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Dinosaur Train
DinosaurTrain.jpg
Created by Craig Bartlett
Directed by Craig Bartlett
Terry Izumi
Presented by Dr. Scott D. Sampson
Voices of Phillip Corlett
Claire Corlett
Erika-Shaye Gair
Alexander Matthew Marr
Ian James Corlett
Natasha Calis
Colin Murdock
Ellen Kennedy
Sean Thomas
Laura Marr
Opening theme "Dinosaur Train"
Ending theme "Dinosaur Train"
Composer(s) Jim Lang
Mike Himelstein
Michael Silversher
Country of origin United States
Canada
Singapore
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 5
No. of episodes 100
(List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Craig Bartlett
Brian Henson
Lisa Henson
Halle Stanford
Producer(s) Sue Bea Montgomery
Running time 28 minutes
Production company(s) Info-communications Media Development Authority
Sparky Animation
The Jim Henson Company
FableVision
Snee-Oosh, Inc. (uncredited)
Tail Waggin' Productions
Distributor The Jim Henson Company
Release
Original network PBS Kids
Picture format ATSC
Audio format Dolby Home Theater
Original release September 7, 2009 (2009-09-07) – present

Dinosaur Train is an American-Canadian-Singaporean computer-animated musical children's television series created by Craig Bartlett, who also created Hey Arnold! and Ready Jet Go!. The series features a curious young Tyrannosaurus rex named Buddy who, together with his adopted Pteranodon family, takes the Dinosaur Train to explore his time period, and have adventures with a variety of dinosaurs. It is produced by The Jim Henson Company in association with the Info-communications Media Development Authority (formerly the Media Development Authority), Sparky Animation, FableVision, and Snee-Oosh, Inc. and Reel FX and Sea to Sky Entertainment. As of September 2018 PBS Kids had ordered 11 more episodes, taking the total number of episodes to 100. A film based on the series titled, Dinosaur Train: Adventure Island was announced in 2020 and will premiere on April 12, 2021.

Overview

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 larger theropods, 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 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

List of Dinosaur Train episodes

Characters

Main

Additional voices

  • Mark Acheson — Marvin Mosasaurus
  • Michael Adamthwaite — Jess Hesperornis, Reggie Raptorex
  • Ashleigh Ball — Arnie Argentinosaurus, Crystal Cryolophosaurus, Gilbert Troodon, Lorraine Lambeosaurus, Maiasaura Mom, Millie Maiasaura, Mrs. Therizinosaurus, Oren Ornithomimus, Reba Rhabdodon, Gwendolyn Glyptops
  • William Ainscough — Dennis Deinocheirus
  • Kathleen Barr — Angela Avisaurus (in "T. Rex Migration"), Dolores Tyrannosaurus, Erma Eoraptor, Fanny Fabrosaurus, Jacqueline Jaxartosaurus, Laura Giganotosaurus, Mrs. Corythosaurus, Mrs. Ornithomimus, Ned Brachiosaurus, Ollie Ornithomimus, Pauline Proganochelys, Peggy Peteinosaurus, Trudy Triceratops, Tuck Triceratops, Velma Velociraptor, Velociraptor Mom, Remy Ramphorhynchus, Effie Effigia, Paulette Polycotylus,
  • Craig Bartlett — Spider
  • Adam Behr — Kenny Kentrosaurus
  • Nicole Bouma — Soren Saurornitholestes
  • Jason Bryden — Tommy Ptilodus
  • Jim Byrnes — Percy Paramacellodus
  • Natasha Calis — Leslie Lesothosaurus, Maisie Mosasaurus
  • Adrienne Carter — Kiera Chirostenotes
  • Garry Chalk — Marco Megaraptor
  • Shannon Chan-Kent — Allie Alamosaurus
  • Allison Cohen — Carla Cretoxyrhina
  • Dylan Sloane Cowan — Rodney Raptorex
  • Michelle Creber — Michelle Maiasaura
  • Brenda Crichlow — Denise Diplodocus
  • Deb Demille — Deanna Deinosuchus
  • Trevor Devall — Boris Tyrannosaurus, Bucky Masiakasaurus, Mr. Deinonychus, Thurston Troodon, Peng Protopteryx
  • Michael Dobson – Old Spinosaurus
  • Brian Drummond — Alvin Allosaurus, Apollo Apatosaurus, Albert Albanerpeton, Eugene Euoplocephalus, Larry Lambeosaurus, Mr. Quetzalcoatalus, Mr. Therizinosaurus, Quinn Qantassaurus, Sammy the Slug, Ulysses Utahraptor, Zhuang Zigongosaurus, Trevor Triceratops
  • Brynna Drummond — Daphne Daspletosaurus
  • Mitchell Duffield — Mookie Maiasaura
  • Alex Ferris — Paulie Pliosaurus
  • Andrew Francis — Patrick Pachycephalosaurus
  • Alberto Gishi — Mitch Michelinoceras
  • Nico Gishi — Leroy Lambeosaurus, Max Michelinoceras
  • Gordon Grice — Derek Deinonychus, Elmer Elasmosaurus
  • Olivia Hamilton — Lily Lambeosaurus
  • Phil Hayes — Chung Confuciusornis, King Cryolophosaurus
  • Maryke Hendrikse — Penelope Protoceratops
  • Ryan Hirakida — Dylan Dilophosaurus
  • Alessandro Juliani — Martin Amargasaurus
  • Diana Kaarina — Tricia Troodon (first voice)
  • James Kirk — Perry Parasaurolophus, Rick Oryctodromeus, Nick Oryctodromeus
  • Andrea Libman — Pamela Pachycephalosaurus
  • Alan Marriott — Henry Hermit Crab, Herbie Hermit Crab, Iggy Iguanodon, Mayor Kosmoceratops, Deon Dimetrodon, Hap Haplocheirus
  • Erin Mathews — Judy Jeholornis, Stacie Styracosaurus, Vera Velociraptor
  • Donnie McNeil — Devlin Dilophosaurus
  • Jason Michas — Henry Hermit Crab
  • Bill Mondy — Jack Einiosaurus
  • Peter New — Sydney Sinovenator
  • Nicole Oliver — Brenda Brachiosaurus, Mrs. Pliosaurus
  • Cedric Payne — Petey Peteinosaurus
  • Adrian Petriw — Vlad Volaticotherium
  • Joseph Purdy — Mr. Disclaimer
  • Kelly Sheridan — Olivia Oviraptor
  • Valin Shinyei — Sonny Sauroposeidon
  • Rebecca Shoichet — Tricia Troodon (second voice), Kiera Chirostenotes, Cassie Castrocauda
  • Tabitha St. Germain — Angela Avisaurus, Arlene Archaeopteryx, Cindy Cimolestes, Gabby Gallimimus, Keenan Chirostenotes, Computer Voice, Mikey Microraptor, Minnie Microraptor, Mom Archelon, Mrs. Conductor, Mrs. Deinonychus, Patricia Palaeobatrachus, Rita Raptorex, Sana Sanajeh, Selma Cimolestes, Shirley Stygimoloch, Sonja Styracosaurus, Spiky Stygimoloch, Stella Sea Star, Stephie Styracosaurus, Troodon Mom
  • Chantal Strand — Valerie Velociraptor
  • Lee Tockar — Crab, Craig Cretoxyrhina
  • Kira Tozer — Ella Brachiosaurus
  • Chiara Zanni — Shoshana Shonisaurus

Live show

A live show, "Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train Live: Buddy's Big Adventure," toured the United States and Canada from October 2013 to March 2014.

Film

In July 2020, Craig Bartlett announced an 85-minute musical film based on the series on Instagram.

The film, titled Dinosaur Train: Adventure Island, is a co-production with Universal Studios. It will premiere on April 12, 2021.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Dinotren para niños

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