THE POLAR EXPRESSTM Train Ride, operating most weekends from November to December, is the biggest event of the year for the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad and Museum (CCRM). The popular Christmas train draws a total of 6,000 visitors to the area. Families with starry-eyed children dressed in matching pajamas come from as far away as Seattle, Portland and beyond to embark on this magical train ride to the North Pole.
Based on the popular Christmas book and movie, THE POLAR EXPRESSTM Train Ride includes live performances, special appearances from different characters, music, dancing, storytelling, and, of course, hot, hot chocolate. But the highlight of the evening is meeting Santa face-to-face.
The Magic Behind the Scenes
Starting November 9, the Polar Express will take passengers to the North Pole–an enchanting town of twinkling lights where kids will get their first glimpse of Santa on his sleigh. Over the season, the train will make 50 runs to Santa’s home. The festive Christmas village, put up by the Rotary Club and railroad volunteers, sits in a farmer’s field close enough to the tracks that kids can spy the lights–and Santa–from the train windows.
Getting the North Pole ready is just one of many tasks needed to pull off this incredible production. A dedicated crew and an amazing team of volunteers work behind the scenes to make the magic happen.
“There’s a lot of moving parts, and it’s a ton of work. But it’s so worth it,” said Tina Nixon, CCRM’s event coordinator. From planning the program and decorating the depot and train cars to recruiting and training volunteers, she has her work cut out for her. Nixon, who has been involved in the Polar Express for seven years and directed it for the past three, says the best part about her job is the kids. “It’s such a magical experience, seeing the build-up, watching their excitement when they first see Santa. It’s just unbelievable.”
Since taking on the role, Nixon has worked hard each year to improve the experience. “When I first started, we were just wearing Santa hats and singing carols,” she said. “There wasn’t much interaction.” Soon, Nixon had the kids up and dancing along with her. Later, she added in other fun elements like the Hot Chocolate song and dance. “I brought the story to life and made the kids part of the story.”
This year, Nixon will be adding in a few new features, and she can’t wait to see the kids’ reactions. “We’re doing a whole entrance of the train driving up, and we’re also bringing on a full-time Hobo who will do a few scenes and interact with the kids.” And when the train arrives at the North Pole, kids will get a chance to dance along to a brand new song, “The Christmas Twist.” Nixon said she’s also working on another surprise–one that’s sure to delight her audience.
Polar Express Camp
The inspiration for these exciting additions came after Nixon attended the official Polar Express Camp this summer in Durango, Colorado. Nixon, along with CCRM Assistant Coordinator Lisa George, Engineer Brian Bundridge and Conductor Rob Wallace, spent a week immersed in all things Polar Express, learning and networking with 125 Polar Express Train crews from across the nation and around the world. “There were people from the UK and Australia,” said Nixon. “It was a blast!”
The CCRM crew attended classes every day on topics like lighting, costuming and acting. They were treated royally and even got to experience a live performance of the Durango & Silverton Polar Express Train Ride–a magical three-hour journey on the historic narrow gauge railroad.
The goal of the camp is to help crews of officially licensed THE POLAR EXPRESSTM Train Rides enhance their performances and make them even better. And that’s exactly what Nixon and her team plan on doing. “We’re going for the Most Improved Award at camp next year,” she said. Considering what they have planned for this year’s production, it seems the CCRM crew has a pretty good chance of winning.
Jump Aboard and Join the Polar Express Team
While most Polar Express riders come from out of town, the immersive train ride relies heavily on local volunteers to fill the roles of cast and crew. “We need around 20 people for each trip,” said Nixon. From school kids and Boy Scouts to teachers and retired folks, volunteers have just as much fun as the riders.
“Last year, my husband and I volunteered to be chefs. We thought we were just serving hot chocolate and cookies. Little did we know we would be singing and dancing, too!” said Robin Montgomery from Adna. “It was so much fun. We met families from all over the state and worked with some incredible volunteers. But the best part was interacting with the kids.” Montgomery, her husband and her daughter plan to volunteer again this year.
If you would like to help bring this memorable train ride to life, CCRM is looking for more volunteers. Consider signing up for one of these roles:
- Santa – Greets passengers and makes each child feel special.
- Santa’s Elf – Helps Santa greet passengers. (Open to children through young adults.)
- Props & Music Wizard – Operates a fog machine and runs the cued music during the program.
- Cocoa Cup Filler – Fills cups of hot chocolate and prepares serving trays aboard the train.
- Servers/Chefs – Serves guests hot chocolate and cookies, interacts with kids, sings and dances. *This is the most involved role–and one of the most fun. (Costumes and simple dance instructions provided.)
THE POLAR EXPRESSTM Train Ride schedule for 2024 can be found here. Contact Tina Nixon at 360.880.6836 to learn how you can be part of this magical story.
All Aboard!
