Wooden toy train
"Thomas the Tank Engine" is a character created by the Rev. W. Awdry in "The Railway Series" of children's books, first published in the U.K. in 1945. In 1984 a television series called "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" was made, adding to the popularity of the characters. It was first broadcast in the United States in 1989. John W. Lee founded the company "Learning Curve Toys" in November 1992 with a wooden railway system called "Thomas & Friends" based on the Thomas the Tank Engine characters. This made the wooden toy trains even more popular than before. Learning Curve introduced some new designs for the track surface, such as the "Clickety Clack" rails patented 1995 and the newer tracks in 2002 with a relief to supply better traction grip for battery powered four wheel drive trains patented in 1998.
Frankie Thomas
The TV series reappeared on DuMont, alternating Saturdays with "Secret Files of Captain Video" for 30 minutes, before going off the air in May 1954. Thomas became a regular on the soap opera "First Love", but in December 1954, "Tom Corbett" began on NBC, running until June 1955. By this time Tom Corbett's rivals Captain Video and Commander Buzz Corry of "Space Patrol" had been off the air for several months. None of the science fiction series was ever revived, though there was talk of doing so in 1957, in the aftermath of Sputnik.