Bendigo residents are reeling this week after learning that local man, Peter Fronk, 34, a fervent train enthusiast, does not have autism. Peter’s relentless dedication to model trains, railway history, and train-spotting had many assuming there was a neurological explanation. They were wrong.
“I’ve loved trains since I was a kid,” Peter told reporters from his meticulously organised car shed, which boasts a sprawling, hand-crafted model railway that spans nearly 100 square metres. “There’s just something about the engineering, the history, and the sheer beauty of locomotives fascinates me.”
Peter’s friends were quick to express their surprise. “I just assumed Peter’s obsession with trains and encyclopedic knowledge of every V/Line timetable was because he was on the spectrum,” admitted best friend Jonn. “But apparently, he’s just a regular guy who can rattle off the entire history of V/Line from memory.”
Experts in the field of hobbies and personality traits are baffling. “This is highly irregular,” stated Dr Emily Hargrove, a psychologist specialising in neurodevelopmental disorders. “Intense train interest without autism is something we need to study further.”
Bendigo remains in a state of confusion, grappling with the realisation that sometimes, a man just likes trains.
