@Prr7688 posted:Also, there is more to the use of 1225 as the engine as people think. While it is evident that 1225 = 12/25 (Christmas day), Pere Marquette 1225 was on display at Michigan State in Grand Rapids where Chris Van Allsburg (the author of the book) grew up. In the book, the boy's house is in Grand Rapids.In a interview with the Detroit Free Press discussing the movie, Van Allsburg stated that he "remember[s] that train on campus, I can't believe it's the same train [as the one in the movie]! I climbed on that train. I actually stood on it."
In another interview, Van Allsburg stated that playing on the engine as a child was a partial inspiration for the book and he had the engine in mind as he wrote the story. I can't find a direct quote or citation for this part so I'm not sure how much of it is fact vs. fiction.
FWIW, Michigan State University where 1225 was once displayed is actually in Lansing, MI, not Grand Rapids. I believe Grand Rapids, MI was a big PM Railroad town though so I wouldn't doubt that it had something to do with the inspiration for the story.
