Polar Hot Lake Express

A Christmas Home Railroad Companion
Every Christmas Rick Wagner breaks out his Polar Express train set and becomes the "James Hill" of his family's home just outside La Grande, OR.

Quickly acquiring, through eminent domain, a part of the front room and then expanding track into the bread basket of his realm....the kitchen of the house, the Wagner's home becomes a ferroequinologists scale version of heaven.

In the valley of the front room, actually not far from Hot Lake, a community grows, complete with a busy ski slope enterprise on a hill just overlooking town. From the high trestle, on the way in, I looked out my compartment window and I could see the comforting glow of the town and its snow shrouded bucolic surroundings.

Animals from martens to mountain goats roam the more rugged exotic regions of this little world. But even the vicious polar bear on the outskirts of the city limits couldn't keep the people inside the night I arrived on the train.

After departing the station I found myself squeezed in amongst the shoppers filling up the Wagnersville well lit town square. They are nice people people there. The motel was booked up solid...however, upon hearing of my plight one of the locals invited me to stay at their farmhouse on the outskirts of town. Next morning I helped with the chores.

This is a world where the hens lay eggs all year around and the polar bears never bite. When my visit was through, I found myself wishing I wouldn't have to leave. But as I boarded the train and settled in for the ride home, the conductor taking my ticket, assured me that the Polar Hot Lake Express will always be right on time and the tickets to deliver a Christmas Dream will forever and always cost only a little of my imagination. I'm planning on going back this summer in the off season. Happy Holidays

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Entertainment

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• ttrain set