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Parents Guide to "Thomas the Tank Engine"
Reader Coments
- David Brodbeck on March 4, 2005:
- I thought you might be interested to know that the term "points" *is* used in American railroading, but it only refers to a specific part of a switch -- the tips of the movable rails, where the actual switching action occurs. Because the points have to be very narrow pieces of metal to do their job well, they wear rapidly, and adjusting switch points so they reliably move close enough to the guide rails is a frequent task for maintenance workers. Incidentally, the V-shaped piece of metal at the center of a switch, where the rails cross over each other, is known as a "frog". (If you squint at it just right, it sort of looks like a frog lying on its belly, with its legs splayed.)
- Jerry Jobling on February 11, 2006:
- Another UK=US railway term mentioned in the stories... Sleepers=Railway/railroad Ties Nice website BTW :)
- Michael Patrick McKeown on May 28, 2006:
- Why was henry the green engine sent to Crewe?
- Craig Napier on July 14, 2006:
- I don't know the story where this happened, but Crewe was the major engineering works for British Railways in real life.
- Jan Wolter on October 26, 2006:
- It happens in "The Flying Kipper" after Henry crashes off the rails and the Fat Controller says, "Cheer up, Henry! It wasn't your fault. Ice and snow caused the accident. I'm sending you to Crewe, a fine place for sick engines. They'll give you a new shape and a larger firebox. You'll feel a different engine and you won't need special coal anymore. Won't that be nice?" Awdry was actually so disgusted with the illustrations of Henry that he considered getting rid of him entirely (that's why Henry was "sick"). His appearance varied from picture to picture (in "Thomas and the Guard" he looks exactly like Gordon), and he didn't look like any real engine. So Awdry had him rebuilt to match a real engine, thus satisfying Awdry's desire for accuracy, and providing the illustrator with a model to work from, so that Henry could be drawn consistently.
- Anonymous on June 3, 2007:
- You have way too much time on you hands...