Thomas the Tank chugs his way to Grapevine

Six days this month, Thomas the Tank aficionados are having fun on Ride the Rails With Day Out With Thomas: The Ready, Set, Go Tour 2016 aboard the Grapevine Vintage Railroad.

Beginning April 1-3 and ending April 8-10, train fans of all ages are teaming up with Thomas the Tank Engine for a day of family friendly fun.

Thomas the Tank Engine is star of the popular Thomas & Friends series. The tour, in its 21st year, will make 43 stops across the U.S. and Canada and is expected to welcome nearly one million passengers this year.

Since Thomas the Tank Engine left the depot more than 70 years ago, this useful engine and his Island of Sodor friends have chugged their way into the hearts of preschoolers and grownups worldwide. Based on The Railway Series of classic stories, Thomas & Friends is a rite of passage that inspires the imagination while teaching the life lessons of friendship, exploration and cooperation.

The tour is presented by Fisher-Price and is hosted by the Museum of the American Railroad, the Grapevine Vintage Railroad and HIT Entertainment.

Paul W. McCallum, executive director of the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau, was happy to welcome Thomas again.

“Thomas is one of those iconic events we look forward to every year because it represents the core of what Grapevine is all about — and that’s families,” McCallum said.

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Thomas the Tank chugs his way to Grapevine."