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Young "Thomas the Tank Engine" fans are sure to be thrilled and awestruck when they see Thomas himself chug into town during his annual visit to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Dillsboro (NC). Tickets for the event, scheduled for July 27 through August 4, are still available. Fans of the adorable children's favorite will have an opportunity to meet Thomas during the first national "Day Out With Thomas" tour. This year marks the fourth year that Thomas the Tank Engine has visited the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.Thomas the Tank Engine books, as well as a widely viewed television show by the same name, have long been a favorite of preschoolers, early elementary school aged children, and their parents. Thomas' openness and kindness toward the other characters in the series provide gentle lessons for the younger set on topics such as sharing, solving disagreements, and various other problems often found in the lives of young children.
Over 31,000 fans flocked to Dillsboro in 2001 to see the steam-fired, bright blue Thomas the Tank Engine with the smiling face. According to Kim Lyons, Marketing Manager for the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, Thomas' appearance promotes railroading to a new generation of enthusiasts. "We are very excited to bring this event to West North Carolina," says Lyons. "Holding the annual event is generating the much needed revenue to reach our goal of becoming a full steam operation. In the theme of Thomas the Tank Engine stories, you might even say one engine helps another. We are currently renovating steam locomotive 722 which originally operated on our branch line." Tickets for "Day Out With Thomas" may be reserved by calling the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad at 800-872-4681 or 828-586-8811. (Photos provided by GSMR.)
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During "Day Out With Thomas," aspiring little engineers and the adults who are lucky enough to accompany them will bring imagination to life as they ride aboard a fully operational replica of the Number 1 Engine. Under the watchful eye of Sir Topham Hatt, the kindly boss who runs the railroad where Thomas and his friends live, Thomas will pull classic coaches carrying families on this 25-minute run along his branch line. The day's festivities will include local entertainment, clowns, food, a play center, bouncy train, petting zoo, and screenings of "Thomas and Friends" videos.