FEATURE | POLAR EXPRESS
All Aboard !
Polar Express experience charms all ages
Lisa Tang
Everyone ’ s Christmas wishes come true aboard the Texas State Railroad ’ s Polar Express . The journey is a fun way to experience the classic children ’ s story with live actors aboard a real train . Passengers become immersed in the story . They see , taste , hear and even touch its magic as they travel on an authentic train , drink hot cocoa and meet Santa and his elves .
The entertaining ride through the East Texas piney woods begins as passengers enter the depot and grounds decked in holiday lights and music . There ’ s often a chill in the air or even a settling fog as they wait to board the classic train cars .
Texas State Railroad ’ s production faithfully follows the original book The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg ( 1985 ) and the animated movie that followed in 2004 . The journey blends the written story and pictures from the book with music and tunes from the movie soundtrack . A narrator reads the story of a child who takes a magical train ride to the North Pole on Christmas Eve .
The experience is delightful for all ages , from the very young to the young at heart . Many groups add fun to the journey by arriving in matching pajamas , while others choose to stay warm in coats and winter clothing .
Passengers can choose from a variety of train cars , each with its own charm . The Dome Class railcar features panoramic dome windows on the upper deck , while the two Presidential Class cars offer spacious , comfortable seating and dining tables . First Class tickets provide seating for groups of four at standard dining tables inside antique railcars . All include a set of complimentary keepsake mugs , hot cocoa and cookies .
The Coach Class railcars are also original and feature historic Pullman seats . This class includes hot cocoa and cookies but no keepsake mugs . All cars feature beautiful Christmas decorations and have large windows for viewing the North Pole .
The journey begins as a uniformed conductor stands outside each train car and ushers passengers onboard . Once the cars are moving he walks through each car to punch everyone ’ s golden ticket , which becomes a special keepsake from the trip .
The fun is only beginning as guests climb aboard the train . Some passengers may believe they are entering a theater on rails as chefs in white coats and puffy hats greet them cheerily .
Chefs have important roles . They entertain guests and serve hot cocoa and cookies aboard the train . They also display illustrations from the oversized picture book as a narrator reads the words and they dance and sing to tunes from the movie soundtrack .
Along the journey , antique cars sway on the tracks , arousing a sense of authenticity and excitement about journeying to the North Pole . Passengers chatter excitedly about the events to come as they sip hot cocoa and eat sugar cookies .
Excitement inside the railcar builds as the train begins to slow , signaling its approach to the North Pole . Passengers peer out the windows to glimpse Santa and his elves dance merrily in the moonlight around a
24 | PALESTINE MAGAZINE | HOLIDAY EDITION 2022