Anyone who is struggling to get into the Christmas spirit should hie away to the Eastgate Depot of the V&T Railway, which is located 5 miles east of Carson City on US Highway 50.
Once there, you have an opportunity to board the famous V&T Polar Express, which runs three trains a night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday until the final runs on Christmas Eve Monday, December 24. The round-trip is a one-hour ride and travels to the North Pole.
The popular train ride accurately replicates that of the novel written in 1985 by Chris Van Allsburg and the subsequent motion picture in 2004 starring Tom Hanks. The Polar Express has become a cottage industry with the production running in 50 cities and the V&T location is one of the premiere venues in the nation.
Rides began on November 16 and as evidenced by all the passengers who were dressed in their pajamas, is fun for the entire family. Now in its ninth year, many locals have made it a Christmas tradition.
It’s a special experience. Riders feel as if they are part of the actual Polar Express movie. There are characters directly from the film and cast members dance in the aisle of the train’s cars while performing songs from the entertaining show.
Santa brings the story to life, with the first gift of Christmas – a souvenir silver sleigh bell with Polar Express engraved on it to memorialize the journey. In addition to receiving a bell from Santa, all passengers enjoy delicious cookies and perfectly prepared hot chocolate.
As the train reaches its apex some 5 miles up the Virginia Range, the stygian sage filled desert is illuminated by strings of lights around the well-constructed North Pole which resembles that of the movie to a T that features an impressive clock tower. In addition to the brightly lighted buildings, there are a number of elves cavorting about along with a waving Santa. The buildings are placed on both sides of the tracks, so that all passengers get an excellent view of all the activities.
Those desiring a special experience can book the VIP Parlor Car. From the warmth and comfort of the train, you will see elves at the North Pole in all its magical splendor, plus Santa before he boards the train to bring all the passengers their special gift.
The departure times for the trio of trains are 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and the final train at 8 p.m. Passengers are encouraged to show up a half hour early to pick up their golden tickets at Will Call. Tickets range in price from $29 to $85 and all passengers must book their tickets online at VTRailway.com or by calling 877-724-5007.
Passengers can also shop before and after the ride at the on-site Polar Express Gift Shop where children can have their picture taken with Santa. Due to popular demand, the V&T Railway has added additional dates this year. Potential passengers can review the Polar Express calendar online at VTRailway.com.
The depot area and the interior and exterior of the passenger cars are well illuminated by thousands of Christmas lights.
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