Reaching the North Pole is no easy feat.
The route from Lansing is an arduous expedition of more than 32-hundred miles. It takes a small fleet of cars, planes and ships to get to this fabled spot at the top of the world.
But if you set out from the railway station in Owosso, all you need is a single train, about four hours and a little imagination.
As part of our holiday series “Messages from the Mitten,” WKAR’s Kevin Lavery gives us a first-class seat on a Michigan tradition: riding the rails of the North Pole Express.
For almost 25 years, thousands of people have come to the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso to take a sentimental journey.
If you’ve never seen the Pere Marquette 1225 steam locomotive up close, you’ve probably seen the holiday film it inspired: the 2004 hit The Polar Express.
"This was the 1200-series engine; they were numbered 1201 through 1239, and when this one came off the factory in Lima, Ohio, it was carrying ‘1225.’ It’s our Christmas miracle."
Institute director Dean Pyers says when the producers came looking for a vintage locomotive as their animation model, they found one that already bore the perfect Christmas number.
“This was the 1200-series engine; they were numbered 1201 through 1239, and when this one came off the factory in Lima, Ohio, it was carrying ‘1225,’” Pyers said. “It’s our Christmas miracle.”
Normally, Pere Marquette 1225 makes an annual series of weekend runs to the North Pole; a.k.a., the village of Ashley in Gratiot County.
This year, 1225 is sidelined for repairs, so the institute is using diesel trains instead.
On a recent clear blue Saturday morning, there were a lot of excited young riders.
Andrew Zimmerman wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
“Well, we’re going to the North Pole,” Zimmerman said. “That’s all I know!”
Before long, our North Pole-bound diesel express is underway.
Two young brothers in matching red and white sweaters ride with their grandparents, their faces transfixed on the passing landscape out the window.
Five-year-old Benjamin Raubinger is ready for it all to unfold.
“We’re going to the North Pole!” he exclaims, gleefully.
“Have you ever been to the North Pole before?” I inquire.
Benjamin answers matter-of-factly. “Yeah!”
For an hour we traverse green fields and brown dirt roads. There’s plenty of hot chocolate on demand and games, like “pass the snowball.”
It’s a frenzied race to hand off two fuzzy balls from the front of the car to the rear and back again, left-side versus right.
Then, we’ve arrived.
The North Pole — which coincidentally is just south of North Star Township — welcomes us with holiday shops, food and music.
Transforming Ashley, Michigan (population 500) into the North Pole is a year-round project.
The head elf — Ashley Country Christmas chair Carol Stewart — loves the looks on the kids’ faces as they step off the train.
“If they’re convinced that this is not the North Pole, we say we’re helping. 'Of course, it’s not Christmas yet; you’re not going to see Santa until then, but we have Santa helpers.' And usually, they’ll buy that.”
“You know, when they jump in and their eyes are so huge,” Stewart said. “It makes it worth your while!”
Stewart has also seen her share of skeptics, too.
Often, children step off the train and realize their surroundings look nothing like the North Pole.
But Stewart is ready with an answer.
“If they’re convinced that this is not the North Pole, we say we’re helping,” she explained. “'Of course, it’s not Christmas yet; you’re not going to see Santa until then, but we have Santa helpers.' And usually, they’ll buy that.”
If there’s any lingering doubt among the youngest attendees, it quickly flies when Santa himself makes his appearance.
A young mother aptly named Holly has brought her two-year-old, Millie, for her first visit with Santa.
“I was surprised that she wanted to take a picture with Santa,” she confessed. “I thought she’d be terrified.”
The smiles aren’t soon to fade as visitors board their diesel train for the trip home to Owosso.
This was a capacity trip of about 750 passengers.
The 2022 North Pole Express season is sold out, so every run will be just as full.
In 2023, the Steam Railroading Institute plans to add even more available seats.
By then, Pere Marquette 1225 — that iconic coal-black sled with its mighty head of steam — will be back on track to turn the miles into memories.