Thomas the Train TV show, how is it done?

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Does any body know how Thomas the train is done?

My nephew just asked me “Is Thomas done by computer or is it was filmed on a layout like yours?”

Does any body know?

Thanks
Baker

2

I know that Shining Time Station was filmed on a layout… as for anything thats new (within the past 8 years or so), I am not certain.

3

Watching Thomas is one of my grandson’s favorite pasttimes. As I recall from reading somewhere, Thomas is filmed on a real layout. The moving facial features on the trains are done on non-operating models and the film is edited so that it looks like the facial expressions are on the operating trains. If you watch the show carefully, you will notice that none of the facial expressions have movement while the trains are in motion.

At least, that’s what I remember!

Darrell, quiet…for now

4

I think what they did was use smoke generators, radio control for the faces and multipule faces for each of the characters in the set.

I dont know if they went all out and built the Isle of Sodor in a scale suitable for Television or just shot off of dioramas and perhaps a sceniced loop for the main.

I would imagine each episode had a story board, different voices and a path to follow for everything used in the show. Scenes would be shot until it matches the planned story and everything will be tied together in the editing room.

I did enjoy the Thomas series but as an adult wondered if there was any kind of organized pernament layout complete with all of the scenes and perhaps some kind of operating schedule between different locations. But for children it should be enough to watch Thomas deal with Sir Toppenhat or perhaps The Big Engine or other issues that usually is a theme of a show.

5

No, there is no Sodor layout, or anything like that, based on articles I’ve read regarding the Thomas program. According to the published accounts (one even, I think, appeared in MR some time back), the series is taped using various large and small diorama sections suitable for the particular scene(s) being shot. Likewise, in some cases the dioramas and the rolling stock are reportedly in several scales, dependant on what they intend to show and how far the “trains” need to proceed through the scene. Close-ups of the locomotives employ radio-controlled models of around O-scale or larger and the steam exhaust features you see are created simply by openings in the diorama below the engines expelling vapor from a small tube.

CNJ831

6

This website should help you greatly in answering any questions about thomas:

http://melgarvewarrior.tripod.com/sodorisland/behindthescenes.html

7

well, thanks for taking all the magic out of it…just don’t tell the kids, OK?[:o)][;)]

8

LOL.

We kids were taken on a field trip to a local television station once between 2nd and 4th grade. We saw where they had made popular childrens shows of the day and that totally destroyed any of the magic for us. =)

9

Thanks guys. I was just wondering. I was not sure what to tell him so I told him I would tell him the next time he was here. This will also give me some time on what I should tell him.

Baker

10

April 1993 Model Railroader has an article on how the Thomas television show is made. The models are fairly large scale and they have something like 40 different faces for Thomas.

Dave Nelson

11

Hi, in the past a few articles appeared in our model press here in the UK. Sodor isn’t a layout as such more of a group of small modules which are set up for each shoot. The locos are if I remember correctly O gauge/ 7mm-1ft and are locomotives found here in the UK at some point or other over the last 100 years just repainted. Alot of the preserved railways here in the UK have Thomas weekends where preserved locos are dressed up like Thomas a good revenue earner much to the annoyance of the purists.

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/mhrttte.htm#James

Shaun

12

There are several Thomas’s in the states too. I don’t think there is a Thomas here with a permantent home, but the couple that they have do a tour ( www.comeridetherails.com ) of historic railroads around the country. It’s pretty neat for the kids to see Thomas but the train rides are nothing to speak of (typically the train bakcs up a mile and pulls forward again).

13

Since the large scale model was the first “Thomas,” would that make that one the prototype and the full size one at Strasburg the model?

14

Maybe not for us adults but I bet the kids love it anyway.

15

Wouldn’t it be educational? Magical thinking is a dangerous delusion, on children doubly so.

16

I’d rather have children believing the magic of Thomas over the blood & gore of other TV and/or videogames. At least the Thomas shows (from what I remember) had some form of a moral/lesson in each one…

17

Neither. It is real.

18

Different strokes, I suppose. I was brought up to believe in only what I could see, and to reject any kind of nationalistic and idealistic creeds. That’s what happens when you’re the son of a science teacher and a biologist. I really never did believe in Santa Claus.

Violence is another thing. I believe it absolutely necessary that one is brought up to eventually realize the horror that is Man’s inhumanity to Man. No rush, though.

19

yes they did have morals, but " always make sure all passengers are safely inside the carriages before departing" is kind of hard to put into action in real life. unless you drive trains, that is.even then, its just common sense. {:OP

20

Thanksfor clearing that up i was too wondering lately after i saw it on TV how it was made, because if youre a modeler you can notice how it does look like a giant model railroad. because it seem to real to be computer made, but wasnt sure how they did it.