"Thomas the Tank Engine" an Educational Toy

Bachman Industries, the world's largest toy maker (peanutroaster.hubpages.com) with "Thomas the Tank Engine", has reached out to the United States and United Kingdom in educating both children and adults in the workings of the two nation's rail systems. An interesting combination of toy manufacturing, movies, books, CDs, "YouTube" productions and television programming has been cleverly combined in cartoon fashion to bring understanding to children and adults alike of both countries' vast rail transportation systems.

Thomas the Tank

Thomas the Tank originated about 60 years ago with the writings of Reverend Wilbert Awdry for his son Christopher, while he was down with the measles. The original stories were the Three Railway Engines and Thomas the Tank Engine.

Thomas is a cartoon train and a very popular one at that. Together with his two favorite coaches, Annie and Clarabel, they live with many of their railroad friends in a fictional rail yard on the island of Sodor with the Fat Controller in charge. Collectively and without being aware, the characters are giving viewers, listeners and readers, both young and old, a glimpse of family life along with a thorough understanding of our world's rail system.

Based on Fact

Interestingly, most of the cars and incidents in the Thomas stories are taken from fact. Incidents and time lines that changed the manufacturing of real trains have been adhered to in the development of the cartoon characters.

Original trains and locomotives were small, but as years went by they became bigger; and just like real life, in the Thomas cartoon stories, their personalities change. For instance, over the years Annie and Clarabel have become more tolerant of Thomas. Bigger engines at Sodor are used to do bigger jobs and cover large distances while the smaller ones do the lesser but still important jobs around the yard.

Living Things

The stories of Thomas the Tank Engine are designed so the reader, if he chooses, can regard the characters as living things. Most story lines are taken from actual incidents that happened during the lives of the writers.

The numbers on the locomotives and train cars have been taken from real trains of a given class and devised to fit the story. For instance, Thomas's original number E2 was derived from an actual class of locomotive in 1915: a Billinton designed 0-6-0 E2 Class of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.

Eco Friendly

All toys manufactured by Bachman for the Thomas the Train series are eco-friendly. Many are made with recyclable materials that in turn are recyclable (totallythomastoys.com). Wooden and plush push toys, clothes and games are all eco-friendly. Ingredients used on the attractively painted toys, trains, tracks and buildings are lead-free and non-toxic. Books are made from recyclable paper material.

The story of Thomas the Tank Engine with its model trains, toys and books is written and presented for the enjoyment of children and adults alike. The tale is not only enlightening and entertaining but an historical and educational gem.