Is the Polar Express out of Steam?
OWOSSO, Mich. — The Pere Marquette 2-8-4 No. 1225, made famous in the movie Polar Express starting an animated like Tom Hanks, has been sidelined again with the same problems it had during Trainfestival 2009 last July, another blown boiler tube.
While Pere Marquette 1225 was under steam and the star of the show for the first trip on opening day, during a routine inspection of the locomotive at the North Pole a mechanical issue was found. The crew decided that in the interest of preserving the locomotive and keeping the North Pole Express trains operating, as planned, it was best to remove 1225 from service. “We would love to continue to run the locomotive,” said Greg Udolph, Chief Mechanical Officer of the Steam Railroading Institute, “but the truth remains, the 1225 is a 70-year old piece of machinery that was built on an assembly line the same way an automobile is built. During its career the engine has racked up well over a million miles. The boiler on 1225 has shown the crew that it is ready for some serious work. Next year starts a major rebuild of the locomotive to try to put some of the miles back into her. With the current mechanical issue at hand it is best for the locomotive and the schedule of the North Pole Express trains to bring the engine down and prepare for her rebuild.
The steam engine will not make any additional Polar Express trips this year, however, the train rides for the Polar Express will continue to run behind diesel power.
This past July, during TrainFestival 2009, the engine had a couple of tubes that cracked and released some steam. After being taken out of service, the crew was able to fix the problem by replacing the tubes. The engine then successfully ran a two-day photo charter, hourly excursions during Hamburg Railroad Days and an all-day excursion to Cadillac, Michigan, in conjunction with the Ft. Wayne Railroad Historical Society’s Nickel Plate Road 765. Unfortunately, this repair was not enough. It is time to fully inspect the boiler and figure the cause of these problems. This process will be costly, intense and take a minimum of one year.
In order to continue to give the passengers the experience they deserve SRI has decided to bring 1225 out of her storage building and put her on display for all to see. She will be fully visible and located next to the Christmas trains. Volunteers from SRI will be on hand to answer questions, show off different parts of the locomotive and provide cab tours. Passengers will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the engine. Kids will have the rare and unique opportunity to sit in the engineer’s seat and ring the bell on the locomotive. Should make for some great holiday photo opts.
Due to the Federal Railroad Administration’s-required 15-year inspection scheduled for May, additional operations in 2010 before that deadline will take place only if funds to replace the failed tube can be raised.
All 2009 Polar Express train rides are currently sold out.
