Autistic Toddler- passed on fear

[Trainstrainstrains]

Hi,
I have a child who is currently being assessed for autism. He loves trains and has for a long time so we've built up a little collection of them. Train bed, blankets, toys etc.

Anyway, he also is very rigid in fears. I've gotten quite good at navigating them so they don't interfere in everyday life, for example he is scared of monkeys so I explained the difference between monkey types and apes. If there is a monkey image on a box now he won't freak out if you say it's probably a squirrel money because X or a gibbon because y. He still freaks out if someone refers to it as monkey but I model language I want used and most people go along with it and it works.

Anyway, was put and saw a ghost Train with family member. Ds a bit worried about it. I never name objects as scary because he then puts them rigidly in scary box. Family we were out with ignored my lead, I was going down the 'for big boys, they enjoy it, you are not old enough' and not using the word scary.
Others kept saying yes it is scary, they'd be scared, I don't like it etc. Full grown adults telling him they were scared of it.
Surprise surprise D's woke up screaming saying he doesn't want his Train bed anymore. It's scary. Etc.
He has spent a long time on trains and is going through a lot of schemas related to trains so am heartbroken. I tried covering bed with a sheet and saying it was a Christmas train as that's what he wants from Santa but it hasn't entirely helped his fear, though did a bit.
Any advice on what I should do to restore his confidence in trains? So annoyed because although I find the trains thing a bit boring tbh it's been his special and safe interest and can't believe it's been spoiled for him.

Thanks in advance.

How old is he?

Three

I can understand your frustration and disappointment, but unfortunately you can’t control what every adult or child says around him, especially now he’s getting older. He’ll likely be going to nursery, then school where he will hear all sorts of stuff. Halloween trains are a thing and Halloween is supposed to be a bit scary - my 8 yo wouldn’t get on the Halloween train we booked last year even though he loves the idea of Halloween.

I think that all is not lost yet and that it’s quite possible, with a bit of time and encouragement he’ll come round. Have you explained to him what Halloween is and that it’s not real? We have the ‘Arry and Bert Thomas and Friends book which is about the diesels playing a Halloween prank. That might be a bridge between the two things, helping to explain that it’s not real. Also modelling that you’re not afraid, but that you understand his fears.

I’ve seen a lot of social media posts about navigating Halloween for children who are more fearful, worth a look for some hints.

Hopefully someone will
come along with some more advice.

Yes we have the Arry and Bert story, which he used to love.
Yes I know ghost trains can be scary which is why we weren't planning on making a big deal of it. I explained about it not being real but unfortunately the person who was making a big deal of it has an agenda so kept going on about it and undermining me. She believes in real devils and stuff. Frustrated because he has fixated on something that was totally avoidable.