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Phil McCrory | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> The Polar Express tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

The Polar Express

In July 2002 Warner Brothers Studios began production of the movie ‘Polar Express’. They were searching for an authentic steam engine that was still operating so that they could record the sounds.
It just so happened that the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, Michigan was still operating a 2-8-4 Berkshire from the Pere Marquette line, which coincidently was numbered ‘1225’. Hollywood then scanned and digitized the entire locomotive, coal car, engineers, and even the Lionel train set under the Christmas tree (that you can see at the end of the movie). This real life railroad became the ‘Polar Express’ movie…but you can still ride the real train today.

For the Polar Express to operate it takes one ton of coal (from Kentucky) for every 12 miles, and 150 gallons of water per mile to produce it’s 3000 HP.

Tickets go fast…you have to buy them about a year in advance. The journey takes you from Owosso, Michigan to the end of the line at the North Pole, an enclosed fairy land decorated with lights, displays, amusement park rides, a model railroad layout, Polar Express souvenirs, and Santa himself.

For more information see…

http://www.mstrp.com
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Are the woods on fire??
Are the woods on fire??		 Nope, it's the Polar Express coming
Nope, it's the Polar Express coming		 Polar Express
Polar Express		 at the crossing
at the crossing
Henderson, MI
Henderson, MI		 Polar Express
Polar Express		 Oakley, MI
Oakley, MI		 Oakley, MI
Oakley, MI
Polar Express
Polar Express		 at the crossing
at the crossing		 coming thru the field
coming thru the field		 blow that whisle
blow that whisle
Polar Express
Polar Express		 the crowd watches
the crowd watches		 big wheels
big wheels		 down in front
down in front
Polar Express
Polar Express		 1225
1225		 big wheels
big wheels		 big wheels
big wheels
blowing off steam
blowing off steam		 racing by at 15 MPH
racing by at 15 MPH		 later afternoon run
later afternoon run		 crossing the trestle
crossing the trestle
across the field
across the field		 Not the Lionel set, but the real Polar Express
Not the Lionel set, but the real Polar Express		 late afternoon at Oakley
late afternoon at Oakley		 at the crossing
at the crossing
coming thru the snow storm
coming thru the snow storm		 crossing the creek
crossing the creek		 Henderson, MI
Henderson, MI		 blowing smoke
blowing smoke
Oakley, MI
Oakley, MI		 Oakley, MI
Oakley, MI		 Oakley, MI
Oakley, MI		 Oakley, MI
Oakley, MI
cold and windy
cold and windy		 the 1225
the 1225		 on the way to the North Pole
on the way to the North Pole		 the end
the end
North Pole
North Pole		 going around
going around		 model trains
model trains		 lots of fun
lots of fun
and a slide too
and a slide too		 lets get on!!
lets get on!!		 I'm getting dizzy
I'm getting dizzy		 Christmas slide
Christmas slide
Mr Santa himself
Mr Santa himself
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comment | share
Guest 19-Dec-2008 02:14
phil, these pictures of 1225 are a really great set. i hope you got to show them to the folks out there at the station. glad you got to see it run again this year. your camera skills are working for you. god bless cc
Jon Foster18-Dec-2008 04:17
Great shots!
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