You know that feeling when a character pops up in a massive movie, steals a couple of scenes, and then kinda just fades into the background of the lore? That is basically the story of Thomas and Friends Carlos. Introduced back in the 2016 special The Great Race, Carlos was hyped up as this legendary figure from Mexico. He wasn't just another engine; he was the guy who won the very first Great Railway Show.
But if you look at the episodes that followed, he’s barely there. Honestly, it’s a bit of a tragedy because his real-world history is actually cooler than most of the Sodor "regulars."
Who Really is Thomas and Friends Carlos?
Carlos is a proud, smiling tender engine who represents Mexico on the international stage. In the show, he’s depicted as a veteran. Think of him as the seasoned pro who’s seen it all. While Thomas is usually panicking about being "special" enough to compete, Carlos just rolls up with this "been there, done that" energy.
He’s painted in the colors of the Mexican flag—black body, red windows and handrails, and green lining around his domes. It’s a sharp look. He also sports a silver smokebox and a cowcatcher, which gives him that classic North American vibe you don't usually see on the Island of Sodor.
The Real-World History You Didn't Know
Here is where things get interesting for the train nerds (like me). Carlos isn't just a random drawing. He is based on a very specific real locomotive: the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México (NdeM) GR-3 class 2-8-0.
These were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Pennsylvania around 1910. If you actually go to Acámbaro, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, you can see the real-life engine that shares his number—903—on display at the José Cardoso Téllez Railway Museum.
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There's a weird contradiction in the show, though. In the CGI series, Carlos burns coal. You see him at the coal hopper in The Great Race where he accidentally helps cover the bully engine Vinnie in dust. However, his real-life basis was actually an oil burner. It’s a small detail, but it’s one of those things the creators likely simplified so they didn't have to explain different fuel types to five-year-olds.
The Great Railway Show Legend
In the narrative of The Great Race, Carlos is a bit of a celebrity. He won the Strength Competition at the very first event years prior. When we see him in the "present day," he’s shifted gears to the Best Decorated Engine Parade.
He went up against some heavy hitters:
- Rajiv (the eventual winner from India)
- Yong Bao (China)
- James (Sodor’s own vainest engine)
- Emily (also from Sodor)
It’s kind of funny—despite being in the "Best Decorated" category, Carlos doesn't actually have any extra decorations. He just shows up in his standard livery. Maybe he’s so confident in his base paint job that he figured he didn't need the bells and whistles? Literally.
Why He Disappeared (Mostly)
After the movie, Carlos made a few more appearances, notably in the Big World! Big Adventures! era. He met Ace the race car in Mexico and had a brief rivalry with Raul over who was the biggest football fan. Standard engine stuff.
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But here is the kicker: Thomas and Friends Carlos is one of the only major characters from that era who never got a proper mass-market toy.
Seriously. No TrackMaster. No Wooden Railway. No Take-n-Play.
If you want a Carlos for your kid's collection, you’re basically looking at custom 3D prints or DIY paint jobs on other 2-8-0 models. It’s a bizarre move from Mattel, especially considering how much they love merchandising every single bolt on Thomas’s frame. Some fans speculate it's because his 2-8-0 wheel configuration and low-slung tender made him harder to adapt to standard plastic tracks without him looking "off."
Technical Oddities and "Fizzling Fuegos"
Carlos is one of the few engines who speaks Spanish in the show, alongside Victor. He’s famous for his catchphrase "Fizzling fuegos!" (which literally means "fizzling fires").
If you watch his wheels closely in the CGI—if you're that kind of person—you’ll notice his eccentric rods don't actually animate correctly. They don't make a full rotation around the connecting rods. It's a tiny animation glitch that’s persisted through his appearances.
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Also, he’s been scaled down significantly. In real life, a GR-3 would be a fairly chunky engine. In the show, he’s tiny. He’s about the same height as the tender of Yong Bao. This was likely done so he wouldn't look monstrously huge next to Thomas and Percy, but it does rob him of some of that "Strength Competition" presence he’s supposed to have.
Actionable Tips for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into Carlos or want to bring him into your own "railway," here is how to handle it:
- Visit the Real Thing: If you’re ever in central Mexico, the museum in Acámbaro is the only place to see the actual "Carlos" (NdeM 903). It's a pilgrimage site for hardcore Thomas fans.
- Watch the Right Clips: Don't just watch the movie. Look for the "Great Race Friends Near and Far" shorts on YouTube. That’s where you get the most personality from him, including his banter with Raul.
- The Custom Route: Since there’s no official merchandise, look into the "Thomas Wood" or "TrackMaster Custom" communities on Twitter or Instagram. Creators there have made some incredible 1:1 replicas of Carlos using spare parts from other international engines.
- Language Learning: Carlos is actually a great "entry point" character for bilingual households. His mix of English and Spanish phrases in the Big World! Big Adventures! shorts is handled naturally and makes for a good teaching tool for toddlers.
Carlos might not have the screen time of Gordon or the toys of Nia, but he remains a fascinating bridge between real Mexican rail history and the whimsical world of Sodor. He's the "strongest engine" who proves that sometimes, you don't need fancy decorations to be a winner.
To get the full experience of Carlos's debut, go back and re-watch the coal hopper scene in The Great Race. Pay attention to his whistle; in that specific movie, it’s a unique sound sampled from a real-world CN 3254 locomotive, which was later recycled for the engine Lexi. Small details like that are why this era of the show still holds up for enthusiasts.