We service and maintain a three-foot SRV THOMAS too.

There is also a 2-foot gauge version...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7880653@N03/2736468623/

Stephen

The controls in the cab are indeed minimal, but there's more than the eyes.

There's a whistle, which blows that wonderful and harmonic sounding British "Peanuts! Get yer red hot Peanuts!" tone. It uses air from an onboard tank that slowly draws from the trainline. Don't get too exuberant in blowing it, or you'll soon find you're out of air.

There's a basic headlight switch of some sort, can't recall details at the moment, I think it was powered by a car battery.

There's a dump valve, should Thomas happen upon one of his many "Trouble on the Tracks" adventures.

There's an arrangment to make smoke come out the stack. We used smoke bombs, insrted into a pipe arrangment but I understand they've since adopted them for use with a theatrical smoke machine.

As for the mechanical portion, well, I described Tommy like this: "A 55 gallon drum on a skateboard". ;) The inside is empty, and reminded me of the hull of a ship more than a train. Unless you get the one actual steam version, Thomas will always have a "friend" on the other end of the train helping him to roll down the track. "You see, the American train cars are bigger, so Thomas has to have one of his other engine friends help him pull the train..." (Don't know how many times I had to explain that.)

But it's well built, and the details on the exterior look good. It performs well and does what's expected. What more could you ask?

Yes, the 3' versions are basically a caboose with eyes.

You also have to remember that there's always been a close relationship between the personnel at EBT and Strasburg. Linn's done more than most people will ever know to keep the place going. Linn's converted 0-6-0 stays at Strasburg, all the other Thomases of various gauges are hauled around from site to site.

This is no joke, this is really happening, and what you need to understand is that there's a completely new administration down there. Things, very good things, can come out of this, even in the current political environment. But for that to happen, you need a solid chunk of significantly increased visitation and economic impact in the region.

So take a deep breath, it will be OK, and even better than that.... support this with your own visitation and bring your preschoolers. That's what counts, right here and right now. Nothing that is going down there is going to damage what we all love so much, and that is still very much respected.

Does anyone Tohomasify a diesel, hey, there's Iron Bert or Mavis?... Or do you just hope the kids don't ask questions?

I'll bet Thomas would do OK pulling an El-car train, or South Shores at East Troy, or a 3-car Bridge Unit train at WRM...

There is this unit in Omaha:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... ve0533.jpg

OK, now THAT might actually be a sign of the Apocalypse...

Oh, dear! I don't know about the Apocalypse, but it sure has tacky lips (and the rest of the front end - what were they thinkin'?). Yuck! Reminds me of those with poor taste in appearance that show up at sites like "The People of Walmart."

C'mon guys, it isn't nice to talk about the Burger King's wife like that.

As they say on Facebook, "Like"

It's been done in the UK, where the diesels (well, the vintage ones, anyway) still look enough like the ones portrayed in the Awdry books. the beauty is that they can make a flat "face" which can be mounted on existing brackets on the fronts of most such diesels, and sometimes the loco's windscreens are adapted into "eyes."

This effect doesn't come off as well in North America with the classic road-switcher configuration, and with the exception of the Amtrak P40/P42, there aren't that many locos where the look would work AND someone would want the PR from such a face. However, page 32 of the May issue of Trains has a well-known exception to the above opinions: two Haines and Kibblehouse ex-DT&I SD38's now in Birdsboro, Pa. See also:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=228281
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=228283

I did not know that! Thanks Mr. Weaver. See? You really do learn things here!

That has to be one of the most horrifying things I have ever seen on a locomotive! I know my Nephew would be freaked out...and probably never eat at Burger King again.
Remove the face and not a bad looking diesel otherwise.

OK, so what is the story of Virgie anyway? Obviously it's at the Omaha Zoo, unless UP has re-gauged and I didn't get the memo.

But who is Virgie? Is that a guy or a girl? Sounds like a guys name, looks like a lady. Is it related to Valentine's Day, thus the heart?

AHHH!!! MY EYES!!! That is a disgrace to the fans of Rev. Awdry.