Okay... I found the "Polar Express" that O Scale people have been talking about. Its on Pg 45 of the "Signature Edition Catalog". It's actually the Pere Marquette Berkshire #1225. It has Pere Marquette markings and sells for 1,289,99. It has Legacy Railsounds. To make it a Polar Express you buy an additional "Polar Express" tender found at the bottom of that page, for $439.99. It has Legacy Railsounds with sound clips from the movie. Together this gives you a Polar Express with Pere Marquette markings on the loco. I didn't see Pere Marquette markings on the loco in the movie, but the text seems to imply that the #1225 was actually run this way back in 2002. Movie tie-in excursions I'd guess. I didn't find a scale set of Polar Express passenger cars in the catalog like some O Scale friends have talked about. Perhaps this is just speculation at this point. I personally can't see spending that kind of money on that loco and tender to pull those toy coaches with the silly silhouettes in the windows. Come to think of it, I can't see spending that kind of money for a Polar Express.
Wow. Must be a limited market for these, considering the price. I doubt my local hobby shop will bring one in. So, I'll likely not see one close up. Boxcab E50
I think the movie loco just said "The Polar Express", and yes, the real engine was temporarily relettered to match.
Wikipedia says that, although the "Know-it-all Boy" in the movie says the loco is a Baldwin, that the digital animators used Lima's blueprints for their original Berkshire, the first Berkshire made if I'm not mistaken. Does anyone know if the Pere Marquette 1225 is a Baldwin or a Lima?
Pere Marquette 1225 is Lima built. Lima's original experimental Berk, built in 1924, was run on New York Central's Boston and Albany branch, through the Berkshire mountains, thus it's name. That original engine was later delivered to the Illinois Central. :tb-biggrin: You can see the Lima builder's plate, red diamond shaped, in this photo of mine on that unforgettable day in 2000 when I got to run her.
Sweet picture fitz. Feel free to post any more pictures you have of her. Oh and congratulations on operating such a sweet looking locomotive. Greg
Yes fitz, you can't imagine how much I envy you getting to run her. Not that I have the slightest idea how to run a locomotive.
At the time, the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation, now the Steam Railroading Institute, in Owosso, MI, was offering an "engineer for an hour" experience. I had read about it and read comments from people who had done it, on several railroad forums. My wife and I discussed it and decided to go for it (she didn't). I will never forget the experience. Had to get an eye and ear test, certified by doctors, and had to attend a class at MSTRP on the basics of running and safety concerns. The stories of that few days could fill a volume, but suffice it to say, GREAT. I just received the latest bulletin from the group, and this year they will again offer the program, now called "Your hand on the throttle." It's pricey, but if you are a steam railfan it is the ultimate experience, pulling the throttle on a 400 ton Berk, whistling off, opening the cylinder cocks for the first few rotations of the drivers, then closing them and hearing the stack start to talk, wow! The new program offers 20 minutes of firing and 20 minutes of running. Oh, and the PM 1225 has a power reverse ala NY Central, requiring 16 complete turns of the wheel from full forward to full reverse. I could go on and on. :tb-biggrin:
