(The following story by Eric Carlson appeared on the Ames Tribune website on November 29.)
BOONE, Iowa — The Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad is planning several special train trips this holiday season as a new foray into the world of Santa’s North Pole headquarters.
The “Santa Express” trains started with the idea of reading the book, “The Polar Express,” to children and their parents on the way to the “North Pole” to see Santa.
Railroad officials thought enough demand could be found for four trains to run the route, but after offering tickets, the railroad found it could easily fill eight trains and that demand was there for even more runs.
The trains will leave the railroad’s depot at 6 p.m. on the nights of Dec. 7, 8, 9,15 and 16, and also at 9:30 a.m. on the Dec. 11 and 9:30 and 12:30 on the Dec. 18.
“We could have sold even more tickets,” said Fenner Stevenson, the director of the railroad. “The call for them was crazy. We’ve got 250 seats on each train. The cars will be decorated and heated and will leave the depot, go across our high bridge and arrive at the North Pole.”
Stevenson said on the way to the Pole, “The Polar Express” would be read on each car, and when the train reached its destination, Santa would climb aboard and make his way through every car talking with the children and presenting silver bells to all of them.
After Santa’s walk-through, steaming hot chocolate and cookies will be distributed to everyone.
This is the first year for the Santa Express at the railroad and Stevenson says the demand justifies his opinion the railroad must try new things to succeed and grow.
“We’ve sold over 2,000 tickets and hope to bring those hungry shoppers to Boone to shop before and after the train trip,” Stevenson said. “It will be a great thing.”
He said the ride should last about an hour, but the railroad will have to wait until the first night to see how the timetables work out.
The first four trains offered sold out the first day and, at this time, no more tickets are available for the rides.
“All the cars will be decorated for Christmas with garland, lights and decorations,” he said. “I’m finding that it looks like people are really starved for quality things to take children and families to attend.”
And, he said, “A lot of kids may be in their pajamas because that is how the book reads.”
Along with these train rides, the railroad’s dinner train operates until Dec. 11 and holiday trains will again make the run to Fraser and back this season.
The holiday trains will run at 12:30 p.m. Saturday Dec. 4 and 11.