Melissa Enaje/Houston Public Media
Some unique programs family members are relying on for support include the Train Hunters Club in Fort Bend County. Brian Gaughler started the Train Hunters Club earlier this year after realizing his grandson Ezra had a growing passion for trains.
In the city of Rosenberg about 30 miles west of Houston, a small group of families gathers in the parking lot next to a railroad museum. Their kids are part of the Train Hunters Club and, during one Saturday afternoon in April, they’re on the hunt.
Brian Gaughler started the club earlier this year after realizing his grandson, Ezra, had a growing obsession with trains. Ezra is on the autism spectrum.
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“A train! Another one! … Look!” Ezra said.
Gaughler decided to use Ezra’s curiosity not only as a way that they could bond, but also as a way to support Ezra’s confidence.
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“Some of these kids are on the autism spectrum,” Gaughler said. “Their social ways are a little different and so somehow this helps bring them together.”
Being passionate about trains is common for autistic individuals, according to some health experts. The repetitiveness of the process, the sound of the train cars, the anticipation of seeing a train coming, it’s predictable and provides a sense of control.
Zakiyy Inshanally celebrated his son Omar’s 11th birthday with colorful cupcakes and pizza. They joined the Train Hunters Club after Inshanally met Gaughler at the railroad museum a couple months ago.
Melissa Enaje/Houston Public Media
The Train Hunters Club birthday party celebrated some of the young train enthusiasts’ birthdays.
“Every Saturday and Sunday whether it’s 90 degrees outside or negative-9 degrees, whether it’s raining or sunny,” Inshanally said, “we’re here.”
Inshanally says Omar has signs of autism and the Train Hunters Club is a safe space for Omar to just be himself.
“I love trains,” Omar said. “The horn, the … rumble and the bell.”
Inshanally says it’s more than just a club.
“When he sees that I’m doing this for him, his love for me also increases,” Inshanally said. “I see it. He was telling me sometimes, ‘Thank you daddy for taking me to Rosenberg. I know you’re tired but thank you for taking me,’ and that means the world.”
Growing with autism
As kids on the autism spectrum grow older and go on to high school, their needs change and support systems shift beyond just their parents.
More than an hour away from Rosenberg is a vocational clinic at the University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Center for Autism and Development Disabilities. The clinic partners with Clear Lake High School for programs that help special needs students find jobs.
During an Autism Awareness Day event in April, high schoolers displayed their skills and talents. Some were in charge of the art or dance competitions. In a private room, clinicians offered free autism screenings for families.
High school student Hayden Trigg greeted people at the door and talked about what he wants to do after high school.
“I want to become a supercar salesman,” he said. “Lamborghinis, Ferraris, stuff like that. That’s what I want to do for my dream job.”
Clear Lake High School Special Education Teacher Meghana Yelluru said more job sites should be open to train students with disabilities before resources run out for them once they graduate.
“Teach them these job skills while they’re in school,” Yelluru said, “because you have teachers, you have para supports always coming with you to help them learn the job before they even get out into the community after graduation.”
Loukia Tsami is a research associate at the UH-Clear Lake autism center. She said without opportunities for autistic young adults to participate in their local community, they could end up being excluded.
“It’s not only a job to make money,” Tsami said. “It’s the only opportunity some of the adults that we have, this is the only time they get out of their house.”
Ongoing needs
But not everyone with autism can leave their homes on their own or function without a caregiver. Severe forms of autism can include individuals who have an intellectual disability or those who could harm themselves. A 2025 survey by the National Council on Severe Autism found nearly three out of four autistic young adults with significant support needs — especially those just out of high school — continue living at home.
Ginnie Muller is the Texas chair for the National Council on Severe Autism. She’s the main caregiver for her son, George, who is in his mid-20s and nonverbal.
“He’s never said mama or dada,” Muller said.
The nonprofit organization lobbies for policy changes at the state and federal levels. Without more research tailored to this population’s needs, Muller said disability policies would remain ill-equipped to serve families like hers.
The National Council on Severe Autism offers resources online and in person for families who might need more information on everything from Medicaid coverage to how to file for a disability license plate in Texas. Muller said her son’s condition will require services, support and supervision for the rest of his life.
She’s concerned about what will happen to George as she gets older and it gets harder to care for her son.
“There are a lot of different resources there and to get involved. We’ve got to change the system. The system is broken,” Muller said. “All the systems are broken and we really need to fix them.”
Back at the Train Hunters Club, Brian Gaughler said he’s learning a lot about trains with his grandson.
He’s also understanding what it means to love your family for who they are.
“You know,” Gaughler said, “instead of playing face-to-face like other kids, they’ll stand side-by-side and watch a train and they’ll say, ‘Oh, we had such a good time with my friends.’ When I first came I thought, ‘Well, you didn’t talk to anybody.’ But he did. He goes, ‘Yeah, we were together the whole time.’ And I begin to realize, OK, it’s a little bit different than I’m used to doing, but it works.”