Transit Museum
That photo gave me an idea.
I asked Booker if I could take his portrait in his room with some of his trains and subway signs. He indulged me, giving me enough time to get off four or five frames. That one worked too. I now had two photographs, and it was starting to feel like proof of concept.
Booker in his Lower East Side bedroom.
Of course, between the two of them, it was already on my radar that an interest in trains was pretty common among autistic kids. I’d talked with other parents from Orson’s school, and it was incredible how often trains came up. I think a lot of people know about this connection now, but at the time I was surprised by just how common it seemed to be.
I started by reaching out to the Orson’s principal. I wrote up my idea: to make a series of portraits of autistic kids doing what they loved, either riding the train or showing me their favorite train stuff at home. I asked her to share it with any parents she thought might be interested.
I received several immediate responses, and from then on, I was riding around the city with a different family on a different train most weekends. Eventually, I was able to post the same pitch to a Facebook message board for Brooklyn parents of kids with special needs, and from there, it took off. I soon had more people reaching out to me than I could photograph.
Most shoots started at the kid’s local station. From there, we would go pretty much wherever they wanted. I’d ride along, hoping they’d relax, have fun, and forget I was taking photos.
Mason in Brooklyn
It didn’t always work. There were a few days where I don’t think they ever really felt comfortable with me there, and I can’t blame them. The other riders on the train often stared at us too, like I was paparazzi hassling a celebrity.
Surprisingly soon after I started, the series was featured in The New York Times.
After the story ran, I started hearing from parents almost every day. I was able to build what I felt was a good collection of portraits, but it didn’t feel complete.
I was still uncertain about where to take the series next. It didn’t quite feel like a book. I thought maybe it could become a gallery show.
Little did I know, the eventual landing place for the series was about to present itself to me.
I had paused shooting during COVID. Nobody wanted to ride the subway any more than they had to, and they certainly didn’t want to invite strangers into their homes. So Railfan wasn’t exactly front of mind when I received an email from a documentary filmmaker in Toronto.
Ian Daffern had seen the photographs in The Times. His own son is a non-autistic railfan, so he was spending some of his free time much like we were.
He floated the idea of making a short documentary about Orson, Booker, me, and the series—exploring the relationship these kids had with the subway and the ways their families found to indulge that interest. His previous films had focused on artists using their work to effect social change or raise awareness.
I liked the idea of the series transitioning into a documentary short. I thought there was the potential for a beautiful film. I’d seen it with Orson and Booker first: the fascination, the joy, the stimulation. A film could include all the things my still photographs were leaving out.
Quinn in Brooklyn
My only hesitation was that I’d been working on the series for years and handing the project off to someone else made me uncomfortable—never mind how uncomfortable I was with the idea of actually being in the film.
I decided the only way it would work for me was if we made it together. Ian would direct, and we would produce it as a team. I would also have to get over it and allow myself to be filmed.
Ian agreed, which was a pretty brave step considering we barely knew each other and he’d be traveling from Canada every time we filmed.
From there, we never really looked back.
Ian suggested hiring someone local as director of photography, so I recommended my friend Joe Tomcho, a photographer and filmmaker I’ve known since we were both assisting on the same photo shoots. We’ve been good friends for years, often recommending each other for jobs. Having Joe on board immediately made me feel calmer—and more confident that, at the very least, the film was going to look good.
And it is does look really good, but it also just is really good. I’m proud of it.
Colin in Manhattan (Ian Note: I've never seen this one!)
Ian would come to New York whenever he could, and I’d arrange for us to spend time with some of the families I’d met over the years. We’d photograph them, interview them, and enjoy a ride.
I won’t get into what’s else is in the in the film now that I’ve spoiled the first 20 minutes with the origin story.
Along the way, Ian tapped into a talented pool of Canadians who helped us make the film the best it could be. They don’t even seem to hold it against us that we’re shitty neighbors.
Marley in Manhattan
Now that the film is done(ish), we have to figure out how to share it.
I’m assuming that if you’ve read this far, you might be interested in seeing the film? And maybe you’d be willing to help us spread the word—or even donate a little money? We take American and Canadian dollars, and everything else too, I think. Here’s the link again.
We’re premiering the film in Toronto in October, and it should be available to stream sometime in the months ahead. I won’t say where yet because we haven’t signed anything, but I’m pretty confident you’ll be able to see it.
In the meantime, it would mean a lot to me if you shared this post, shared the fundraiser, or just told someone you think might be interested. Maybe they’re into photography. Or trains. Maybe they’re autistic, or have friends or family who are. Maybe they just like cool shots of New York City. We’ve got those too.
And if you have ideas about places we should submit the film, organizations we should reach out to, or somewhere we should screen it, we’re open to all possibilities.
Thanks so much,
Travis
Oh!
If you’d like to follow along on Instagram, we’ll be sharing updates there, a lot.
Marley is on Instagram, so follow her, but also follow her dad Tony, he posts a lot of her art, which is hard to describe, it includes a lot of lists written on paper plates, and it is wonderful.
END TRANSMISSION! SEE YOU NEXT WEEK WITH SOME EXCITING NEWS ABOUT OUR WORLD! PREMIERE!
Railfan is rolling! In the past ten days, YOU have raised over $5000 dollars, taking us to just over a THIRD of our goal. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our campaign so far and got us off to such a fine start! But DON'T get left at the station... we need still need your help to make that goal, especially since we have our first screening coming up!
Extra! Extra! Railfan's World Premiere is here!
Travis + Orson (image by Joe Tomcho)
We've secured a festival date for our official premiere. It's going to be in TORONTO on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24th. Lots more details to come about this next week. But if you want to see it first, sit with the crew ***and get invited to our special after party*** then you should select THIS reward level and join us!
RailRewards: Meet Uncle Crawfy!
TTC commuters know they'll have a great day when Uncle Crawfy (aka Alex Crawford) is on board, as he turns announcements into powerful messages of positivity. Whether it's a reminder to find a reason to smile or sharing his homemade haikus, Uncle Crawfy's here to help make your day. He's also committed to reminding us of the importance of taking care of our mental health, especially for men as they get older.
Uncle Crawfy
Toronto's favourite subway operator will now share a personal message for the Railfan in your life. With this reward, Uncle Crawfywill record a message of up to two minutes of on the theme of your choice;dedicated to your favourite person! You tell us what will make them happy OR leave it up to the Uncle to make it special. Poetry verses, philosophical inspiration, or wish someone a happy birthday!
Find out more about Unc' on the CBC, CTV, and his inspiring Instagram!
OPEN HOUSE NEW YORK SUBWAY YARD TOURS!
courtesy of OHNY
We want to keep sharing all the big news for Railfans, not just for our film, but for you! And so, you're not going to want to miss these upcoming events in NYC.
The Open House New York Weekend coming up October 16th 18th has a number of behind the scenes maintenance tours of the MTA's subway yards. Mark your calendar for October 2nd for 12:00 PM fro when these FREE tickets go live! Trust us they will move quickly!
RailFriends: INCLUDENyc for Love, Equity, and Access
includeNYC
New Yorkers should also get ready for this weekend's big event! Come run, walk, or roll with the third annual INCLUDEnyc 5k for Love, Equity, and Access . The event brings together supporters, the families they serve, members of the disability community, teams from partner companies and agencies around NYC, race enthusiasts and more for a fun day of community in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. INCLUDEnyc are some of our earliest supporters, and we love the way they support families with disablity of all ages. Find out ,ore here! https://includenyc.org/events/includenyc-5k-2026/
Over 1000 people signed up for to follow Railfan on Backerkit, with many of you coming from Facebook (and not just our friends and relatives!) So now we’re going to make that WORTH your while. You’re getting our newsletter, cause you signed up to help us get it. If you were thinking of supporting us NOW is the time! http://railfanfilm.com/
Railfan is a movie about autistic kids who love trains - it follows New York based photographer Travis Huggett. Travis first heard the term ‘railfanning’ from his nephew Booker - it meant riding the subway, not to go anywhere, but just for fun. Railfans aren’t always autistic (my son isn’t); but many are. And when their parents go railfanning with their ids, they know they better pack a lunch and a water bottle cause they’re going to be out for a while…
All the money we raise goes right to getting the move out there, covering: movie trailer, a cool website, posters, travel fees to get us to screenings….
RailRewards!
I’ll be shining a spotlight on a few of the rewards you can get over the next few updates. Let me tell you about one of the lower tiers that you might know how cool it is… The RailfanZine is a digital magazine about railfanning, particularly themed around NYC, but really it’s for anybody. We are so fortunate to have recruited some help: Janine Carrington isa Toronto based illustrator and publisher. She’s helped make her thirteen-year old son, Luis Mario, a bestselling author and bonafide transit expert here in Canada, with his books about transit vehicles! This mom + son railfanning duo is going to help our team make the kind of stories and art that real railfans will love. I’m also personally excited to hear what Booker Arnold, our resident transit advisor, has to share when it comes to MTA subway secrets. You can put your name in now to get it!
Luis Mario and the cover of his book by Janine Carrington:
We still want more hand drawn maps; trains on wipeboards (hot tip for kids going through too much paper!) or customized subway toys all with the correct route information Please SEND US art by the Railfan kids in YOUR life, and (with your permission) we’ll signal boost to all our followers! Send art to: [email protected]
World PREMIERE!!!!
Toronto just held it’s International Film Festival, but it’s always been a great town for all kinds of festivals. And wouldn’t you know it, one of these TORONTO festivals is going to be home to RAILFAN. More news to come, but get ready for a big screening announcement for this October! You heard it here first… New York City, now show us what YOU got!
Thank youfor joining team Railfan! Many of you have come from postings we shared online, we are grateful that you’re supporting our little engine FILM that could. We can’t wait to share Railfan with you, both the documentary along with pop-up galleries of Travis’ portrait series.
You’re probably here because you’ve got someone in your life with autism. I hope when you see our film, it gives that real sense that you’re not alone. We open a window into the lives of 6 different families who live with autism. We’ve chosen moments that are funny (these kids are hilarious); touching; and familiar; and that speak to the challenges and rewards of parenting– no matter what our families look like.
We want to turn our screenings into engaging events that let us talk about these kids; to open some dialogues wherever we can about how to make lives better for folks with ASD (with a little bit of public transit infrastructure critiques along the way!) You being here, just reading this, and sharing awareness of our project is so essential, so again, our sincere thanks. I hope in return we’re able to give you something that makes you feel seen.
NEWS:
FILM UPDATE: Railfan is ‘picture-locked’ and is now getting a professional sound treatment courtesy of a post-production grant we received from the National Film Board of Canada’s Filmmaker Assistance Program. Hopefully our subway sounds will pass the test of discerning listeners!
CROWDFUNDING: Our campaign launch date is now September 15th, 2026! Add this to your calendar! Especially if you’re in Toronto or NYC where you’ll be able to participate in one of our launch parties (details to come)… And please please spread the word about us wherever you can. If you're part of a local support group, or have some friends who you think would love an heartfelt story about kids + trains - let people know!
SIGN UP: And if you haven’t already done so - now’s the time to SIGN UP on the prelaunch page - by doing so you’ll automatically get the update on the campaign start. Maybe you’ll be the first to score one of the limited Portrait sessions by Travis Hugget of the Railfan in your life / and/ or the person of your choice in Manhattan! Or get hold of one of our limited special ‘Diamond Q’ editions of Railfan on DVD/Blu-ray (with a special Railfan-centric commentary track!)
CALL FOR ART! We loved seeing the art made by the kids in Railfan. Hand drawn maps; trains scrawled on wipeboards (hot tip for kids going through too much paper!) or even customized subway toys all with the correct route information. Talk about a window into someone's world... So please SEND US art by the Railfan kids in YOUR life, and (with your permission) we’ll signal boost to all our followers! Send art to: [email protected]
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
Hi, I’m Ian Daffern, and I wrote this newsletter. I’m the director of Railfan. I'm from Toronto, and I've got two kids: a 10 year girl who loves tiny dogs and Labubus, and a son, who got me interested in trains. No he’s not on the spectrum (that we know of); but that didn’t stop him from drawing a billion transit maps, or taking us to nearly every train station in the TTC. I’m really grateful for Travis opening his world up to me. And I hope I’ve done it justice in how we’ve told the stories of these amazing kids and their families. Peace & Love - Ian
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