Lionel Polar Express Train Set

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Lionel Polar Express Train Set Brings the Magic to Life

The Lionel Polar Express train set brings to life the magic from the wonderful children's book by the same name. This simple story about a boy who takes a train ride to the North Pole and gets a bell from Santa Claus has a wonderful message for children and adults. The classic book is great to read out loud, and it's even more fun to bring the magic to life with a Lionel Polar Express train set and the additional figures and cars you can collect and add to the set each year. All aboard!

Lionel Polar Express Train Set - O Gauge 

Lionel Trains Polar Express Train Set - O Gauge

Amazon Price: $244.77 (as of 12/09/2009)Buy Now

Product description from Amazon: Now you can own the ever popular Lionel Polar Express train. Painstakingly designed to be true to the original, this exclusive Lionel train set features a die-cast metal Berkshire steam locomotive with a new, larger pilot, headlight lens cap and unique whistle. The engine and tender are painted in a dark, matte finish to complete the image.

Following the locomotive and tender are two lighted coach cars. The observation car features a new rounded observation deck. Silhouettes in the windows depict passengers, and the joyful coach car is where the kids get their fill of hot chocolate and candy. A 40" x 60" oval track completes the set.

Articulated figures with turning heads, movable arms, bendable waists and jointed knees are included. They can be posed and placed on areas of the locomotive, tender and passenger cars.

For more fun, you can purchase additional pieces, including figures, a hot chocolate car, and a disappearing hobo car.

Lionel Polar Express Train: G Gauge 

Lionel Polar Express Train Set - G-Gauge

Amazon Price: $139.99 (as of 12/09/2009)Buy Now

All aboard the Polar Express! This set is the G gauge version of Lionel's Polar Express Train set. It features ultra-realistic start-up and shut-down sequences, and is loaded with authentic train sounds including a bell and whistle. There is even an illuminated caboose in the back.

For more fun, you can purchase additional pieces, including figures, a hot chocolate car, and a disappearing hobo car.

The set comes with a Berkshire Steam Locomotive, Passenger Car and Observation Car. Features include bell, whistle, fixed knuckle couplers, IR R/C remote control and 50"L x 70"W oval track.

Lionel Polar Express Hobo Car 

This car for the Lionel Polar Express train set features a disappearing hobo on the top of the car.

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Lionel Polar Express Elf Handcar 

This Polar Express train car features three elves that move up and down on the handbars as the car runs along the rails.

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Lionel Polar Express Figures 

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Lionel Polar Express Hot Chocolate Car 

The Polar Express Hot Chocolate Car can be added to any set for more fun and features interior lighting and silhouettes in the car windows.

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Lionel North Pole Station 

This red train station with snow on the roof can be added to any train set, but goes especially well with the Polar Express set.

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The Book That Started It All 

The Lionel Polar Express train set was inspired by this wonderful Christmas story

The Polar Express Gift Set

Amazon Price: $25.00 (as of 12/09/2009)Buy Now

When The Polar Express was published in 1985, it became an instant success, hitting the New York Times bestseller list and earning the prestigious Caldecott Medal for children's books. Since that time, more than 6 million copies have been sold, and it reappears on the bestseller lists every year around Christmas.

In 2004, it gained even more popularity with the release of the animated movie starring Tom Hanks as the voice talent of all the characters.

This is a timeless classic that everyone should read and reread.

Lionel Polar Express Wood Train Set 

lionel polar express wood train setIf the train sets above are a little pricey or too complex for your kids, now you can recreate the adventure at home with this wooden Polar Express train set that includes the makings for a village and inhabitants.

Brio Polar Express Train Set 

For the younger set, BRIO's limited-production, special edition Polar Express Holiday Train set is a great gift. Designed in a figure 8 layout, the train picks up the boy from his home and takes him on a magical journey to the North Pole. Go over and through the mountain tunnel and hear the bell sound as the train passes the signal. Features a wooden train consisting of the engine, tender and passenger car. Also includes play homes and poseable boy and conductor figures for role play fun.

BRIO Polar Express Holiday Set

Amazon Price: $249.99 (as of 12/09/2009)Buy Now

More Brio Polar Express Products 

You can get add-ons to go with the Brio Polar Express set, too.

BRIO Polar Express North Pole

Amazon Price: $15.95 (as of 12/09/2009) Buy Now

Brio Polar Express Battery Engine

Amazon Price: $119.95 (as of 12/09/2009) Buy Now

BRIO Polar Express Holiday Set

Amazon Price: $249.99 (as of 12/09/2009) Buy Now

Lionel Polar Express Train Set

Amazon Price: $145.99 (as of 12/09/2009) Buy Now

NameTrain Santa Train Set

Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 12/09/2009) Buy Now

Polar Express DVD 

Starring Tom Hanks, Tom Hanks, Tom Hanks and more Tom Hanks

Amazon sums up the movie adaptation of the book this way:

Destined to become a holiday perennial, The Polar Express also heralded a brave new world of all-digital filmmaking. Critics and audiences were divided between those who hailed it as an instant classic that captures the visual splendor and evocative innocence of Chris Van Allsburg's popular children's book, and those who felt that the innovative use of "performance capture"--to accurately translate live performances into all-digital characters--was an eerie and not-quite-lifelike distraction from the story's epic-scale North Pole adventure. In any case it's a benign, kind-hearted celebration of the yuletide spirit, especially for kids who have almost grown out of their need to believe in Santa Claus. Tom Hanks is the nominal "star" who performs five different computer-generated characters, but it's the visuals that steal this show, as director Robert Zemeckis indulges his tireless pursuit of technological innovation. No matter how you respond to the many wonders on display, it's clear that The Polar Express represents a significant milestone in the digital revolution of cinema. If it also fills you with the joy of Christmas (in spite of its Nuremberg-like rally of frantic elves), so much the better.

The Polar Express (Widescreen Edition)

Amazon Price: $8.03 (as of 12/09/2009)Buy Now

More Christmas Trains 

Lionel Trains Polar Express Train Set - O Gauge

Amazon Price: $244.77 (as of 12/09/2009) Buy Now

Lionel North Pole Central Christmas Train

Amazon Price: $203.44 (as of 12/09/2009) Buy Now

Little People Christmas Parade Train

Amazon Price: $15.39 (as of 12/09/2009) Buy Now

Lionel Polar Express Train Set - G-Gauge

Amazon Price: $139.99 (as of 12/09/2009) Buy Now

". . . the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe."

About Chris Van Allsburg, Author of The Polar Express 

Chris Van Allsburg (born June 18, 1949 in East Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American author and illustrator of children's books. He twice won the Caldecott Medal, for Jumanji (1982) and The Polar Express (1986), both of which he wrote and illustrated, and both of which were later adapted into successful motion pictures. He received the Caldecott Honor Medal in 1980 for The Garden of Abdul Gasazi.

Van Allsburg attended the College of Architecture and Design at the University of Michigan, which at that time included the art school. He majored in sculpture, learning bronze casting, wood carving, resin molding and other techniques. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1972 and continued his education at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), graduating with a master's degree in sculpture in 1975. After graduation, Van Allsburg set up a sculpture studio.

While Van Allsburg focused on sculpture, his wife thought that his drawings would make good illustrations for children'...

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Lensmaster lisadh has been a member since July 23 2007, has rated 636 lenses, favorited 84, and has created 215 lenses from scratch. Lisa Howard donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund and A Day of Hope. This member's top-ranked page is "Elf Yourself, Become an M&M or Turn Into a Simpsons Character". See all my lenses

'Tis the Season 

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