Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000)
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A young girl and a railway conductor must team up with a heroic tank engine to save a magical locomotive from a ruthless villain.
The story
Sir Topham Hatt and his family leave the Island of Sodor on holiday, leaving Mr. Conductor from Shining Time in charge of the railway. However, the ruthless Diesel 10 returns to Sodor with plans to destroy Lady, a lost engine capable of producing magic by traveling on a secret railroad. Lady is currently hidden in a workshop on Muffle Mountain. When Mr. Conductor discovers his supply of magical gold dust is running low, he must seek help. Lily Stone, the granddaughter of Lady's caretaker, joins forces with Mr. Conductor and Thomas the Tank Engine to find the source of the gold dust and protect Lady from Diesel 10's destructive intentions.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Sir Topham Hatt leaves the Island of Sodor, leaving Mr. Conductor in charge. Diesel 10 arrives, intending to destroy Lady, a magic-producing engine hidden by her driver, Burnett Stone. Mr. Conductor realizes his gold dust, used to teleport between Sodor and Shining Time, is nearly depleted. He calls his cousin, C. Junior, for help. Meanwhile, Thomas the Tank Engine discovers a secret railway and a missing coal truck. Mr. Conductor is abducted by Diesel 10 but escapes to find a clue to the gold dust. Lily Stone meets Patch and Junior, who take her through the magic railroad to Sodor to meet Thomas. They find Mr. Conductor at a windmill. Diesel 10's henchmen, Splatter and Dodge, find the Sodor entrance, but Toby distracts Diesel 10, causing a roof collapse. Thomas pushes a coal truck into the magic railroad and later rolls down a cliffside into another portal. Burnett explains Lady's plight to Lily, who suggests using special coal to start her. Lady successfully steams and takes them along the magic railroad. Diesel 10 attempts to cross a viaduct but falls into a sludge-filled barge after the structure collapses. Lily creates more gold dust using water from a wishing well and magic railroad shavings. Mr. Conductor passes his duties to Junior, Lily and her companions return to Shining Time, and Thomas returns home.
- First release year
- 2000
- Runtime (minutes)
- 86
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Britt Allcroft
- Writers
- Britt Allcroft · writer; Britt Allcroft · director
- Cast and characters
- Alec Baldwin · Mr. Conductor; Peter Fonda · Burnett Stone; Mara Wilson · Lily Stone; Didi Conn · Stacy Jones; Russell Means · Billy Twofeathers; Cody McMains · Patch; Michael E. Rodgers · Mr. C. Junior; Eddie Glen · Thomas; Neil Crone · Diesel 10; Linda Ballantyne · Percy; Susan Roman · James; Colm Feore · Toby
- Genres
- fantasy; adventure
- Themes
- friendship; bravery; good vs. evil
- Tone and mood
- fantasy; adventure
- Premise and plot tags
- crossover; live-action/animation hybrid; trains
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Railway Series by Wilbert Awdry, Thomas & Friends by Britt Allcroft, and Shining Time Station by Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow.
- Franchise connections
- Thomas & Friends
- Reception
- The film received generally negative reviews from critics for its performances, plot, special effects, and lack of fidelity to the source material. It was also a box-office bomb.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 19 · scale: 100 · review count: 23; CinemaScore · score: B · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- The film underwent extensive re-editing in response to feedback from test screenings, resulting in the recasting of several voice actors and the removal of Doug Lennox's performance as P.T. Boomer.; The large passenger station where Lily boards the train is the Harrisburg Transportation Center.; The film was re-released in theaters on 24 October 2020, for the film's 20th anniversary with all the deleted scenes restored.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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