Polar Express pulls in to Plains School

The Christmas train has returned to Plains School again, but officials can't decide on who will be the conductor.

Plains resident Bill Beck and Plains Elementary School Principal Kevin Meredith set up the Polar Express last week in the school library. It took the two about an hour to get the train, track, structures, trees, and figurines set up on the four-foot wide, eight-foot long piece of plywood that Beck made.

The school has featured the Polar Express train and village for five years, though it was suspended for a short time due to the Covid situation. It had originally been placed in the library, but when the library was reconfigured last year the display was set up in the school's Opportunity Room in the new building. But Meredith wanted it back in the library so more kids could easily see it each day. "We wanted it to be more visible for anyone who visits the school and it is such a nice representation of the joyfulness of Christmas," said Meredith.

Beck had purchased the Polar Express train set, which includes an engine, coal car and three passenger cars, as an addition to his vast train collection. At first he loaned the train set to the school, but then decided to donate it to the school, along with the village he designed, which has 35 pieces, including figurines, trees, homes, businesses, a tunnel and a bridge. A Christmas lighthouse was added this year.

Plains High School Principal Ryon Noland said he loves seeing the Polar Express come back. It reminds him of his grandfather, who set up a Lionel train set every year at his home in Libby right after Thanksgiving. Noland said he kept it up until February. Meredith said they'll probably take the Polar Express display down in early January.

Thom Chisholm, the former superintendent, who sometimes helped set up the display, was the self proclaimed train engineer last year. He even dressed up one year to look like the Tom Hanks character in the movie. The dilemma this year is neither Meredith nor Noland want to be the designated engineer. Meredith said he will offer it to the school librarian, his wife, Marlee, but she said she'd have to think about it.

Beck is glad the train display has returned to the library. "I'm ecstatic. When the kids are going back and forth between classes and to lunch they can see it more often. I like it back in the library," said the retired Navy senior chief. Beck has been a serious train collector for over 50 years and has trains on display in every room of his Plains home, including one he recently put in the bathroom. He still has the Lionel Pennsylvania steam engine he received when he was 6 years old while living in Illinois. Beck has also been a volunteer in the second grade reading program for some 20 years.