HARROD — The Auglaize Township Historical Society rang in the holidays Sunday while also harking back to Allen County’s rail heritage during the Polar Express train event held at Railroad Heritage Park.
“We’ve got a bigger crowd here than we’ve ever had,” society President Dave King said. “We like to do these things for the community, getting the kids out here to see the park, and we have a nice time doing it. We probably have as much fun as the kids, honestly.”
During the event, billed as Harrod’s version of “The Polar Express,” families got to meet Santa Claus in the train car attached to a 1905 Shay locomotive built originally in Lima that, complete with a new paint job, sits in the park.
“It was in the hills of West Virginia for many years,” King said. “Then it was sold and went to Florida for a while and then it went to a park. Then it came back to Lima and went back to the Shay shop for a while. When the shop closed down, we were able to acquire it. We’re right here on the right-of-way of the Erie-Lackawanna line, so that’s why we have ‘Erie’ painted on the car. So we have a lot of fun with it. We like to celebrate the history we have here in the county.”
Families were greeted with several toots from the train whistle as they waited their turn, with cookies and hot chocolate also available. After meeting Santa, children were given their own train whistle to remember the occasion.
“It warms our hearts that we can do this for the community,” society Vice President Rhonda Parker said. “And the kids love it. We have families come from Indian Lake, Hardin County, all over.”
Seeing the reaction of the children to the train makes it all worth it, according to King.
“It’s only through the kids that you can get that sense of wonder,” he said. “Their eyes get as big as silver dollars when they hear that whistle.”
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