Paul, like you, I really enjoy the Polar Express. My two sons were at the perfect age when the movie came out and it ran non-stop on our DVD player - even outside of Christmas season. Seeing the new PE stuff always reminds me of a great time in the life of our family.
I have the original scale #1225 and all of the black roof cars that have been released (including the RPO). I was spared preordering the not-so-hot-chocolatey Hot Chocolate car since they didn’t offer it in a black roof version.
I have every piece of scale rolling stock, including six of the coal hoppers (I’ve always told the boys the long coal consist isn’t for hauling heating fuel to the North Pole, but rather for hauling stocking stuffers).
Having said all that (and now to your question), the Acela doesn’t do it for me. At all. Maybe it’s because I’m a lifelong Midwesterner and have no affinity for the Acela. Nor did I bite on the BiPolar. For whatever reason - and despite clamoring for something to haul all those freight cars - the BiPolar just didn’t move the needle.
The flat car with the bell load in the new catalog kinda has the feel like they are running out of ideas. But, I’ll get one because I still believe.
