Christmas Magic: The REAL 1225 Polar Express in Ashley, Michigan

Have you ever experienced something and thought to yourself: How have I lived in Michigan my entire life, and never heard of this? That is exactly what I thought as I stood in awe, feet away from a movie icon.

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But before I could even lay eyes on the motion picture star, I could hear it! The whistle first, then the 'chug, chug' became audible and the closer it got I could literally feel the rumble before my first visual sign of its presence came into my line of sight, a giant white cloud of steam.

Ashley, Michigan Brings Christmas Magic to Life with Real 1225 Polar Express

Standing in the middle of downtown Ashley, Michigan, a town that looks like an Upper Peninsula transplant, and with nothing but wooden reindeer between the gathering masses and the tracks, the 1225 emerged from behind a bank of high trees.

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This fully restored steam engine, given the operating number 1225 when it rolled off the line in Lima, Ohio in 1941 onto into service on the Pere Marquette, is MASSIVE. The true scale cannot be appreciated until you are standing under its plume of steam and looking up at the real-life inspiration for the movie The Polar Express.

From there, you are immersed in an interactive experience that allows you and your family to be a part of a North Pole Christmas. Just like the movie you can explore, visit a hobo village, chat with the conductor, the mayor, elves, Santa Claus himself, and even have a chance to get the first gift of Christmas.

Tickets for the Polar Express, run by the Steam Railroading Institute, sell out quickly, though as of publishing this, a few dates on the Frank Thomson Private Car were available. Visiting Ashley may be your best chance to get an up close and personal look this year.

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The residents of Ashley and the surrounding community have embraced the train and volunteered their time to create this incredible experience. Click here to visit the village website for times and directions.