I'm noticing the huge amount of success with Christmas related excursions. I was wondering if some groups go along with the actual "Polar Express" theme, or do you just advertise a ride with or to Santa? I would greatly appreciate any input. Thanks in advance.

Lake Central Rail Tours
ra1508vh@cs.com

The Conway Scenir RR in New Hampshire does a full-blown Polar Express AND Santa Trains. The Polar Express trips include a walk-through winter wonderland at the mid-point of the trip.

Rob

> I'm noticing the huge amount of success with
> Christmas related excursions. I was
> wondering if some groups go along with the
> actual "Polar Express" theme, or
> do you just advertise a ride with or to
> Santa? I would greatly appreciate any input.
> Thanks in advance.


Inlinebob@aol.com

The Indiana Transport Museum operates a Polar Bear Express. The train features the reading of the "Polar Bear Express" on board to school children and visit from Santa.
From itm.org

"After the reading of The Polar Express, stay seated while Santa pays a visit. The elves and the Polar Bear will greet you on the platform where the train ride begins. Refreshments will be served as the train travels along the rails to the south edge of Noblesville and back. The story and train ride will take approximately 1.5 hours."

Mike Stickel


http://itm.org
masticke@indiana.edu

Rob is correct,the Conway Scenic treats the Polar Expess as the best train ride of the year.The Chris Van Alburgh story is followed to the letter,and the local community provides dozens of vollenteer "elves" to help out at the north pole.The train ride is so popular that there is a lottery for tickets,and every car is filled to capacity.The passengers get into the act, by arriving in pajamas, and carrying pillows or teddy bears.
New to the train this year is our 1951 Budd built dome car #1329,which went through an overhaul that took better than three years to complete.

Brian



Conway Scenic Railroad
bhebert@rypn.org

Does Conway Scenic still run 0-6-0 #7470 in excursion service, and has any recent progress been made on returning the Maine Central 2-8-0 to operating condition? Just curious!

K.R. Bell

> Rob is correct,the Conway Scenic treats the
> Polar Expess as the best train ride of the
> year.The Chris Van Alburgh story is followed
> to the letter,and the local community
> provides dozens of vollenteer
> "elves" to help out at the north
> pole.The train ride is so popular that there
> is a lottery for tickets,and every car is
> filled to capacity.The passengers get into
> the act, by arriving in pajamas, and
> carrying pillows or teddy bears.
> New to the train this year is our 1951 Budd
> built dome car #1329,which went through an
> overhaul that took better than three years
> to complete.

> Brian

TVRM operates steam powered Polar Express trains from the Choo-Choo hotel complex out to our property and back. The round trip takes about two hours and includes the hot chocolate and cookies along with a story teller who tells the Polar Express story and a visit from Santa upon arrival at the away station. It has been generally well received and has been very successful.

Mike

> I'm noticing the huge amount of success with
> Christmas related excursions. I was
> wondering if some groups go along with the
> actual "Polar Express" theme, or
> do you just advertise a ride with or to
> Santa? I would greatly appreciate any input.
> Thanks in advance.


Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
newriver400@cs.com

Yes,#7470 still operates on a regular schedual during the summer/fall. She is stored at the moment in stall #3 in our roundhouse and will come out to power a few of the last Polar Express runs in the snow at night. I tried to find out today what day exactly that this will happen, but couldn't get a pinpointed answer.7470 will most likely pull the Polar in Mid December, and then will slumber away untill next summer.
Ex-Maine Central 2-8-0 #501 is outside on one of the radial tracks under a tarp.The engine is about half restored.The 470 Club owns the locomotive and actually has money to invest in it, but there is a lack of space here,and the passenger fleet is taking precidence this winter.unfortunatly 501 must wait for an open bay.
CSRR has not forgotten about 501,and is sympathetic to its plight,but the locomotive is owned by the 470 Club an they(myself included because I'm a memeber)may have to find an indoor restoration spot for it elsewhere if the loco is to steam anytime soon.Our eyes (CSRR and the 470) are looking closer at the derelict enginehouse in Bartlett,NH as a possible site for 501 et al.We are only discussing this possibility at this time, but it looks possible.I'll post more as it developes.

Brian

> Does Conway Scenic still run 0-6-0 #7470 in
> excursion service, and has any recent
> progress been made on returning the Maine
> Central 2-8-0 to operating condition? Just
> curious!

> K.R. Bell


Conway Scenic Railroad
bhebert@rypn.org

The Michigan Transit Museum train is chartered to the Clinton Township Parks and Recreation Department in Clinton Township Michigan. We follow the Polar Express story closely. every child is also given a silver bell like in the story. As well the jolly man in red visits. for the last 3 years every trip has been sold out.

Michigan Transit Museum
sutterd@hotmail.com

> Yes,#7470 still operates on a regular
> schedual during the summer/fall. She is
> stored at the moment in stall #3 in our
> roundhouse and will come out to power a few
> of the last Polar Express runs in the snow
> at night. I tried to find out today what day
> exactly that this will happen, but couldn't
> get a pinpointed answer.7470 will most
> likely pull the Polar in Mid December, and
> then will slumber away untill next summer.
> Ex-Maine Central 2-8-0 #501 is outside on
> one of the radial tracks under a tarp.The
> engine is about half restored.The 470 Club
> owns the locomotive and actually has money
> to invest in it, but there is a lack of
> space here,and the passenger fleet is taking
> precidence this winter.unfortunatly 501 must
> wait for an open bay.
> CSRR has not forgotten about 501,and is
> sympathetic to its plight,but the locomotive
> is owned by the 470 Club an they(myself
> included because I'm a memeber)may have to
> find an indoor restoration spot for it
> elsewhere if the loco is to steam anytime
> soon.Our eyes (CSRR and the 470) are looking
> closer at the derelict enginehouse in
> Bartlett,NH as a possible site for 501 et
> al.We are only discussing this possibility
> at this time, but it looks possible.I'll
> post more as it developes.

> Brian
Brian;

What size is the derelict enginehouse at Bartlett, NH that is being looked at as a restoration shop for the ex-Maine Central 2-8-0 #501?? Does it still have intact trackage into it, how many stalls does it have, and is there a turntable and/or a wye nearby for turning locomotives or trains?? Is the building in good shape, and is it under private ownership?? If the building becomes available in the future, how long would it take to get her under steam again?? Thanks for the info. Mark B.

mkbraun@hutchtel.net