Why is everyone calling it Thomas the Train?

Question

Is this a different character to Thomas the Tank Engine? Is he called Thomas the Train in the US?

Confused :/

Answer 1

He used to be marketed as a 'Tank Engine' I believe, but now the packages say 'Train'. That's just how America works...people get dumb, and the companies go right along with it...lol. My husband calls him a tank, and so do I actually...and I am from America.



The brand is Thomas and Friends...and they refer to the trains as engines...it's just that most kids are more inclined to say 'train' than they are to say 'tank engine'.

Answer 2

Thomas the tank engine is a train.. same thing. Most kids just don't know what a tank engine is. All they really know or focus on about "Thomas the tank engine" is that his name is Thomas and he's a train.. therefore its Thomas the train.

Answer 3

It's the same character. I live in the US and I've always known him as Thomas the Train so maybe it is a US thing.



Edit: LOL! So it isn't a US thing. It seems to be different for everyone. I never knew he was a tank engine.

Answer 4

I've been wondering the same thing! I always knew him as Thomas the Tank Engine, now I keep hearing Thomas the Train (I'm from the US btw).

Answer 5

Ahem, sorry this took so long, my Thomas expert was eating dinner, and he assures me Thomas is a Tank Engine aka a "Steamie", because he needs coal, which differentiates him from the diesel engines that need diesel to run. According to Thomas wiki (yeah, it exists), and the most recent film release from two months ago - http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/Misty_Island_Rescue - he is still a Tank Engine.

The product line has been rebranded "Thomas and Friends" when Fisher Price bought the rights to it last year - this way, they can market and sell more "friends". There are now about 50 trains that you can buy, plus assorted playsets and other crap.

"Tank Engine" is not an American term, that is probably why it is Thomas the Train in the US.

Answer 6

Never heard Tank Engine...lol Always known him as Thomas the Train.

Answer 7

A "Tank Engine" as opposed to any other engine is a meaningless distinction to most Americans, so Thomas is just a train. The official product line here is called "Thomas and Friends."



The US doesn't have much train awareness, particularly compared with the UK and the commonwealth.

Answer 8

I had never heard Thomas the train until now! I've only ever known it as the tank engine but I'm in the UK. I guess train does make more sense but it would never catch on with me!

Answer 9

Here a tank would be considered an army tank. Thomas looks like a train. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck.



I say train, only because he looks like a train to me.

Answer 10

Jesus by no ability stated everywhere interior the bible that he became God, besides the reality that he did in lots of cases communicate of God as his father. It became constantly somebody else who stated Jesus as God. He did not answer whilst he became approximately to be crucified, that's very telling.

Answer 11

https://youtu.be/7im0XwTtJnA

Kids lI've thomas and friends!