Polar Express Runs Out of Gas; Passengers Stuck for 3 Hours

By Mark Schieldrop

Dozens of families who began an enchanted Polar Express train ride in Portsmouth on Sunday ended up stuck on the tracks for about three hours when the train ran out of gas and couldn’t be restarted.

Up until Sunday, the Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad’s Polar Express train had been rolling along smoothly, not to mention sold out for the season.

Just before 8 p.m., the train ran out of gas near Willow Lane and Depot Avenue, close to the Carnegie Abbey Golf Club on the return trip. A fuel train was sent to help, but the train would not restart after an engine problem.

About 75 passengers on the train were stuck for about three hours. Eventually, and after several passengers reportedly called 911, Portsmouth police and firefighters came to the rescue, shuttling people to the train’s starting station at Montaup Country Club so they could retrieve their cars, drive back to the train and pick up remaining family members.

Portsmouth Fire Department Chief Michael M. Cranson said several taxis from Newport came to help out as well.

“All passengers were eventually transported from the scene, with the help and coordination of the Polar Express employees, members of the cab company and Portsmouth Police and Fire Departments,” Cranson said in an e-mail message.

Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad said in a statement that they wanted to extend their “Sincere apologies to all our passengers and children,” and thanked everyone for their “patience and perseverance.”

They also thanked Portsmouth police and fire officials for the assist.

Polar Express train rides based on the classic Chris Van Allsburg children’s book are popular around the country.

In the story, a boy is beckoned to a magical train after hearing a train whistle.

On the train, which is full of candy, he meets other children in their pajamas and they all take a ride to the North Pole, where they meet Santa.

The book has been awarded the Caldecott Medal for children’s literature and was the basis for the 2004 motion-capture film starring Tom Hanks.

Van Allburg is a former professor at Rhode Island School of Design.

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Photo credit: Newport and Narragansett Bail Railroad