In all my years as a Disney fan, I'd never once seen this short until now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzSNaMmkqLo (technicolor)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvZdUlbTs6U (original B&W)

Makes Thomas and his friends look like the really plagiarized crew.

Sorry, make that 'Thomas and his friends look like the plagiarists' - but they are different enough that it really isn't.

Mickey's Choo Choo is clearly Copyright MCMXXIX - 1929.

The first series of "Thomas the Tank Engine" stories were written starting in 1943, but not published (first book 'The Three Railway Engines', second book 'Thomas the Tank Engine') till after WW-II finished in 1945.

--<< Bruce >>--

I *sort of* thought that's what Roy meant...

I figured the Mickey cartoon preceded Thomas.

Right - which would make the writers behind "Thomas" the plagiarist - IE the thief who copied the works of others for profit, and Disney the plagiarized - IE the victim of the theft of intellectual property.

Sometimes semantics matters. Same with precise word choice.

But despite the few similarities, they are different enough that it probably isn't plagiarism. The Mickey cartoon was focusing on the characters and the engine was secondary, Thomas is focusing on the anthropomorphic rail engines and equipment and the characters were secondary.

--<< Bruce >>--

...and 8 years later at Warner Brothers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu1X2-Tc_7U (a personal favorite)