All aboard for Durango: Narrow-guage railroad turns into Polar Express

By Mary Ann Anderson
McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Standing in the cold, we heard the train long before we saw it. In the late afternoon twilight, just as the sun dipped behind the San Juan Mountains in Durango, Colo., the clickety-clack of steel against steel was unmistakable as the engine gained momentum.

From the platform, we watched as great puffs of bluish-gray steam rose to the sky as the train chugged toward the station. Then the whistle sounded, a sort of a high-pitched "Mum-wah-ah! Mum-wah-ah!"

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad,
which becomes the Polar Express during the
Christmas season, gives guests a chance to
ride back through time in this 125-year-old
coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive. (MCT)

As my husband and I waited for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad's Polar Express, all around us were kids and adults in flannel pajamas adorned with images of Snoopy and Superman, hearts and flowers, and stripes and plaids. Make that lots of plaid.

The high octane excitement and anticipation of the ride were contagious, and the chilly air practically crackled with the yuletide spirit.

"All aboard!" the bespectacled conductor shouted to the pajamas-clad crowd. "All aboard for the Polar Express!"

We then stepped aboard for a magical hour-long journey from Durango to the "North Pole." Based on Chris Van Allsburg's popular children's book "The Polar Express" and the subsequent 3-D movie starring Tom Hanks, the ride is one of those once-in-a-lifetime events that will leave you overwhelmed by its specialness.

The story begins to come to life as the coal-fired, steam-operated vintage train, looking for all its might like a long golden necklace, pulls away from the station. As "chefs" pass out steaming cups of hot chocolate and gaily decorated Christmas cookies, the conductor walks through the train, punching tickets and sending snowflake-like confetti every which way.

The inside of the train is warm and toasty and adorned with holly and white lights. Even I found myself "ooh-ing" and "ahh-ing" at every turn. The windows frost up quickly as the train winds its way to the North Pole where Santa Claus and his elves await, and as we rode through this slice of the Rockies, the combination of snow and moonlight brightened up the mountainsides.

Along the way, a narrator reads "The Polar Express," which is a story about a pajama-clad boy who comes to believe in Santa Claus through a magic train. To keep with the theme of the book, both children and their parents are encouraged to wear their jammies and bedroom slippers aboard the train. Believe me, it's as cute as cute can be.

Once the Polar Express arrives at the North Pole, Santa and his elves then board the train and, following the tradition of the book, they give each child (and some grownups) a silver sleigh bell. On the return trip, everyone joyously sings Christmas carols as Santa moves from car to car. I will never again hear "Jingle Bells" or "Silent Night" without thinking of the Polar Express and reliving that extraordinary journey.

The Polar Express is all about the five senses, to be certain. You see it, feel it, touch it, smell it and taste it. It is Christmas personified, and for kids it is the highlight of the season. For adults, the best part of the trip is seeing the sweetness and innocence of the young faces lit up like tinsel and lights.

The Polar Express is as heartwarming and tender as anything I've ever seen. By the end of the ride, I found myself believing in Santa Claus and in all that Christmas is and should be. I must admit that it was the first time I've felt like a child in years, and I very much so liked that feeling.

The mountain scenery around Durango, like this
view of Needles Mountain in the San Juan branch
of the Rockies, is ideal for a ride on the
Durango & Silverton Polar Express. (MCT)

The Polar Express runs through Dec. 28. Reservations are required, and early bookings are highly recommended. Prices differ according to class of service. If your plans don't take you to Durango for the Polar Express, not to worry. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, in operation since 1881, offers year-round journeys throughout this scenic corner of the Rockies, including summer excursions to Silverton, fall foliage weekends, the Cascade Canyon Winter Train, and other holiday-themed rides.

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
winds its way through the Animas Valley
in the San Juan National Forest. (MCT)

After your train journey ends, be sure to take a stroll up Durango's Main Avenue to its cornucopia of restaurants. On a per-capita basis, there are more restaurants in this town of about 17,000 than in San Francisco. In our short stay, we opted for warm and friendly Seasons for dinner of American fare, Carver's Brewing Co. for lunch ("It's where everybody meets," says one local), and another dinner at the more upscale Cosmopolitan for options ranging from stone hearth pizzas to gourmet seafood and beef dishes.

Durango, a dog-friendly town perched at 6,512 in elevation, has an amalgamation of American Indian, Southwestern and Contemporary Western art galleries and museums. For shopping, there are plenty of one-of-a-kind boutiques. The Durango Mountain Resort is nearby for skiing, and if you visit before October of 2010, be sure to see the mountain lion exhibit at the Center for Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College. Long a fan of big cats anyway, I thought the exhibit on mountain lion — Colorado's ghost cat — just purr-fectly fascinating.

Lodging in Durango runs the gamut from historical bed and breakfasts to cabin rentals to the Durango Mountain Resort to national chains. We stayed at the Rochester Hotel, a cozy Old West-style inn that was the backdrop for several movies filmed in and around Durango, including "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "City Slickers." Their ever-changing gourmet breakfast alone is reason enough for a visit.

Durango is served only by US Airways from Phoenix and Frontier and United from Denver. Since we were cashing in miles on Delta, we flew into Albuquerque, the closest international airport at an easy three- to four-hour drive away. Most locals, we found, also use Albuquerque for easier connections. Denver is an eight-hour drive.

For additional information, visit www.PolarExpressRide.com, www.DurangoTrain.com or www.Durango.org

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