tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207444102011-12-08T13:18:01.232-08:00The web's first and best Thomas Train Blog* providing always witty, sometimes scathing, bleeding-edge commentary on current news, events and anything else about Thomas the Tank Engine. <br>* Note: I believe this is the only Thomas blog, lending credibility to my claimsAlexanoreply@blogger.comBlogger1031100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-79044920330041879962010-01-29T15:10:00.000-08:002010-01-29T15:13:55.575-08:00

The Thomas the Tank Engine iPhone app is launching tomorrow. Not that kids are expected to have an iPhone - handing your iPhone to your kid to play with when you're waiting in line or something is about the best use of the device. The name of the app is to be the "Thomas Game Pack". Happy trails!

Alexanoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-85477929485992496302009-07-15T14:08:00.000-07:002009-07-15T14:08:45.558-07:00

I'd never seen Thomas cupcakes before this. Purty cool.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-88274472751332349472009-06-15T12:04:00.000-07:002009-06-15T12:08:12.150-07:00

I didn't understand a word of this though I was intrigued by: "The Fat Controller, hehe tangannya ketutup jas". The cake was very cool.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-89460972156360297402009-05-31T13:56:00.000-07:002009-05-31T13:56:41.010-07:00

Per CNN Thomas helps austic kids describe their emotions.(CNN) -- Thomas the Tank Engine, whose television adventures on the fictional island of Sodor have delighted children around the world for years, is now on a real-life mission to help kids with autism.Thomas the Tank Engine helps autistic kids identify emotions - CNN.com: "The steam locomotive and his friends are the stars of a new game in

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-37905887600201840472009-05-15T20:03:00.000-07:002009-05-15T20:05:49.163-07:00

My son LOVED Thomas The Tank Engine when he was a toddler, but after he hit about age 5 or so he pretty much outgrew it, favoring Transformers and SpongeBob and characters like that The other day, though, he dug out all his old Thomas stuff and is, at this moment, watching a Thomas DVD! Now, I'm ok with that...I actually prefer Thomas to SpongeBob, but still...I wonder why he suddenly wants to

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-60875075619156377292009-04-15T16:06:00.000-07:002009-05-15T20:07:32.874-07:00

I thought these cakes were pretty neat:http://www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com/coolest-train-cake-109.html.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-47003439679584828142009-01-07T16:50:00.000-08:002009-01-07T16:51:52.219-08:00

Way to go Fisher Price:Mattel Inc.'s Fisher-Price brand signed a multi-year deal as the global toy licensee for HIT Entertainment's Thomas & Friends train product line, in a move to boost sales globally, the companies said Monday.Financial terms of the deal, which covers multiple territories around the world, were not disclosed. The first products will be available in 2010, when the Thomas line

Alexanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-10482512031793477672009-01-01T17:08:00.001-08:002009-01-01T17:13:08.232-08:00

The longest toy train track-world record was set by a Thomas the Tank Engine track at Thomas Land at the Drayton Manor Theme Park in Tamworth UK.The record breaking Thomas & Friends track was made up of the following elements: 5,500 straight pieces of track 3,125 curved pieces of track 10 flat end turn out with switch track (mix of left and right) 10 slope track curves 50 girders (

Alexanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-11512146354441423192008-12-26T21:00:00.000-08:002008-12-26T21:03:10.179-08:00

This guy takes Thomas WAY too seriously. Get a life John Drabinski.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-53180546513819927002008-11-15T16:29:00.000-08:002008-11-15T16:32:37.205-08:00

I thought this was a funny "review" of the new DVD. It gives snippets every few minutes, seemingly at random. I suspect the reviewer was nodding off and wrote whatever he heard when he stirred. The conclusion was nice though:THE VERDICTSome worried that 60 minutes might be a little long for young children, but Sam thought it was the best Thomas story so far. Barbara added: “It was true to the

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-39853978799792152832008-10-18T19:05:00.000-07:002008-10-18T19:08:51.188-07:00

Four seasons of Thomas shows are being translated to Chinese for release this year in China. A range of Thomas toys will be sold inside China for HIT by Hong Kong-based Promotional Partners Group via its offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Qingdao. HIT also plans 12 TV tie-in storybooks in early 2009. HIT wants to tap the growth market (though they're a little late to the party

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-38689203684289422142008-08-05T08:44:00.000-07:002008-08-05T08:44:55.826-07:00

Here's a neat blog narrative about a boy's day with Thomas. Enjoy!Moments with Micah: Thomas the Tank Engine

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-87910608516809232362008-07-26T21:44:00.000-07:002008-07-26T21:46:59.268-07:00

A Day Out with Thomas is back in full swing. Here's a neat review of one in Oregon.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-61179915089716176112008-06-08T11:56:00.000-07:002008-08-05T11:57:58.929-07:00

This is kind of fun. A Thomas amusment park! Thomas Town: Six Flags Magic Mountain: "Six Flags Magic Mountain announced today the opening of Thomas TownSM , a newly created children's area based on the popular Thomas & Friends brand. This exciting play area is designed to entertain children of all ages, and is centered around a train ride on a Thomas the Tank EngineTM replica that takes guests

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-34734664312219394462008-05-31T17:31:00.000-07:002008-05-31T17:31:47.940-07:00

David Mitton, who wrote and directed more than 180 episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine, die unexpectedly this week in England. At the time of his death, he was working as creative director at London-based Pineapple Squared Ent., where he was overseeing a number of projects including the animated boys’ series Adventures on Orsum Island. Mitton died from a heart attack last week. He met Brit Alcroft

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-42127456500674502312008-03-27T11:29:00.000-07:002008-03-27T11:29:01.770-07:00

I have a feel that this person wouldn't be much fun to know.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-66381618941488695482008-03-18T17:24:00.000-07:002008-03-18T17:29:46.446-07:00

There's a funny article in San Diego entitled "Legos have nothing on subversive 'Thomas the Tank Engine'". I quote:What's funny, though, is contemplating what the Seattle teachers would make of the immensely popular "Thomas the Tank Engine" animated TV show, based on a popular series of British children's books.Talk about indoctrination with the Protestant ethic! Most "Thomas" plots deal with

Alexanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-72556358575975012112008-02-10T07:49:00.000-08:002008-02-10T07:49:26.936-08:00

'Thomas' toymaker settles suit over lead for $30M - USATODAY.comI guess this is good news for consumers. Really I think it's a shame that it ever happened. It's such a hassle returning toys and claiming a refund and all that. What a mess.The maker of Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway toys has agreed to a $30 million class-action settlement stemming from last year's recalls, the first in what's

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-50601882866909784312008-02-07T13:17:00.000-08:002008-02-07T13:17:37.702-08:00

This Thomas cake by Anitha is way nicer than the ones you can get at Wal-mart because of the tunnel. I think that's a nice touch.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-77760811375732823532008-01-23T17:54:00.000-08:002008-01-23T17:54:18.553-08:00

'Thomas' toymakers to pay $30M settlement in lead-paint suit - Jan. 23, 2008: "Thomas' toymakers to pay $30M settlementToy company RC2 Brands will also offer cash refunds or replacements plus a 'bonus toy' in lead-paint suit."In June of last year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that RC2 was voluntarily recalling about 1.5 million items in what would become the first of several

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-40478567110782254222007-11-12T09:04:00.000-08:002007-11-12T09:07:24.465-08:00

Trainjotting has a neat post called: If Mathattan was the Island of Sodor here's an excerpt:Thanks to Little G, we end up spending a lot of time in Sodor—that is, themythical island on which Thomas the Tank Engine and his train friends operate.All of the trains in Thomas’ world have unique personalities, whether it’s thenarcissistic engine James or the perky young train Percy. That got

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-30593781734182138322007-10-30T09:41:00.000-07:002007-10-30T09:43:21.565-07:00

Interested in Thomas Scrappbooking? Check out this great post here:http://scrapaholicissa.blogspot.com/2007/10/thomas-train-and-chuy-chuy.htmlIt should give you some ideas to start with.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-18405820704663071162007-09-26T08:59:00.000-07:002007-09-26T09:01:15.588-07:00

For the geeks out there, there's a great torrent download of seasons 4 and 5 here. The file sizes are huge, so it takes a lot of time to get what you're after, but the quality is good.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-16084712825887783042007-08-12T20:09:00.001-07:002007-08-12T20:12:33.044-07:00

As if we needed more evidence thatthe Internet is the greatest of Mankind's inventions, behold. The following is an excerpt from a fun post titled "Thomas The Tank Engine Party Menu Fun!" found here. Enjoy:Coming up with a bill of fare program that's suitable for the Seth Thomasthe Tank Engine party but still appealing to little children is a spotdifficult. Kids love easy choice up handles and

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-40963892784996754222007-07-19T15:14:00.000-07:002007-07-19T15:14:28.132-07:00

Pierce Brosnan is set to take over Thomas the Tank Engine narration, following in the footsteps of Ringo Starr and Alec Baldwin. The former James Bond actor will trade in his Astin Martin for a tank engine becoming the latest celebrity to provide the voice over for the railway show.Brosnan, who has already recorded his first scenes for a new series, has signed a three year contract for three TV

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-63964726714794190202007-06-29T06:19:00.000-07:002007-06-29T06:19:02.811-07:00

The New York Times has a fascinating article today about a journalist who visited the factory that made the red and yellow toys subject to the great Thomas Lead Paint Recall of 2007. It makes for a very interesting look into the Chinese power struggle. Here we are often led to believe that an oppressive government in China controls everything and can enforce unreasonable rules whimsically.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-78079520447989759822007-06-28T08:11:00.000-07:002007-06-28T08:14:47.079-07:00

This is a first for me. A personal essay about Thomas. It's well written and deals with a mother learning to understand her child's obsession with Thomas. Here's an exerpt and the link:My husband and I faced a crucial decision: we could pretend we'd never heard of Day Out With Thomas, refuse even to speak of it and pray that William would snap out of his mania soon. (This is the strategy I

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-57189002622026641642007-06-22T05:18:00.000-07:002007-06-22T05:18:15.671-07:00

The Little Engine That Could Poison - Is that not the greatest headline you've ever seen? I've gone back and forth as to whether it should have a ... before the poison. Still... great line. For decades, Thomas the Tank Engine and his fellow trains have been teachingchildren important life lessons. Now the plucky locomotives — especially thehaughty and sometimes naughty James the Red Engine —

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-25034053382553685602007-06-14T19:32:00.000-07:002007-06-14T19:32:10.155-07:00

Lots of wooden train (mostly red) sets & components sold at toy stores and various retailers nationwide from January 2005 through June 2007 are being recalled. The recall involves only the specific wooden vehicles, buildings and other train set components for young children listed in the chart below. The makers has determined that the surface paints on the recalled products contain lead. Lead is

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-33828811593281170752007-05-15T04:42:00.000-07:002007-05-15T05:09:59.159-07:00

According to Canada.com, the theater production "Thomas Saves the Day" is a big hit. It's a one man show of sorts, as mentioned in the last post:Conte, who also plays the narrator in the 90-minute musical show, says it was a challenge at first playing all three engine voices and a separatecharacter."Every night I'm playing four different people," he said. "It's hard enough playing myself. But

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-58223799222099403732007-05-07T10:43:00.000-07:002007-05-07T10:43:05.384-07:00

The Winnipeg Free Press Online Edition reports that our cheeky little friend is starring in a stage production up in the cold blue yonder. And it seems to be a one man show of sorts. The star:(is) playing Thomas the Tank Engine (as well as Percy, Diesel and thenarrator) in the upcoming stage production of Thomas Saves the Day, whichfurthers the adventures of the spunky little fictional engine

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-2165009555168631772007-05-01T11:33:00.000-07:002007-05-01T11:49:45.392-07:00

The Drusillas Park Zoo in East Sussex installed a Thomas the Tank Engine replica train for their visitors and looked into hiring a Fat Controller (Sir Topham Hatt's common name in England). They put an ad in the paper looking for a fat guy to manage their railyard but the legal team stepped in and said "no fat man ads". Who knew? And what if a Black guy applied? That'd put them in a tough

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-6430917832352434902007-04-09T09:22:00.000-07:002007-04-09T09:22:34.110-07:00

There's a touching post on a Mom's blog about how her sone grew out of his Thomas fanaticism, and how she felt about it. Read more her:Echoes of Cold Moon: My Little Thomas the Tank Engine

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-8273529528580265412007-04-04T09:16:00.000-07:002007-04-04T09:17:36.665-07:00

Thomas the Tank engine is coming to Viking Hall in Bristol for his first-ever live stage show.It's called "Full Steam Ahead" and we're going to send one lucky family to see Thomas - for free.Thomas stops at Viking Hall in Bristol, Saturday April 7th at 7pm.Tickets are available at the Viking Hall box office: 423-764-0188To enter for four free tickets, send an email to morningedition@wjhl.com with

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-7972330874553543032007-03-09T07:15:00.000-08:002007-03-09T07:28:02.558-08:00

In a shocking revelation today at a heretofore unheard of blog: minorthird, we learn this morning that Thomas the Tank Engine is a communist! That's right... candy apple red. A Pepto-bismol Pinko. Just read the quotes from a new Thomas book:One of the buttons on the book plays this statement:“Helping others is important, and it doesn’t hurt a bit.”The voice-over is done in that “the white zone is

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-73635542352551029322007-03-01T07:56:00.000-08:002007-03-01T07:56:13.993-08:00

Whitterer has written an interesting article called: Play ‘therapy’ – Thomas the Tank Engine and his enemies. This is the first I'd heard of any Thomas / autistic link. I can testify though, that all sorts of kids are obsessed with Thomas... not just autisic ones.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-31913485801964248582007-02-19T18:21:00.000-08:002007-02-19T18:21:11.765-08:00

Thomas the Tank Engine Inspires John Borthwick:THINK / Musings / Resolution, from Thomas the tank engine to the Wii: "Resolution, from Thomas the tank engine to the Wii"With the battery powered train the focus became setting up the tracks in some form of circular shape and then watch them go round and round. Play with the push trains had been much more imaginative, it was about setting up the

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-4937527104913685432007-02-16T05:22:00.000-08:002007-02-16T05:27:05.907-08:00

Someone sent me this balloon picture. Here it is:All the Thomas balloons I've ever seen have been like the ones below, found at a day out with Thomas events. They're neat, but seem canned and manufactured rather than this one... this one seems like art.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1170433471891294012007-02-02T08:24:00.000-08:002007-02-02T08:26:21.073-08:00

As super sunday approaches, it turns out that Thomas the Tank Engine (aka Thomas Jones) - son a of a coal miner - will have a starring role on the Chicago Bears Team. "February 2, 2007 -- MIAMI - It was one of those questions that often crop up at a Super Bowl, a query that seemingly does not make sense. Bears running back Thomas Jones was asked how his profession is similar to the one his mother

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1169819450628172352007-01-26T05:50:00.000-08:002007-01-26T05:50:50.706-08:00

Sometimes I'm conflicted about what to post on this blog. The following are the possibilities as I see them:1) News stories about "A Day Out with Thomas"2) News stories about Thomas as a brand3) Other blog posts about Thomas in general4) Other blog posts about Thomas in as pertains to a specific child / party / event5) Web resources about Thomas (that aren't just fronts for selling toys)6) OtherI

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1169221509336130002007-01-19T07:45:00.000-08:002007-01-19T07:45:09.426-08:00

Open Switch blog had an angry rant (a while back... I just now saw it) about the two, four, six, eight, thomas & friends song being stuck in his head at night. I can relate to the feeling. Anyhow, the thing that's amusing to me are the comments on his blog. He gets a taste of how seriously some grown-ups take their Thomas the Tank Engine. (Rumor has it, that one wacko even keeps a blog about

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1168809602994570732007-01-14T13:20:00.000-08:002007-01-14T13:21:03.536-08:00

Here's a well written article by a dad who learned his son's favorite part of a track was wreching it:This train has a limited running time

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1168351392307082692007-01-09T06:03:00.000-08:002007-01-09T06:03:12.410-08:00

Misty Cato Designs has a nice scrapbook about her son and Thomas on her blog. She links to the resources so you can download them too. She mentions Thomas toothpaste... that's a new one for me.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1164741430187463222006-11-28T11:17:00.000-08:002006-11-28T11:17:10.190-08:00

I stumbled across this blog post (Bookfraud: Thomas the Money-Making Engine) and was shocked. I thought it was my blog. The downside of using a standard template. It could have been me. Anyhow, over at the Bookfraud blog (which by the way is way better than this blog -- great job sticking pictures in the posts) you'll find a rant of amazing proportions railing against Thomas the Tank Engine and

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1162475946838428852006-11-02T05:59:00.000-08:002006-11-02T06:00:51.206-08:00

Photo of Thomas Commuter Train in JapanI thought this was kind of fun.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1162391964506841022006-11-01T06:39:00.000-08:002006-11-01T06:39:24.630-08:00

Jigs for Making Wooden Train TracksThe above site is fantastic. I've not yet tried any of them but I intend to. I don't expect my results to be as good as that guys but I hope to make some straight pieces. It's a shame to pay so much for trach when it's so simple to make (I'm going to start with the straight pieces... I'll let you know how it goes). Thanks Brian Donnelly for your great work

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1161605887602941332006-10-23T05:18:00.000-07:002006-12-04T05:37:57.043-08:00

It's not often I think about the old guys hanging out in model train / hobby shops as snobs, but they snickered at this guy for but sodor trains rather than more authentic sets. It's a good and lively discussion about why to model railroad, through the lens of TtTE.No respect for Thomas modeller - Trains.com Forums: "No respect for Thomas modeller"

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1160412057639761792006-10-09T09:40:00.000-07:002006-10-19T14:51:39.313-07:00

things magazine - still waitingThis "article" is pretty scattered but it explores the major toy and cultural phenomenon that is Thomas the Tank Engine.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1159873885318267322006-10-03T04:11:00.000-07:002006-10-03T04:11:25.380-07:00

eBayMatchUps.com - Thomas the Tank Engine vs. The Little Engine That CouldI'm not sure what business sense eBay has doing stuff like this and buying skype. I think they've forgotten that they're an auction company. Anyhow, I don't mean to influence your vote, but Thomas needs your help.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1159787621957840782006-10-02T04:13:00.000-07:002006-10-02T04:13:42.010-07:00

Danz Family: Day Out With ThomasHere's another well done post using pictures describing A day out with Thomas. It's good stuff.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1159443539152686522006-09-28T04:38:00.000-07:002006-09-28T04:38:59.286-07:00

All about Kids Parties - ideas, tips, themes, plans, rhymes and entertainers » Thomas The Tank Engine…Toot Toot!This page is a great starter for how to have a Thomas the Tank Engine Party. It has ideas like sending whistles as invitations and suggestions of games to play. If you're thinking of going this route, this page will help a ton.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1159309629670766042006-09-26T15:21:00.000-07:002006-09-26T15:27:10.256-07:00

A ride on the Maglev Train in Shanghai. The fastest train on earth. With a maximum speed of 430 KMH!

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1159270534619917262006-09-26T04:35:00.000-07:002006-10-02T13:37:59.760-07:00

I'd never heard of virtual railroading until this blog post. I thought from his title he would be mocking it but instead ended up convincing me that it'd be a lot of fun.Virtual Railroading? A Real hobby?! C’mon! « The Hobby Guy"The lack of a physical train layout in our house has not stopped us from playing with trains. (Yes, for all you die hard model railroad fans, I did say play; that’s what

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1158975290341548422006-09-22T18:34:00.000-07:002006-09-22T18:34:50.410-07:00

Flickr: Flickr photos of Percy hiding in the grocery store. Not the most captivating set of pics, but interesting nonetheless.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1158931749048942132006-09-22T06:29:00.000-07:002006-09-22T06:29:09.096-07:00

lego tv - Google News: "Lego in Thomas the Tank Engine deal mad.co.uk, UK - 19 Sep 2006 (link requires a subscription)Lego has struck a deal to sponsor Thomas the Tank Engine on the children’s TV channel Nick Jr.Re: Kirstin Bates, Lego brand manager,“The programming content on Nick Jr not only offers a natural synergy with ourLego Duplo Thomas & Friends brand but sponsorship activity will

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1158761389889700772006-09-20T07:08:00.000-07:002006-09-20T07:09:49.903-07:00

http://suburbanlunacy.blogspot.com/2006/09/my-day-out-with-thomas-strategically.htmlI'd like to begin this post with an apology to my two children for havingcynical uncool parents who generally don't enjoy attending special kids' eventsother than for reasons of fueling our sarcasm and studying the media's influenceon society from a distance.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1158332445705653832006-09-15T07:58:00.000-07:002006-09-15T08:00:45.716-07:00

There’s a new man in my life. He’s short and kind of cute, in a blue kindof way. He has a habit of always bringing all of his friends over, keeps me uplate at night and sometimes he even greets me first thing in the morning.What’s his name you ask and does Mark know about him?His name is Thomas…Thomas the Tank Engine to be exact. And all of hislittle friends. Well, some of them.http://www2.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1158331742170357012006-09-15T07:48:00.000-07:002006-11-28T11:16:36.836-08:00

I particulatrly like the road. The board looks simple and sturdy:http://emeryjo.blogspot.com/2006/09/train-mania.html

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1157992025377193912006-09-11T09:18:00.000-07:002006-09-15T04:27:44.033-07:00

Nice overview of Model Railroading resources online. So much of the trouble with looking for model railroad help and ideas online is that the search engines are skewed toward commercial interests and away from hobbyists. The Blog has a monthly feature called "Roundhouse Round Up" featuring model railroad resources. I wanted to just copy and paste this whole post as all of the links are nice and

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1157991453489297712006-09-11T08:56:00.000-07:002006-09-11T09:45:29.666-07:00

I wanted to give an overview of what's been happening in the Thomas world of late.Thingamababy has a fantastic "review" of a battery powered Thomas train. I quote "review" because it's as much of a "how to set up a train table" as it is a review. I particularly appreciate that he took the time to take pictures and comment them.CJ Sorg blogs about his trip to see Thomas in NashvilleTrainBlog

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1157546851329844752006-09-06T05:23:00.000-07:002006-09-06T05:47:31.396-07:00

We at the Thomas the Tank Engine Blog have never shied away from controversy. Today, however we were shocked to discover that Terence the Orange Tractor WEARS A TOUPEE!!! Sure, now that you know, it's pretty obvious looking at the picture, but imagine the surprise on the Island of Sodor when this news got out. It was always assumed by his personality and demeanor that Terence the Tractor was but

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1157029071013037772006-08-31T05:57:00.000-07:002006-09-05T18:13:08.796-07:00

There's a feature on Flickr called "Tell a Story in 5 Frames". Essentially you tell a story using 5 photos without any text or narration. It's a pretty neat idea. There's one on there about Thomas that's kind of fun. I particularly enjoyed the comments at the bottom(I used to watch the Thomas the Tank Engine shows when I was a kid, and that's dead on for the basic plot of each show. I can almost

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1156206366116242012006-08-21T16:59:00.000-07:002006-09-06T06:14:48.400-07:00

In my first ever attention grabbing, go out on a limb, blog post, I decided to comment on John Naughton including Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (1984-1991) among his worst 50 TV shows of all time (discussed here). The inevitable conclusion of his including Thomas and Friends on such a list is that he's lost his mind. I suppose there might be other conclusions... feel free to post below

Alexanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1155555633823029422006-08-14T04:40:00.000-07:002006-08-14T04:40:33.883-07:00

AN ENGLISH clergyman once wrote: "Railways and the church have their critics, but both are the best ways of getting a man to his ultimate destination."This particular man of God was the Reverend W. Awdry, author of Thomas the Tank Engine, so you have to say he knew both routes rather well.The rest of the article talks about how confusing and counter-intuitive UK rail fare can be.Travel How to get

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1155074867087272452006-08-08T15:07:00.000-07:002006-08-08T15:07:47.220-07:00

The blogger for Materials Recycling Week referenced Thomas the Tank engine easter candy. I thought he was just being silly but, lo and behold, you can get a whole basket full. $2 worth of chocolate for $29.95 plus shipping (I shouldn't pick on that store... I love the great cartoon header. So many storefronts are just dumpy but someone did a great job on it)

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1154373370584649192006-07-31T12:13:00.000-07:002006-07-31T12:16:10.596-07:00

A few weeks ago I posted about an exec having the dream job. If running a toy shop could pay the bills, I think that sounds more my speed than managing an empire. This article, about Aaron's rise from "toy boy" to manager seems more realistic that the previous post too.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1153447982754411642006-07-20T19:13:00.000-07:002006-07-20T19:13:02.816-07:00

Thomas is in Canada now. I can't believe they've sold 18,000 tickets in advance and anticipate more than 30,000 to show. Those numbers are staggering to me.St. Thomas Times-Journal, St. Thomas, ON

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1152126538890572152006-07-05T12:08:00.000-07:002006-07-05T12:08:58.910-07:00

Adult themes, strong language - Heckler - Opinion - smh.com.auAt the risk (more than a risk... I'm guilty) of taking a tongue in cheek article at face value, I disagree with the notion that childrens programming ought to be more entertaining to adults. I agree with the assertion that better scriptwriting could make a show entertaining for young and old, but that seldom happens. Instead rather

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1151516902378699452006-06-28T10:48:00.000-07:002006-06-28T10:48:22.433-07:00

What kid wouldn't have loved to be there. How about this line:"Please would the following please pick up their children from the tent next to Thomas the Tank Engine?"And JK Rowling was there signing books too. I guess my invite got lost in the mail.Herald Sun: Royal magic an open book [27jun06]:

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1150133441086459682006-06-12T10:30:00.000-07:002006-06-28T10:49:08.886-07:00

This article is pretty much like the couple dozen others that show up every week, every summer discussing the day out with Thomas. It's different in one way though: It devotes most of the column to giving a history of Thomas the Tank Engine. Thanks Jeff Eason for taking to time to research Thomas and for not just reiterating the Tweetie's press release. And I get a kick out of the name

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1149784618217395982006-06-08T09:32:00.000-07:002006-06-08T09:36:58.226-07:00

I know Thomas got into a bit of a mess in "Thomas Comes to Breakfast", but has he ever been in a really big train crash? I don't know if the series shies away from that for the most part or not. Harold crashes I know, but is "Breakfast" Thomas' biggest tumble? (Thomas' Big Tumble would make a great name for a book...)

Alexanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1149784131107692662006-06-08T09:24:00.000-07:002006-06-08T09:28:51.170-07:00

I get the feeling this article kind of glmorizes things a tad but it seems that this guy has a good gig as a toy executive. It doesn't really have anything to do with Thomas the Tank Engine.Article about Toy Train Executive

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1149019258359408212006-05-30T13:00:00.000-07:002006-05-30T13:00:58.403-07:00

For some reason, I thought the traveling "A day out with Thomas" was just a US phenomenon. This article talks about one in the UK. The neat thing about this one is that the train in the picture appears to be a small, narrow gauge one... Kid sized.Small Thomas

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1147896912624975132006-05-17T13:15:00.000-07:002006-05-17T13:26:22.016-07:00

IDTES (IDT Entertainment Sales), a subsidiary of IDT Corp, a phone card company, which owns the licensing rights to some Thomas the Tank Engine videos among others has been sold to Liberty Media, which among other things owns QVC, Encore, Starz, and News Corporation. I don't think this matters all that much. I'd never heard of IDT or IDTES until this press release. At lease Liberty Media is in

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1147722794937316652006-05-15T12:53:00.001-07:002006-05-15T12:53:14.936-07:00

All aboard for Thomas the Tank Engine tour - 04/21/06 - The Detroit NewsThere's nothing all that special about the article except it has a great picture of the actual Thomas train that's touring the country.

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1147376931817113852006-05-11T12:48:00.000-07:002006-05-17T13:18:16.140-07:00

OK OK the article doesn't really have anything to do with Thomas (though the kids were watching it at the time of the crime). In short, the SUV driving Mom chased down some bank robbers with her kids in the back seat watching a DVD of Thomas. They could have been killed. One of her kids was almost shot. It's only money. Good grief. There are police officers with weapons who can do that sort of

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1145629134269184642006-04-21T07:18:00.000-07:002006-04-21T07:18:55.756-07:00

The Hindu Business Line : Carry on, Thomas: "The cheeky little tank engine and his affable engine friends have turned 60 this year. " This is the kind of article that makes a blog like this worthwhile (if indeed it can be argued that a blog like this is worthwhile).It's a great summary and has some details (not sourced) that I'd never seen before like:Critics also accused him (Audry) of "mid-

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1144761207990257802006-04-11T06:13:00.000-07:002006-04-11T06:15:02.760-07:00

'Thomas' cancellation leaves fan derailed: "'Thomas' cancellation leaves fan derailed"I can't imagine that this kind of thing can happen. Apparently a lady bought tickets to "A Day Out with Thomas" and then later was told by the railroad that they'd oversold the trip. I find this rather disgusting. It's one thing, though not a good thing, for airlines to do this garbage... A certain percentage or

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1144068587221820252006-04-03T05:49:00.000-07:002006-04-03T05:49:47.273-07:00

Another gadget to hook the kidsHere's a pretty nice article from a dad talking about the Thomas the Tank Engine story downloadable to cell phones from Sprint. I don't really have a strong opinion about this. (I'm open to your comments) I will say Thomas was a lot more fun before the overcomercialization. But overcomercialization is relative... I think I though he was overcomercialized 10 years

Alexanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1143575178938629812006-03-28T11:46:00.000-08:002006-03-28T11:46:18.986-08:00

I know I said this was a Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Blog and not a Harry Potter blog but this seems close enough. Theres a train you can ride in Delaware that has a harry potter theme. Seems like fun for the kids.delawareonline ¦ The News Journal ¦ All aboard for fun on the Wizard Train

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1143140359575752212006-03-23T10:59:00.000-08:002006-03-23T10:59:19.606-08:00

This article isn't really all that interesting but I hadn't posted anything in a while. The only thing interesting to me was that HIT Entertainment, which seemed to come out of nowhere is a subsidiary of Apax Partners. Oh yeah... and HIT Entertainment, from what is intimated in the article, appears to be a bunch of corporate sharks.icCheshireOnline: "It comes three weeks after London-based

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1142446665673638632006-03-15T10:17:00.000-08:002006-03-15T10:18:08.003-08:00

Here's a great line:"I am a sucker for enthusiasm. I regard an enthusiast as worth a hundred cynics"Here here. It's way too easy to be cynical, skeptical and pessimistic. Here's a great article on Steam Engines and steam engine enthusiasts. With a brief reference to Thomas delighting kids.Guardian Unlimited Columnists Thrill to the steam engine, the most radical machine ever built

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1142283541066296452006-03-13T12:59:00.000-08:002006-03-15T10:13:02.880-08:00

This article:MiamiHerald.com 03/10/2006 CRITIC'S PICK: Family Fun: "'Day Out with Thomas'"talks about the Day out with Thomas tour coming to Miami. This type trip is fantastic for kids (or parents with kids) but a little goofy for an adult fan (unless you can sign up to be a Mentor for a kid and then, you get to go and be a hero!For details on a "A day out with Thomas events", try http://

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1141222711693271942006-03-01T06:18:00.000-08:002006-03-01T06:18:33.810-08:00

Third paragraph says that HIT entertainment is doing it's 11th Come Ride the Rails with Thomas this year. I missed it this past year but am excited to be ahead of the curve this year.The Biz: Pepsi And TBS Promo No Joke; Blockbuster Is Up For Oscar

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1140793809861514532006-02-24T07:10:00.000-08:002006-04-03T07:25:42.843-07:00

http://www.retail-week.com/nav?page=retailweek.news.techology.detail&resource=4394193I didn't make the link live because you need to be a paying subscriber to read it.The article above talks about Amazon opening a new doll shop. The interesteing part of it from TtTE standpoint is the reference to "one of Amazon’s leading branded toy shops, Thomas the Tank Engine". I didn't realize there was such

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1140619478535688752006-02-22T06:44:00.000-08:002006-03-15T10:09:46.960-08:00

Geoffrey Evison, A RAILWAY preservation society chairman, is nicknamed the fat controller, what British children call Sir Topham Hatt. I find that hilarious.Scotsman.com News - Scotland - Fat Controller's threat to bank boss

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1140141389931773362006-02-16T17:56:00.000-08:002006-05-16T11:43:25.690-07:00

I'm no legal expert but it doesn't seem like the company stands much of a chance in this suit.Moms sue maker of Tal homas trains: "Friends""Lifetime warranty cut to 90 days "These things are a fortune," said plaintiff Lucy Brady of Clarendon Hills, who has spent more than $5,000 on the toys for her four-year-old son Christopher. "The reason you pay that much for a train is you think they are

Alexanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1139928540880883832006-02-14T06:49:00.000-08:002006-03-15T10:04:31.336-08:00

It says here: JAKKS News Release that JAKKS is planning on releasing a Thomas game later this year. I've played their Atari throwback game (It's essentially a nostalgic joystick that plugs into the RCA cables in the front of your TV. All the logic for the games are small enough to fit in the controller... Very clever) and it's fantastic. I hope the Thomas game is thoughtful and not just some kind

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1139849635372931022006-02-13T08:53:00.000-08:002006-02-13T08:53:55.950-08:00

How cool is this? someone sent me the real Thomas the Tank engine that they found in google earth. Google Local

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1139499420567278482006-02-09T07:37:00.000-08:002006-02-09T07:37:00.586-08:00

Thanks to Mark for that. There's a fun article about "A toddler.. left in tears after he forgets where he put his Thomas the Tank Engine replica toy."DinnerTimes.com - Thomas The Tank Engine Goes Missing

Alexanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1139411481979587522006-02-08T07:11:00.000-08:002006-02-08T07:11:25.126-08:00

Not much on the Thomas the Tank Engine News front. I'd love it if someone out there finds an online link to that BBC documentary. I looked but didn't see it.Also, I decided that I was going to make this BLOG exclusively About Thomas and Friends... no more Harry Potter. There too much information to really keep track of him. So, anyhow, post a comment or send me an email if there is Thomas the

Alexanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1139001566135576542006-02-03T13:19:00.000-08:002006-02-03T13:19:26.206-08:00

I wanted to raise the questions after reading the article earlier. It way seem that I'm biased as I keep a Harry potter blog, but I've read both series and I LOVED LWW, both the book and the movie. That said the answer to this dilemma is that HP will be better. I can state this unequivocally because the book was so much better and the audience (us) are so much more wrapped up in what's going to

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1138817589546722382006-02-01T10:11:00.000-08:002006-11-03T01:13:58.423-08:00

I'm trying to come up with a comprehensive list of all the Thomas the Tank Engine Characters. Here's what I have:Daisy Ben Bertie BillBoco Caroline Diesel DonaldDouglas Duck Duke Duncan Edward George Gordon Harold Henry

Alexanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1138714414500807352006-01-31T05:23:00.000-08:002006-01-31T05:33:34.510-08:00

I had a post a few weeks ago about how terrible Thomas videos were about haveing 15 minutes of garbage before you got to the content (with no way of fast-forwarding). Well we got a Theodore the Tugboat video at the library and there was about 20 seconds of delay (for the FBI warning).Also, should anyone be interested, the Theodore the Tug Boat Theme Song goes like this:Theodore, he's a tugboat

Alexanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1138713728448983182006-01-31T05:22:00.000-08:002006-01-31T05:22:08.490-08:00

CourierPostOnline - South Jersey's Web SiteThis article references Thomas and the effect he has on interesting kids (read boys) in trains."Thomas the Tank Engine was pulling Clarabelle south on the track toward the lumber camp."

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1138386905878667452006-01-27T10:35:00.000-08:002006-01-27T10:35:05.920-08:00

Thomas Song LyricsThis site has the TV show, they're 2 they're 4 they're 6 they're 8. There are alot of sites with the other Thomas songs (from videos, but for some reason, there's not with the 2 4 6 8 song from TV, even though it appears on the screen. I had a hard time finding it in a search engine (but my problem was mostly that I was searching for the number 2 rather than "two" spelled out)

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1138282842017634192006-01-26T05:40:00.000-08:002006-03-15T10:09:06.876-08:00

I don't know what this ridiculous sounding commentary typically is about but it references Thomas the Tank Engine as part of what's good and wholesome about English culture. It seems like it might be a weird romance 'novel' in article form in the newspaper.(requires registration or use:username: gorram@gmail.comPassword: gorram'I mean... As if Daniel is going to marry me. He can't even speak to

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1138217005907020782006-01-25T11:23:00.000-08:002006-01-25T11:23:25.940-08:00

This is a pretty great article summarizing Thiomas and kid's facination with him. It's not really news... I don't know why it's in a newpaper but someone brougt it to my attention so I figured I'd include it.The Times and Democrat - TAKEN WITH THOMAS: For little boys under 8, that �Really Useful Engine� has run away with their imaginationsIt was a time long, long ago in a land far, far away that

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1138028823787853862006-01-23T07:07:00.000-08:002006-01-23T07:07:06.700-08:00

I don't like his hair on the link, but he was cast well. He's supposed to be tall and thin like ron, as opposed to the twins who should have been stockier. Oh well. http://www.hpana.com/news.19242.html

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20744410.post-1136902621557358552006-01-10T06:17:00.000-08:002006-01-10T06:17:01.556-08:00

Can't say we did see this coming.FOXNews.com - Business - Toys R Us to Shut 75 Stores: "However, Vornado (VNO) said the remaining share relating to the cost of liquidating the inventory will be recorded as an after-tax expense of $9 million in the first quarter."

Alexanoreply@blogger.com0