The Ambassador from Sodor
Chugging his way into the hearts of kids around the country, Thomas the Tank Engine has been the roving Ambassador from the Island of Sodor for a couple of generations now. This live-steam version of Thomas, at the Strasburg Rail Road may well be the first actual steam engine that many kids today have ever seen in action. If just half a percent of the kids who see him take an interest in steam preservation, then using an otherwise historic artifact like Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal #15 in this way will have been well worth the cost.
Interestingly, the face on the Strasburg Rail Road's Thomas engine has morphed over the years. When this image was captured back in 2004, the eyes were capable of moving, which gave him the appearance of being "alive." While I have not seen it yet, I am told that this face has, in recent years, been replaced with a newly developed animatronic face, which has the ability to move not only the eyes, but also the mouth, and which can speak using computer-generated audio. Today, when kids attend a "Day out with Thomas" event, the blue engine will seem more alive than ever.
The Ambassador from Sodor
Chugging his way into the hearts of kids around the country, Thomas the Tank Engine has been the roving Ambassador from the Island of Sodor for a couple of generations now. This live-steam version of Thomas, at the Strasburg Rail Road may well be the first actual steam engine that many kids today have ever seen in action. If just half a percent of the kids who see him take an interest in steam preservation, then using an otherwise historic artifact like Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal #15 in this way will have been well worth the cost.
Interestingly, the face on the Strasburg Rail Road's Thomas engine has morphed over the years. When this image was captured back in 2004, the eyes were capable of moving, which gave him the appearance of being "alive." While I have not seen it yet, I am told that this face has, in recent years, been replaced with a newly developed animatronic face, which has the ability to move not only the eyes, but also the mouth, and which can speak using computer-generated audio. Today, when kids attend a "Day out with Thomas" event, the blue engine will seem more alive than ever.