BOOTHBAY

S aturday proved a spectacular day for a train ride, and a crew of more than 45 volunteers ensured that there would be no confusion or delay when Thomas the Tank Engine came to town.

It was day two of “Day Out With Thomas: Mystery on the Rails Tour 2012” at Boothbay Railway Village. Sir Topham Hatt, controller of the railway on the island of Sodor in the storybooks and children’s television series, was also in Boothbay for the weekend.

The “Fat Controller” as he is known, was busy meeting children and posing for photos. He was very pleased with BRV director Bob Ryan and his staff, noting they “are a very useful crew that keeps the trains running on schedule.”

One member of that crew responsible for keeping Thomas on time is his driver, Tyler Richards of Edgecomb. Richards worked at Boothbay Railway Village out of high school, and returned after a stint in the Army. Now he is one of five people who drive regularly.

For many young boys and girls, the chance to get a ride on Thomas is a dream come true. But to think that one day they too could drive Thomas? It could happen, as Richards knows. He, too, was a fan of the blue engine as a boy. “I still have some of my original Thomas stuff from when I was knee-high to a grasshopper.”

A dozen daily 25-minute excursions pulled by Thomas himself, the No. 1 engine on Sodor, are supplemented with barrel train and hay rides pulled by a tractor. An imagination station allows children to play with trains and create crafts. A storytelling area includes videos, and a bounce house and hay-bale maze add to the fun. Children each get a map to follow, and when they have a stamp from all stations, they are given a prize.

In addition to the Thomas-themed activities, BRV’s usual exhibits were available for visitors to explore, including an antique automobile museum and model railroad.

For children who enjoy the Thomas & Friends stories, getting the opportunity to meet the train is worth the drive.

Benjamin Gammon, 4, and his 3-yearold brother, Andrew, were visiting from Biddeford. According to their mom, Amanda Staples, this was their first visit to Boothbay to see Thomas. The family has seen Thomas in North Conway, N.H., before, but “this is much better. (The setup) is very congested in North Conway. This is much nicer for the boys,” noting how Boothbay Railway Village’s facility layout allowed people to move much more freely, without feeling like everything was crammed into the same area.

The event has grown in popularity each year, according to BRV staff member Chuck Vaughan of Cooper’s Mills. The first day there were about 700 people on the train and Vaughan estimated that Thomas hauled between 1,000 and 1,200 visitors on Saturday.

This is a big boon to the economy in the area as people come from long distances to see Thomas, explained Vaughan.

The Pelkeys would fit into that category. They are serious Thomas fans who live in Florenceville, New Brunswick, and came to Boothbay specifically to see 4-year-old Garrett’s favorite steam engine. According to father Jerry Pelkey, “we live close to the border and (Garrett’s) nuts about Thomas. It was worth the four-and-a-half hours it took to get here.”

The trains completed the first weekend on Sunday, and will continue this coming weekend. Thomas departs every 35 minutes from 9:15 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Tickets cost $18 for ages 2 and older and are available online at www.RailwayVillage.org or by calling 633-4727 for more information.