[December 21, 2011] 

Pictures by Marla Blair

Chester-East Lincoln art teacher Greg Hoffert designed and built a scaled-down locomotive and coal car for the "Polar Express" movie event Friday.

Every locomotive needs a coal car, and the Polar Express is no exception. Just knowing the train was in the building gave everyone a reason to be excited.

CEL's Polar Express is boy-powered. It was built with a pull rope on the cowcatcher for easy pulling. Engineer Doug Rader and conductor Hoffert watched as the train left the station.

Moving along the invisible track was a little tricky, and that waving smoke was not easy to contain as the smokestack passed through the tunnel.

Friday was "pajama day" at CEL, and students and teachers came in their soft and fuzzy apparel.

Each student had a ticket to ride the train, and the elf collected them as lines followed the train to the gym.

A fancy elf and the train's hobo watched the train collect the children from their classrooms. Students waited as the train passed their classroom, and then they came out to follow.

As the train gathered the children and teachers, everyone came together in the gym to watch the "Polar Express" movie.

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