Railfan Has Left the Station! 

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: 

What can we say - the Spacing Store in Toronto was the perfect place to launch this film (just short of Grand Central Terminal that is, but we’ve already been there!) You can see a video of our event and here from our director Ian Daffern here courtesy of Wei Yi. 

 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] 

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!