Thomas the Train!

its everyones favorite lil' tank engine!
A steam locomotive is a steam powered railway locomotive.Thomas the Train is a tank engine, and he is also known as Thomas the Tank Engine. trains like Thomas were used a lot between about 1830 and 1970. Afterwards, diesel and electric locomotives were used more often, like the diesels on sodor. The first steam locomotive was made by Richard Trevithick for a railway used for moving iron at an ironworks in Wales. A steam locomotive works by burning a fuel like coal in a special space called a firebox. This produces hot gases that rise and go through tubes in a boiler - a large space with water in it. This heats the water, producing steam. The steam is then taken through another tube to a cylinder. The steam then pushes the piston which in turn pushes a metal rod that is connected to the wheels, making the locomotive move. The steam then rises out through the chimney.
Steam locomotives are still today used in many developing countries where the railways have not yet been electrified.


​from Wikipedia 

THOMAS FACTS

  1. Thomas the Tank Engine started as the Railway Series, written by Reverend W. Awdry for his son Christopher. Awdry originally told the Railway stories to his son before bed until Christopher became persistent about providing more details and finally took to pen and paper. Awdry’s wife, Margaret, insisted he turn his tales into books, and thus the “RailWay Series” was born. The first book was entitled The Three Railway Engines.
  2. Thomas was not a prominent character in the Railway Series until Awdry made a model of Thomas for Christopher.
  3. The first three engines were named Edward, Gordon and Henry.
  4. Awdry originally claimed the “NW” on the side of Thomas represented “No Where” but as the Railway Series developed it became the North Western Railway.
  5. The first Thomas products were sold in 1957 and consisted of cardboard kits for children to put together. The engines included Thomas, Percy, Gordon and James.
  6. In 1972, Awdry retired from writing children’s fiction. By that time he’d published 105 stories with Tramway Engines being his last. His son, Christopher, went on to create three more tales including Really Useful Engines.
  7. In 1984 Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends made its broadcast debut in the UK. Former Beatles member, Ringo Starr, joined the series as a storyteller for 52 episodes. The show was an instant success with more than 8.5 million viewers.
  8. Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends made its US debut on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) in 1989.
  9. Throughout the series, two more celebrities joined the cast as storytellers including Alec Baldwin and Pierce Brosnan.
  10. The very first US based Day Out With Thomas event was held in Wisconsin in 1996. Families and aspiring engineers were able to ride a 15-ton replica of Thomas and enjoy train-themed activities. Strasburg Rail Road’s first Day Out With Thomas event was held in 1998.
  11. Thomas’ iconic blue color is also the official color of the North Western Railway. Before Thomas was blue he was originally teal green with white lining.
  12. Thomas’ driver’s name is Bob.
  13. In the animated series, Thomas’ top speed is estimated to be between 30 and 40 miles per hour.
  14. Thomas’ official website launched in 1996. If you’re looking for even more fun facts about Thomas and his Railway friends, you can check them out here: thomasandfriends.com.
  15. In 2015, Thomas & Friends celebrated their 70th anniversary. The Three Railway Engines was published in May of 1945.
  16. Thomas the Tank Engine is a 0-6-0 tank locomotive, based on the LB&SCR E2 Class. He is painted blue with red lining and is No.1 in the North Western Railway fleet. Thomas was told to work on the mainline was built in 1915 and arrived on Sodor in May 1922.this is a picture of the engine he's based on:

​from Wikipedia 

Train Question & Answers
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Train Question & Answers
  Question: Who invented the train? Answer: A Scottish man by the name of James Watt invented the train, but it was an Englishman by the name of Richard Trevithick that built the first locomotive that was fully functional in 1804.
Question 2: Where is oldest railway station in the world? Answer 2: The Liverpool Road Station in Manchester UK is the oldest railway station still standing. It was opened as far back as 1830.
Question 3: Where is the world’s longest railway tunnel? Answer 3: The world’s longest railway tunnel is Gotthard Base Tunnel located in the Swiss Alps.
Question 4: Where is the world’s longest railway passenger route? Answer 4: Russian Railways has a passenger route that is 10267 km in length running from Moscow (Russia) to Pyongyang (North Korea). A long journey like this will take you over 8 days to complete.
Question 5: What is the longest US railway passenger route?  Answer 5: The longest passenger railway route in the US is from Chicago to Los Angeles covering 4390 km.
Question 6: Where is the Channel Tunnel? Answer 6: The Channel Tunnel operates from Folkstone in Kent (UK) to Coquelles in France. The tunnel runs for 50.5 km or 31.40 miles. The Channel tunnel runs under the English Channel.​


from a train website

    TRAIN QUIZ!

    Before you submit, read this:
    If you clicked A in the first question, you were right.
    If you clicked B in the second question, you were right.
    ​If you clicked B in the last one, you were right.

Lots LOTS more facts!
 

Trains are built to transport passengers or cargo along rail tracks. There are all kinds of different trains that are built for a range of purposes and environments. Trains can be powered by a variety of energy sources including steam, diesel and electricity. Early trains relied on ropes, horses or gravity. The use of steam locomotives developed through the 19th century before diesel and electric locomotives began to replace them in the 20th century. Cargo trains are typically powered by a locomotive which pulls from the front. Some trains have a second locomotive which helps by pushing from the back. Passenger trains often feature self-propelled carriages (multiple units) that can be joined with other units. Trains such as these are more energy efficient but may require more maintenance than a single locomotive vehicle. Some high speed rail services can reach speeds over 300 kph (186 mph). In operation since 1964, Japan’s Shinkansen (bullet train) is a well known example of a high speed passenger rail system. Opened in 1994, the Channel Tunnel carries passengers between the UK and France on a high speed railway. Technologies such as magnetic levitation may provide faster, more efficient train travel in the future. Magnetic levitation propels trains forward using magnets, keeping the vehicle levitated but close to the track. Monorails feature a single rail and are often elevated above ground. Funicular (or venicular) railways feature two cars/trams attached by cables that counterbalance each other as they move up and down a steep slope. There are many train enthusiasts around the world interested in everything from rail history to famous train journeys, model trains, railway photography and other hobbies related to railways. You may have heard of Thomas the Tank Engine, a popular character from British television and literature. Thomas is a small steam locomotive who starred in the children’s television series with a variety of other railway friends.

​from Wikipedia and edited by me
FUN ACTIVITY!
look at this picture, look at a picture of Thomas. Spot the differences and similarities.

For most of history, man moved around through one of three methods – by walking, by animals or by boat. After the invention of the wheel, people made carts, wagons and carriages that were pulled by horses, oxen or even humans. Carriages moved slowly and were often uncomfortable. Later, people invented wagons that were pulled by horses on tracks. The tracks allowed the wagons to move more quickly than if they were being pulled on flat ground.


​from Wikipedia 

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