Polar Express

[mabloodhound]

The 4th photo down on this page clearly shows 1225 with the Polar Express tender in GOLD lettering. http://www.trainweb.org/tracksideonline/Program137.html

[Terry Toenges]

To be accurate for the movie, the writing would be white.

[Terry Toenges]

The trailer -
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2954167065/

[Terry Toenges]

I'd like to see the track plan for Polar Express.

[Keusink]

I used a Rivarossi Berk, and athearn heavyweight kits. The cars are of course, green. The stripe is of course, red. Lettering is of course , gold (its Christmas, you guys!). The observation car of the kit has a nice back rail enclosure (painted gold, of course) in which the kid's imagination can sing a romantic duet back there.

All are HO, and it is a beautiful train. Of course, the Berk was a freight engine so you'll need another Berk for the rest of the year.

If you feel lazy, just locate heavyweight kits and spraypaint them green before installing the windows and details.

We have a snow covered town, set, and forest that fits on the dining room table from Thanksgiving through January. I just can't find HO scale wolves to run in a pack during the lost ticket scene . . . .


Chris Keusink

[M.Robinson]

You are very correct on that, but, they still used the engine for shots. I can't remember just exactly what the tour guide was saying about it, but they did use the engine for several things in the movie. They mainly used the blueprints of the engine, but took shots of the engine so they recreate it on screen.
Wtierce, we are talking about the color on the tender, right? If so I still think it's gold. Look at pictures of when 1225 still had "Polar Express" on her tender. You'll notice it's gold. It still had Polar Express on it when I went and seen it, and it was gold.

And the writing on the computer animated tender in the movie is still white. Watch the movie.

[jbsmith]

I'd like to see the track plan for Polar Express.

This is as close as i could find, it even has the twisty mountain!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THgzoLsn-R8

[jbsmith]

OK
In the animated movie the lettering is White.
On the real world 1225, the lettering is Gold.

The great thing is this that it is afterall, a Fictional train to start with, thus open to "artistic license".

The movie version is based on the real 1225, Not an exact copy, again "artistic license" was used.. One difference would be the size of the pilot or "cowcatcher" up front for starters. I'm sure we could nit-pic the differences between the two to death if we choose too.

The movie version used the sounds of the real 1225.

Thats my two bits, stepping down from the soapbox.

[RBMN #425 Fan]

The cars are of course, green.

[buzz]

Well as much as I like the idea of having the polar express in HO
if no one makes it as a set I won't be having one.
Quite simply because my hobby time is better spent either making
something that has some resemblance to reality or operating trains.
I do have the Hogwarts Express all five coaches of it but then someone manufactured that as a set and provided separate sale coaches as well.
regards John

[Doneldon]

buzz-

I'm shocked!  You don't think the Polar Express has a prototype?  Migod, man.  I'll bet you don't even believe in Santa Claus.  How long has it been since you heard the bell?

                                                                                       --D

[Terry Toenges]

JB - Thanks for the link. Lots of Christmas trains.
The original question asked about Bachmann making the movie train.

[buzz]

buzz-

I'm shocked!  You don't think the Polar Express has a prototype?  Migod, man.  I'll bet you don't even believe in Santa Claus.  How long has it been since you heard the bell?

                                                                                      --D

Oh about seven months I have the DVD
The faerie folk are quite happy at the bottom of the garden
as long as you don't disturb them.
regards John

[J3a-614]

The story I have heard (from a Bachmann distributor) about the Polar Express is that Bachmann was supposed to make such a set, which of course required licensing from Warner Brothers.  Apparently negotiations were far enough along for Bachmann to tool up for the equipment, which included a new 2-8-4, with the usual new tooling price tag.

However, for some reason, perhaps delays at Warner Brothers, perhaps an excessive licensing fee, or for some other reason, the deal didn't go through--and Bachmann had this expensive tooling sitting around.  Well, no reason to let hundreds of thousands of dollars in tooling go to waste, and so you now have a pretty nice 2-8-4 model at Bachmann's quality and price range (which for a great many of us is an excellent combination).

At least that's the story as I have it.

Now, if it were me, and I had some kid who liked the Polar Espress, I'd make one up--painting and lettering aren't that hard, and it would be a fun project, a change of pace.

By the way, what would you come up with for a model railroad based on the Polar Express?  Speaking for myself, I can imagine such a railroad looking a lot like John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid, but set much further north.

Santa had to rely on his elves as usual to build the line in the early 19th century, and in typical fashion of such a hand-built line, it has horrible operating conditions, including a lot of grades and curves.  It would normally be a freight-only line, hauling materials and fuel north to a huge Victorian industrial city.  Traffic flows are reasonable except for one night a a year, in which virtually the entire output of the city for the year has to be relayed south to staging points for final delivery by air (despite the huge capacity of Santa's sleigh, he can't carry it all in one trip, and he has to reload at key points).  On top of this, this is also the one night the railroad runs passenger service, which despite running extra, does have a timetable to keep.  This very limited passenger service is the reason freight power is used on the train; even Santa couldn't justify special passenger power from Baldwin for one night a year!

The elf who works as dispatcher that night has his hands full!

Have fun!

[Doneldon]

J3a-

I used the Bachmann Berk and some 60' Penn Line cars to make a Polar Express for my grandson, complete with baggage/mail, hot chocolate diner, coaches and an open vestibule obs.  It looks great and he's delighted with it.  I've added music, lights and passengers so I really am proud of it.  I used the 60' cars so he can run it on his small home layout without the loco chasing the obs.  He runs it with some regularity, not just at Christmas.  And I'll bet dozens or maybe hundreds of such sets have been made over the years.

                                                                                                      -- D