Overview[edit]
The show is set in a whimsical prehistoric world of jungles, swamps, active volcanoes and oceans, all teeming with dinosaur and other animal life, and connected by a train line known as the Dinosaur Train. This steam-engine train can be customized for dinosaurs of all kinds: windows accommodate the long-necked sauropods, there’s plenty of headroom in the Observation Car for the largertheropods, and the Aquacar is an aquarium for sea-going passengers. The train itself is run by Troodons, as the smartest dinosaurs in this fictional universe. The Dinosaur Train circles the whole world—it even crosses the oceans and inland seas, with stops to visit undersea prehistoric animals. It can travel through the entire Mesozoic Era, the “Age of Dinosaurs,” passing through magical Time Tunnels to the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous time periods.
The world of Dinosaur Train is seen through the eyes of Buddy the Tyrannosaurus. In the show’s main title song, we learn that Buddy was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Pteranodon. He hatched at the same time as his pteranodon siblings Tiny, Shiny, and Don. By traveling in the Dinosaur Train around the Mesozoic, supplied with all dinosaur facts by the train’s Troodon Conductor, Buddy learns that he is a Tyrannosaurus. As an adopted kid in a mixed-species family, Buddy is curious about the differences between species and vows to learn about all the dinosaurs he can by riding the Dinosaur Train. The dinosaurs featured in the show are actual dinosaurs discovered by paleontologists.
Dinosaur Train is co-produced and animated by Sparky Animation Studios in Singapore, with casting by Vidaspark and voice-overs recorded at Kozmic Sound in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It premiered on Labor Day 2009 and airs daily on PBS Kids, and in various countries around the world. 40 half-hour episodes have been ordered by PBS Kids so far. Each episode is followed by a live-action segment featuring Dinosaur Train educational consultant and world-renowned paleontologist Dr. Scott D. Sampson, who appears onscreen to explain the show’s dinosaur curriculum in greater detail.
Characters[edit]
Main article: List of Dinosaur Train characters
Cast[edit]
Additional voices
Phillip Corlett - Buddy Tyrannosaurus (first voice)
Sean Thomas - Buddy Tyrannosaurus (second voice)
Claire Corlett - Tiny Pteranodon
Ian James Corlett - Mr. Conductor, Adam Adocus, Alan Alamosaurus, Elliott Enantiornithine (in "Now with Feathers"), Morris Stegosaurus, Mr. Argentinosaurus, Mr. Daspletosaurus, Mr. Elasmosaurus, Stuart Stygimoloch, Travis Troodon, Triceratops, Troodon Official, Vincent Velociraptor, Morris Stegosaurus
Erika-Shaye Gair - Shiny Pteranodon, Annie Tyrannosaurus, Cory Corythosaurus
Ellen Kennedy - Mrs. Pteranodon, Mrs. Einiosaurus, Mrs. Elasmosaurus
Alexander Matthew Marr - Don Pteranodon (first voice), Tank Triceratops
Laura Marr - Don Pteranodon (second voice)
Colin Murdock - Mr. Pteranodon, Announcer, Elliott Enantiornithine, Hank Ankylosaurus, Ralph Einiosaurus, Station Master, Stuart Styracosaurus, Ziggy Zhejiangopterus, Carson Carcharodontosaurus
Mark Acheson - Marvin Mososaurus
Michael Adamthwaite - Jess Hesperornis
Ashleigh Ball - Arnie Argentinosaurus, Gilbert Troodon, Lorraine Lambeosaurus, Millie Maiasaura, Mrs. Therizinosaurus, Oren Ornithomimus
Kathleen Barr - Angela Avisaurus (in "T.rex Migration"), Dolores Tyrannosaurus, Erma Eoraptor, Laura Giganotosaurus, Mrs. Corythosaurus, Mrs. Ornithomimus, Ned Brachiosaurus, Ollie Ornithomimus, Pauline Proganochelys, Peggy Peteinosaurus, Trudy Triceratops, Tuck Triceratops, Velma Velociraptor
