TWISTEDWILLOW Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 Took Max to the Kansas City Southern Christmas train this evening, it stopped here in stilwell, had to wait in line about an hour to get onboard but it was pretty cool! when I set him on the steps to take a picture before we got onboard he bolted past me and the elves and shot straight up them steps and the elf up top tried to help him an he got away from him too running into the train! they had em all decorated in the two cabooses and the box car had two huge dioramas with running trains, And at the end we saw Santa! The Christmas train was towed here by an old passenger train and it was pretty cool looking too! over all it was a good time an Max had a blast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shainarue Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 So happy for Max that he got to see that - and looks like it wasn't crowded which is great as well! Ashley & I took my nieces & nephews to go through the KCS Holiday Express a few years back while it was stopped in KC at Union Station. Unfortunately though, KC Union Station is a hoppin' place even without the Holiday Express so you can imagine the human cattle corral that we experienced. I really wanted to just stop and watch the model trains and look at all the details of every diorama - but the crowd was insistent on pushing the line through at a steady pace. Something the kids aren't likely to notice or remember but something I was really bummed about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 Wow Billy, that's fantastic. I bet Max was thrilled. That brings out the kid in me, even! I didn't even know that existed actually, I don't think the UP has one (the line that served the area back home), I may be wrong about that though. It makes me think of the movie "Polar Express", which I really enjoy. I bet he loved those layouts inside.... That passeger train IS cool. Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 That really took me back to when Martha and I were taking Tommy to ride the Christmas Train to see Santa at the Colorado Railroad MUseum in Golden. I grew up going to see Santa at Marshall Fields Department Store in Chicago. Tom (now 31) has memories of riding a steam train to see Santa. If you are giving your kids memories like that you are doing the parenting (and aunting) thing right. I'd suggest that you bring Max to Golden in the next year or 2 but it is a 12 hour drive from Peavine to Golden. Sigh. If you guys decide to take a Rocky Mountain vacation at some point I can suggesr steam trains to ride in the area. Lots of excursion railroads have a Polar Express theme and events around this time of the year. GNM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les L Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 Looks like you and Max had a great time Billy. I have a big smile on my face looking at the pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted December 10, 2022 Author Share Posted December 10, 2022 13 hours ago, Shainarue said: looks like it wasn't crowded which is great as well! There was a super long line to get onboard and to Santa but the trip through the actual train wasn’t crowded, we were able to spend a few minutes at each display! 11 hours ago, Scott NC said: I didn't even know that existed actually, I Kansas City southern does one every year! they start down in Louisiana by Les’s smithy and they end up by Shainas blacksmith shop! an I’m somewhere in the middle! lol 11 hours ago, George N. M. said: I'd suggest that you bring Max to Golden in the next year or 2 but it is a 12 hour drive from Peavine to Golden. Sigh I don’t think me or Max could handle a 12 hr drive and the current fuel prices are prohibitive, but I just looked at cheap flights from north west Arkansas to Denver an saw some as cheap as $34 bucks for a 2 hr flight so we might just fly out there an get a rental car! Lol Les Yes He had a ball! He whooped an hollard the whole time lol that train starts down in Louisiana in November so maybe next year you could get a chance to see it if you have time and it’s not to for away! Here’s the schedule for this year https://www.kcsouthern.com/pdf/community/2022-Holiday-Express-Schedule.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 Thanks for taking us along with you and Max Billy. Maybe he'll grow up to be an engineer or conductor. Makes me wish I lived close enough to take the tour maybe be Santa. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted December 10, 2022 Author Share Posted December 10, 2022 Just hitch the moose team to the RV an y’all will be here in no time Jerry! there’s a historic passenger train that runs from Missouri down to Van buren Arkansas that puts on a polar express Pajama night ride we were gonna take him on but they are all booked up so we will try next year, they run that train on a regular schedule so we may take him for a ride on that sooner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 Billy, fuel costs are coming down. The cheap station near our house is $2.35/gallon. But, I'm not into long haul driving as much as I once was and think the idea of flying and renting a car once you get there has a lot to recommend it. Besides, driving across the Great Plains is not particularly scenic. BTW, how old is Max. 2, IIRC. GNM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 I might just do that Billy but with the price of beef we're eating the moose. I'd feel regrets but a "filet moosgnon" almost covers a plate and is nothing but OH SO tender goodness! Spuds some salad or a veggie and you can feed a family of 4. Maybe if they put on a Polar Express from Wasilla to a place near you, we'll pack our jammies and ride that train. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted December 11, 2022 Author Share Posted December 11, 2022 12 hours ago, George N. M. said: BTW, how old is Max. 2, IIRC He is currently two but he turns three in March, yeah I don’t like being cooped up in a car all day that’s why I would prefer to fly if I have the option Jerry might be a stupid question but do any of the bigger railroads connect Alaska to the US across Canada? Or do y’all have to ship everything over water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 It's funny, maybe 20 minute after I submitted my last post to this thread I saw an piece on the local news about the AK RR Christmas train. No useful details other than the tickets sold out within about 2 hours of going on sale. Maybe Deb and I will reserve a ride next year. No, the AK Rail Road does not connect to the lower 48 or Canada. I just deleted the part about about much of the reason as it's sort of political. Anyway, it's not likely Canada will allow rail connection even if we paid to build it. Maybe someday, it'd sure be nice to have a reasonably economical way to get freight here. Right now it's barged or flown in, a little is trucked up but that's expensiver but sometimes necessary. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted December 12, 2022 Share Posted December 12, 2022 Too bad the AquaTrain is no longer in operation. You could enjoy the view from the Dome car, bobbing along.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted December 12, 2022 Author Share Posted December 12, 2022 There used to be rail depot’s all across Adair county and you could ride the trains from community to community but I don’t think the passenger trains have ran 60 some odd years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted December 12, 2022 Share Posted December 12, 2022 Billy, it was amazing the lengths to which the RR went to decorate the train in Christmas/Santa decos. I'd never seen one decorated like that. Kids will probably remember things like that the rest of their lives. Great that all of you were able to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted December 12, 2022 Author Share Posted December 12, 2022 Arkie it was pretty sweet to see up close! I’ve seen it from a distance before but that was the first time actually visiting an climbing onboard the Christmas train! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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