photo by: Elvyn Jones

The platform at Midland Railway in Baldwin City is shown on July 1, 2018.

Midland Railway is looking to establish a new holiday tradition around a children’s classic in which a train plays a central role.

The Baldwin City tourist excursion railroad has signed a three-year contract with Warner Bros. and Rail Events Inc. to provide rides based on the popular children’s book and 2004 movie “The Polar Express,” said A.J. Stevens, executive director of Midland Railway.

The hourlong Polar Express rides will begin Nov. 17 and continue through Dec. 30, Stevens said, and they will replace the Santa trains Midland has traditionally offered during the holiday season.

Based on the population within a 100-mile radius of Baldwin City, Warner Bros. and Rail Events have estimated it could draw as many as 77,000 riders a year for the Polar Express rides, but they are only looking to sell 28,000 tickets the first year, Stevens said. A trial marketing campaign conducted last month shows those lofty numbers are within reason.

“We sold 1,000 tickets in three days,” Stevens said.

The collaboration will help provide financial security to the nonprofit historical railroad, which needs $100,000 annually to maintain its locomotives, rail cars and 10 miles of track from Baldwin City to Ottawa, Stevens said.

Midland did not have the money to repair damage to tracks caused by an August 2017 flash flood. The track was only repaired last month after the Baldwin City Council agreed to pay $345,000 for easement along the tracks for a future trail from Baldwin City to Ottawa. The city is now seeking to recoup some of that expenditure from partners that benefit from the railway, and it has asked Douglas County to provide $94,000 for the easement.

The rides will provide holiday employment opportunities for about 70 area actors hired to play characters from the movie, Stevens said. Actors will perform both on the train and at a facsimile of the North Pole, which contractors are expected to build at Norwood, a point halfway between Baldwin City and Ottawa that is set to be the destination of the Polar Express rides.

“We will be running nine cars,” he said. “Each car will be its own stage.”

Warner Bros. will advertise for actors in trade papers in July and have auditions in either Olathe or Baldwin City, Stevens said.

The Polar Express rides will run three times daily on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until the last two weeks, when they will be expanded to five days a week, Stevens said. Ticket information and a schedule of Polar Express rides can be found at midlandrailway.org.

Midland officials are planning to reach out to Baldwin City about a communitywide marketing effort.

“With thousands of people coming every weekend, they are going to want some place to eat once they’ve been on an hourlong train ride,” he said. “We’re going to talk about a community Christmas theme to attract customers.”

There could be other potential collaborations with Warner Bros. and Rail Events, Stevens said.

“They have a ‘Wizard of Oz’ train where they build an entire Emerald City,” he said. “That seems like a good fit for us.”

Midland has experience with rides linked to children’s entertainment. The railway has hosted a facsimile of Thomas the Tank Engine the first two weekends in June for 16 years.

Midland has relied on volunteers during the two Thomas weekends. Stevens said that would not be the case for the Polar Express rides or future Thomas events.

“The board has made the decision to move away from the volunteer model,” he said. “We realize there is burnout in a community this size. We will still have our membership volunteers, but all the temporary help with be paid.”