Polar Express

John=A0P wrote: Does anyone else fume over displays with a "Polar Express" theme in the supermarket? They're trying to emphasize the engineering details of a train, but they're totally oblivious to wheels in the wrong places, connecting rods going the wrong way, trucks that are trying to be archbars or possibly Andrews, but seem to be all one solid piece--the list just goes on and on. And when you try to point out the simple ways in which the artwork could have been correct, and present a true image of a steam locomotive, the most fascinating machine ever constructed, your loving significant other will burst into peals of girlish laughter. It's a travesty from every direction. "Look, at least that one has a combination lever and a reach rod..." "Come ON."

-------------------------------------------------- I'm sure in a child's imagination, anything is possible. The artwork for The Polar Express is certainly beautiful.

Bill Bill's Railroad Empire N Scale Model Railroad:

I have been waiting to see all them beams moving on a model. Sure will look strange... sort of like a cross between a Northern and a Shay....

Jim Stewart

Good observation ;-)

I try to tell my kids that it's just absolutely impossible to take a train to the North Pole -- you'll run out of coaling stations long before you reach your destination, let alone the fact that the crew will hit the FRA limit on hours worked and they'd just end up stranded somewhere in Greenland.

But they come right back and me and point out that Frosty the Snowman already did it in the 1969 animation released by Bass & Rankin. I guess when it comes to issues about the North Pole and trains, it's better left to the experts -- our kids.

Nothing new in that. I remember a Currier & Ives, or similar, print with a jet of steam coming out of the lead truck of a 4-4-0, not out of a cylinder c*ck. Even when there was only steam, the artists didn't necessarily know how they worked, and drew what looked good to them.

What is the Polar Express being referred to?

New cartoon movie with a cartoon Tom Hanks as 5 (?) different characters using his voice overs. Train goes to the North Pole to convince a disbelieving (losing the faith in Christmas) youngster that Santa does exist. Taking the Grandkids, although some of them are getting a bit old for this sort of thing.

I wonder what Big John would have to say about the Polar Express movie. "Are those reindeer or goats in the background??? Hey it's Christmas time even though Thanksgiving isn't here yet. Take the kids and grandkids and letthem have a good time at the movies.

I enjoyed the movie. Suspend disbelief, I did. But there were enough correct details to compensate for the other stuff. Do I like 2-8-4s? You betch-um, Red Ryder! Gene ABV61-1043.001.HCB

anybody rivet counting anything on THE POLAR EXPRESS needs to relax,please. A. Just a movie. B. Based on a Children's Book, and emphasize Children's. C. Supermarket Displays ??

jai

PS--I run a Big Boy #4010 next to my SD90MAC w/an E6

the supermarket displays are awful. OTOH, a lot of the rivets were accurately portrayed. (And a lot were totally ignored.) Gene ABV61-1043.001.HCB

They spent a great deal of time, effort, and money digitizing PM 1225 (in Owosso, MI) for the movie. It was hoped that the cab number "1225", appropriate for the movie as 12/25, would appear in the movie, but it does not. This is, however, in keeping with the book, which mentions or shows no such number.

The movie itself is, of course, a fantasy, so accuracy is not a prerequisite. Still, the digitization of the loco came off pretty well.

Much of the advertising, on the other hand, bears little resemblance to ANY locomotive.

Dan Mitchell ============

Dan Mitchell wrote: They spent a great deal of time, effort, and money digitizing PM 1225 (in Owosso, MI) for the movie. It was hoped that the cab number "1225", appropriate for the movie as 12/25, would appear in the movie, but it does not. This is, however, in keeping with the book, which mentions or shows no such number. The movie itself is, of course, a fantasy, so accuracy is not a prerequisite. Still, the digitization of the loco came off pretty well. Much of the advertising, on the other hand, bears little resemblance to ANY locomotive.

------------------------------------------------- Thanks for the info, Dan. I hope I get a chance to see the movie.

Bill Bill's Railroad Empire N Scale Model Railroad:

I'm planning to see it with my son Philippe.....he is a train fanatic; drives his mom crazy now that she has 2 of us in the house.

Ian Mathers Yellowknife, NT Philippes trains....

Ian=A0G.=A0Mathers wrote: I'm planning to see it with my son Philippe.....he is a train fanatic; drives his mom crazy now that she has 2 of us in the house. Ian Mathers Yellowknife, NT Philippes trains....

---------------------------------------------------- I always enjoy seeing Philippe's railroad, Ian. Especially the elephants in the lake and the dinosaur.

Bill Bill's Railroad Empire N Scale Model Railroad:

It did, indeed. The horribly inaccurate advertising tie-ins have nothing to do with the artwork of the film. I'm no expert on that particular locomotive, but its rendition in the film is far more detailed and accurate than it needed to be for a general film, especially a kid's one. There are even a few funny train geek lines in the movie. It's not a great movie, being about 30 minutes of story in 90 minutes, shamelessly padded with repetitive action sequences (stop the train!) and truly horrible songs, but the train itself is beautiful. See it in 3D IMAX if you get the chance. Sort of nauseating, as if your eyes are a foot apart, but it does make the action sequences a little more bearable. For the songs I recommend ear plugs.

Mark Alan Miller

Sounds like a "wait for the DVD" recommendation to me