Dinosaur Train is a computer-animated television series aimed at preschoolers ages 3 to 6 and created by Craig Bartlett, who also created Nickelodeon's Hey Arnold!. The series features a Tyrannosaurus rex named Buddy who, together with the rest of his family, who are all Pteranodons, takes the Dinosaur Train to explore his time period, and have adventures with a variety of dinosaurs. It is co-produced by The Jim Henson Company in association with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (formerly the Media Development Authority), Sparky Animation, FableVision, Snee-Oosh, Inc., Reel FX, and Sea to Sky Entertainment. PBS Kids had ordered 11 more episodes, taking the total number of episodes to 100. A film based on the series from Universal Pictures and Universal 1440 Entertainment titled, Dinosaur Train: Adventure Island premiered on April 12, 2021.
Overview
The show is set in a whimsical prehistoric world of jungles, swamps, active volcanoes and oceans, all filled with dinosaur and other animal life, and connected by a train line known eponymously as the Dinosaur Train. This steam-engine train can be customized for dinosaurs of all kinds: windows accommodate long-necked sauropods, there is headroom in the Observation Car for the larger theropods, and the Aquacar is an aquarium for sea-going passengers. The train itself is run by Troodons, being the smartest dinosaurs in this fictional universe. The Dinosaur Train circles the whole world, crossing 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. According to the show's main title song, 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 child 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 dinosaur species 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 were ordered by PBS Kids for the 1st season. After that 49 additional episodes were made. Each episode is followed by a live-action segment featuring Dinosaur Train educational consultant and paleontologist Dr. Scott D. Sampson, who appears onscreen to explain the show's dinosaur curriculum in greater detail.
Episodes
Voice cast
Main
Phillip Corlett as Buddy Tyrannosaurus (seasons 1–2) Sean Thomas as Buddy Tyrannosaurus (season 3) Dayton Wall as Buddy Tyrannosaurus (season 4) Chance Hurstfield as Buddy Tyrannosaurus (season 5) Claire Corlett as Tiny Pteranodon, Polly Polycotylus Erika-Shaye Gair as Shiny Pteranodon, Annie Tyrannosaurus, Cory Corythosaurus Alexander Matthew Marr as Don Pteranodon (seasons 1–2), Tank Triceratops Laura Marr as Don Pteranodon, Tank Triceratops (seasons 3–5), Quincy Quetzalcoatlus Ian James Corlett as Mr. Conductor, Adam Adocus, Alan Alamosaurus, Elliott Enantiornithine (in "Now with Feathers!"), Morris Stegosaurus, Mr. Argentinosaurus, Mr. Daspletosaurus, Mr. Elasmosaurus, Quentin Qianzhousaurus, Stuart Stygimoloch, Travis Troodon, Triceratops, Troodon Official, Vincent Velociraptor, Teddy Pterodaustro, Frankie Fruitafossor, Troodon Waiter Ellen Kennedy as Mrs. Pteranodon, Mrs. Einiosaurus, Mrs. Elasmosaurus, Grandma Pteranodon Colin Murdock as Mr. Pteranodon, Announcer, Elliott Enantiornithine, Hank Ankylosaurus, Ralph Einiosaurus, Station Master, Stuart Styracosaurus, Ziggy Zhejiangopterus, Carson Carcharodontosaurus (Chef C), Grandpa Pteranodon, Gary Goniopholis