Rainbow Sun

The Rainbow Sun is Billy Twofeathers' locomotive and one of several that run on the Indian Valley Railroad.

Thomas and the Magic Railroad
Throughout the film, the Rainbow Sun is seen multiple times being driven by Billy Twofeathers. Later on in the film, Mutt convinces Lily to board a train hauled by the locomotive, which takes her to Shining Time instead of the train to Muffle Mountain.

Basis
In the opening sequence for Shining Time Station, it was portrayed by the Union Pacific #844, a "FEF-3" 4-8-4 "Northern" type locomotive built in 1944 which was the only steam locomotive in the US to operate continuously since entering service, having never been retired. The #844 is still active today as part of the Union Pacific's steam programme along with Big Boy 4014.

In Thomas and the Magic Railroad, it was portrayed by the Strasburg Railroad's #475, a 4-8-0 "Mastodon" or "M" Class locomotive built in 1906 and formerly on the roster of the Norfolk & Western Railway. It is one of only two N&W 4-8-0 Mastodon locomotives preserved and the only one of its class operating. #475 was operating as one of Strasburg's main locomotives until November 2022 when it hit an excavator and was taken out of service for repairs. From August 21 through October 28, 2019, #475 reunited with N&W J Class 4-8-4 #611, which arrived to Strasburg on loan from the Virginia Museum Of Transportation in Roanoke, Virginia. On November 2, 2022, #475 hit an excavator in Paradise, Pennsylvania, which broke its smokebox door and headlight in the process. As of November 6, 2022, #475 was fully repaired and is now hauling passengers once again at the Strasburg Railroad.

Livery
The Rainbow Sun is painted black with yellow lining and brown window frames. The number "475" is painted on the sides of its cab in gold. It also has the words "Indian Valley" painted on the sides of the tender.

Specials

 * 2000 - Thomas and the Magic Railroad and A Wonderful American Journey with Thomas and Connie

Audio Files
Whistle

Trivia

 * The Rainbow Sun was seen in the Thomas and the Magic Railroad (activity book), but was illustrated as an E2 class tank engine like Thomas and had the number 90 like the Strasburg Railroad's ex-Great Western No. 90.
 * The Rainbow Sun was not referred to by name in the final cut of the film, and was only named on Shining Time Station and in deleted scenes.
 * The lettering for the Indian Valley Railroad was applied to the engine and three of the Strasburg Railroad's coaches, but only two coaches were used in the actual film. They retained this lettering during the railroad’s normal operations for some time after.
 * 475 also occasionally operates on Day Out with Thomas events to haul the Strasburg Railroad's tourist train. If it does not run, then either #90 or #89 will run.
 * Between 2004-2019, the locomotive was backdated to its original as-built N&W appearance.
 * In 2019, the locomotive is backdated again to its 1940s-1950s appearance with a centre headlight.
 * Keith W. Strandberg the production manager rode on one of the coaches, while he made a cameo appearance in the film.
 * The Rainbow Sun's whistle sound basically came from Canadian National 3254's 5-chime whistle, which was out of tune during the 1980s and was recorded as a stock sound effect used in various other pieces of media. It was later reused for the following characters in the franchise:
 * Gordon (at a half step lower-pitched; only in Thomas the Really Useful Engine (LeapPad book))
 * Ferdinand (at two steps lower in pitch)
 * Carlos (only in The Great Race).
 * Lexi
 * Lorenzo (at four steps lower in pitch)
 * Marcia
 * Marcio (at one step higher-pitched)
 * The Grey Tender Engine (at two steps lower in pitch)
 * Victor (in the early version of Guess Who? Puzzles and the mobile game app, Race On!)
 * Rocky (only in the tenth series episode, Edward Strikes Out)
 * Edward (Great Destinations on Sodor from Songs from the Station only)
 * Emily (Great Destinations on Sodor from Songs from the Station only)
 * The Rainbow Sun's bell sound, which was heard at the Big City station, and leave Shining Time Station while leaving Mutt, basically came from Baldwin No. 26. The bell was recorded as a stock sound effect used in various other pieces of media.
 * In a deleted scene, P.T. Boomer was heading to Shining Time Station while riding on a motorcycle and he beat the Rainbow Sun at a crossing, and got across just in time.
 * The reason that #844 didn’t reprise its role as the Rainbow Sun for the movie was because it was out of service due to boiler tube failure, and was found to have been made of the wrong material during the overhaul in 1996, a discovery that prompted the replacement of the firebox in a complete overhaul that lasted from September 2001 to 2004.
 * The reason that the 475 was used was inspirartion from rail photographer O Winston Link's pictures along the Norfolk and Western's Abingdon Branch, of which #475 was the sole surviving engine from that branch.