Bygone Polar Express

For years young children lie awake in their rooms on Christmas Eve, excited and alert. Breathing silently. Hardly moving. they wait They listen for the sound they fear might never come -- the ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. The time is five minutes to midnight. Suddenly, they are startled by a thunderous roar. Clearing the mist from their windows they sees a most amazing sight -- a gleaming black train rumbles to a stop right in front of their house, the steam from its powerful engine hissing through the night sky and the softly falling snowflakes. The children rushes outside, clad only in their pajamas and slippers, and is met by the train's conductor who seems to be waiting just for them. "Well, are you coming?" the conductor asks. "Where?" "Why, to the North Pole, of course. This is the Polar Express!" Then, in a bold and daring move CSX Corporation purchased, then quickly abandoned the famous Polar Express.

The way it was. The Polar Express in its glory days. For nearly 100 years this holiday express thrilled the hearts and wishes of children everywhere.

NEW 11-29-2004 This is the train Christmas dreams are made of. Left: Crossing Elf Gap on the mainline to the North Pole, date unknown. Right: The infamous snow-less winter of 1925. The Express rolls on northward.

The last "official version" of the Polar Express. In an attempt to modernize and maximize profits, CSX switched to diesel electric locomotives on the Express. Little did children know this would be the last arrival of the Polar Express.

The Polar Express 2004

Not much has been left of the former Polar Express ROW. Anything of usable value was taken up. Railroad memorabilia hounds gathered what was left. Left: Looking at the former right of way close to International Falls. The line once ran between the two lakes. Not even a spike remains. Right: A recent avalanche has obscured the former right of way. Snow sheds at one time protected the tracks.

Left: Through the wilds of Canada. Wildflowers grow where once tracks ran. Right: Hard to believe that Polar Express locomotives once made this grade easy as pie. Amazing.

Left: Activist Polar Bears still react to the abandonment of the line. Not only did many bears depend on the passengers for marshmallows and treats, occasionally one of them ended up as their main course. The bears are still suffering. Right: Mile post 0, Polar Express Railroad. This weather instrument is all that remains of Santa's workshop after it was condemned and torn down. All the tasks of the Elves were out-sourced to India. The mound in the background is scrap metal and spikes the collectors have not scrounged.

Looking south along the former Polar Express mainline. Thanks to railroad abandonment, it is now just another cold desolate place. Santa and Company have survived, however, those kids who had their dreams shattered by the decision to abandon the Polar Express will probably never be the same. They have joined together to form the Polar Express Railroad Historical-Technical Society, Inc. Look for their web site soon.

In an attempt to focus attention to the abandonment of the former Polar Express, unemployed North Poles Elves, Hardrock and Joe take their protest to the corporate offices. Their efforts attracted the local media, but little support. When asked for an interview, one corporate executive replied, "Bah humbug. We need more poor houses. Bah!"