This is the Polar Express

UPDATE 1/12/16: Reference sheet now includes the tender and a left-hand-side view!  A few very minor details were tweaked, too, and I added some simple fictional "stats" for good measure, completing my Polar Express locomotive reference sheet.


I’ve been a fan of the Polar Express for as long as I can remember.  I believe that Chris Van Allsburg’s book and its hazy illustrations, which I grew up with, was one of my first introductions to trains.  And while I absolutely loved the movie, one thought immediately popped into my head upon viewing the very first teaser trailer in 2004:

“A Berkshire...??”

The Polar Express that I remembered was pulled by a Mountain!

About a year ago, frankly surprised at how little research appeared to have been carried out on this matter, I decided to finally find out what the Polar Express locomotive was REALLY supposed to be.  It turns out that the clues had always been in plain sight.  A set of snifter valves, a distinctly-shaped running board... specific tank, dome, and bell placements... a shadow of a Belpaire boiler... there was no doubt to me.  The Polar Express was based on... a Pennsylvania Railroad K4.

And so... had I been wrong all along...?  Had the locomotive never been a Mountain at all, but... a Pacific?

I think not!

What I’ve done here is taken Chris Van Allsburg’s original locomotive concept, stylized as it was, and used technical details derived from real K4 locomotives to convey the engine in a more technical style.  You could say that this is the engine I would have chosen for the movie, if I could go back in time to do just that!  Of course, no fictional locomotive is complete without a back story.  I feel that the final result could be a fictional “prototype” Pennsylvania Railroad Mountain Type, falling technology-wise between the K4 and M1 classes, probably built around 1922... perhaps “Ma” would be a suitable designation.  This oddball locomotive, quickly superseded by the better-designed M1 locomotives, soon found itself cast off by the Pennsylvania Railroad and purchased by a new owner... Santa Claus, who gave the engine its signature modified look and put it to work on his Polar Express route.  By the late 1950s the old Mountain was showing its age, and the need for a replacement locomotive became clear... although a streamlined diesel would have been the logical choice to take over for the service, Santa, ever a nostalgic, found another used, but more modern, steam locomotive instead— a hardy, late-serving Berkshire— to take its place.  The rest is movie history...


A few quick notes:

-All locomotives should have a front coupler, but Van Allsburg’s illustrations do not include one.  I liked what the movie did with this issue and pretty much followed in those footsteps here, giving the big cast snowplow cowcatcher an opening for a coupler shaft but no coupler itself.  Since the locomotive is only used once a year, and for a very specific purpose, I’m supposing that the coupler was simply removed as a convenience measure, leaving the redundant uncoupling levers in place as a front handrail.  And about that giant cowcatcher— since that was added by the Polar Express folks, the front air and steam hose angle cocks were moved and mounted to the top of the pilot beam, with the hoses themselves removed as unnecessary as well.

-I gave the cab a winterized bay window.  Although in no way official according to the book, the appropriateness of this detail should be self-evident. ^^


I’ve been wanting to create some type of Polar Express fan art every Christmas season for many years now.  I plan to add more to this drawing soon— including the tender!— but for now, I am happy to have basically completed what I believe is the first reference sheet for the BOOK-version of this famous train.  It may not be definitive, but research into this matter must start somewhere. ^^