This car will only be used duringThe Polar ExpressTM Season.
Seats: 120 total
Car is split into two sections each with an upper and lower level. Each section can seat 40 in the lower level and 20 in the upper level.
Handicap Accessible: No
Bathroom: Yes
Pricing: $18.00-$55.00 per seat varying per event.
Train Rides: The Polar Express™ Train Ride
Facts: These cars are known as the Bi-Levels. We have three Bi-Levels in service.
These cars were originally built by the Pullman Standard Car Company for the Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad and were used in commuter service. All of the cars here were built in 1961 except for car 7850 which was built in 1968. These cars were designed specifically for the C&NW Railroad for Chicago commuter trains with a “gallery car” design, meaning that the second floor, unlike traditional double deck cars, were split into single seat sections. The split level top deck design was a cost cutting measure made by the railroad, the cars could hold more passengers than standard single level cars but didn’t require more staffing as the conductor could collect tickets from the top and bottom floors at the same time without having to climb the stairs. These cars would continue serving the Chicago metropolitan area even after the demise of C&NW and reforming into Metra. After serving with Metra for several more years they were sold to the Mid America Railcar company who then sold them to the Indiana Railway Museum in 2012.
French Lick & West Baden was once known as the home to “America’s Laxative”. The Pluto Water slogan was “When nature wont, Pluto will.” At one point in time, 40-50 train cars were used to ship Pluto Water across the country. This “healing” water naturally contained sodium, magnesium sulfate, and lithium which produced a foul odor. This odor prompted people to say that the underworld couldn’t be far away.
Pluto, the Roman God of the Underworld became a staple symbol in our area. Ultimately, Pluto Water sales were stopped in 1971 when lithium became a controlled substance and was no longer allowed to be sold publicly. However, the Pluto symbol remains and can still be found in many areas locally.
