A trainee is a young chugger in training. Practically every chugger capable of training has been one at some point. Some trainees go into advanced training, where they train to join certain crews (ie. Chug Patrol, Chuggineers, etc.). They are usually trained by Dunbar in the Training Yard and occasionally the Loading Yard. Trainees have a triangular yellow plaque on their rear showcasing their status, with advanced trainees sporting all-silver variants of these when not in their advanced training gear, while fully-fledged chuggers who have completed training sport bronze, circular ones. As of Season 6, while the word “trainee” is still used as a way of separating younger chuggers from older ones, it seems that trainees no longer take classes.
Trainees
Trivia
- Koko is the only electric-powered trainee.
- Piper is the only steam-powered trainee.
- Brewster is the only fully diesel-powered trainee.
- It is stated that Zephie was once a trainee alongside Hodge. However, while Zephie is technically a fully-fledged chugger, she is incapable of pulling rolling stock and it is likely that she was not actually a proper trainee at all.
- As of Season 6, the trainees' training plaques have been removed.
- In Training Time Harrison, Harrison was temporarily demoted to Trainee status as a result of him being reckless on the rails.
