New York "The Polar Express" Train Rides On Long Island!

Published: November 12, 2025

The North Fork Trolley in Calverton, New York, is a somewhat unusual enterprise in the realm of vintage trolley-style transportation, especially given its Long Island setting.

The company was founded by Tom Ingald, a retired Suffolk County police officer who, while on a celebratory trip to Boston, experienced a vintage trolley excursion that planted the seed of an idea.

He envisioned something similar on the “North Fork” of Long Island—a region more commonly associated with vineyards, agritourism and weekend escapes than with trolley rides.

Each holiday season the company hosts official "The Polar Express" rides. Please Note! North Fork Trolley does not operate traditional railed streetcars, trolleys, or interurban equipment. This is a trolley bus operating on standard roadways and highways.

A Brief Background

After roughly a year of planning, permitting and acquiring vehicles, the company officially opened on October 1, 2003.

From those modest beginnings, the business established itself as “Long Island’s oldest and largest trolley company” (by its own description) and began building a niche around leisure rides, wine tours, wedding shuttles, and special-event charters.
northforktrolley.com

In an interview circa 2011, Ingald noted that the “trolley look” (though technically using modern vehicles built to look vintage) offered a marketing advantage—people responded more enthusiastically to the idea of “taking a trolley” rather than “taking a bus.”

The company’s initial focus included winery tours on the North Fork of Long Island—leveraging the region’s growing reputation as a wine tourism destination.

Mid-growth and diversification

As the business matured, the North Fork Trolley expanded its fleet and its services. The website notes “classic polished oak wooden bench seating for 28-32 passengers … fully heated and air conditioned” and “fully glass enclosed … state-of-the-art 6 speaker sound system”.

Weddings became a major component of the business; by 2011, Ingald estimated that about 75 % of weekend activity was wedding shuttles.

In the increasingly experience-oriented world of tourism on Long Island’s East End, this hybrid model of aesthetic “vintage trolley” + tour/charter service proved compelling. For wine tours, the North Fork Trolley would depart from a terminal in Calverton and visit multiple vineyards on the North Fork peninsula.

The company also navigated seasonal fluctuations—wedding and tour work tends to peak in spring through fall, and the winter months are often slower. It is in this seasonal gap that the seed of the holiday “Polar Express” ride emerged.

The holiday transformation: The Polar Express Trolley Ride

One of the most distinctive offerings of the North Fork Trolley is its annual holiday-themed excursion: the licensed version of The Polar Express (and book) experience. According to the company’s site and regional press, in 2013 the business partnered (via licensing) with Rail Events Inc. / Warner Bros. to operate a “Polar Express” ride.

The experience is staged as follows (drawing from the company’s FAQ and 2024 press coverage):

Guests check in at the “Trolley Station” (for 2025 departures, located at Scott’s Pointe, 5835 Middle Country Rd., Calverton).

Families board the vintage-style trolley, often in pajamas as the movie invites.

While riding, a conductor punches golden tickets, the book is read aloud, hot chocolate and cookies are served, caroling ensues, and the soundtrack of the film plays.

At the “North Pole” stop, Santa boards, children visit, and each child receives the first gift of Christmas: a silver sleigh bell.

The full experience lasts about 1½ hours.

According to a 2024 article, the North Fork Trolley’s Polar Express event is the only Long Island-based location licensed under Rail Events/Warner Bros. in a roster of some 45 other locations across the U.S. and Canada.

Ticket demand is high; the company runs multiple shows on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from late November through December.

The FAQ notes that reservations are required, seats sell out quickly, and guests must arrive at least 30 minutes before departure.

Present Day & strategic role

As of 2025 the North Fork Trolley continues to operate from its Calverton base, located at 253 Edwards Ave., Calverton, NY 11933 (phone 631-369-3031) according to its website.

The business remains anchored in the charter/wedding/shuttle market, but the holiday Polar Express ride has become a star seasonal attraction and a brand differentiator.

The choice of Calverton is itself interesting: this hamlet in the Town of Riverhead on eastern Long Island has a former heavy-industrial and aerospace legacy (via the former Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, Calverton) and has since transitioned to a mix of commercial, industrial and tourism uses.

The trolley company capitalizes on the North Fork’s image as a leisure/wine tourism region.

From a business-model standpoint, the holiday ride fills the off-season winter gap, allowing the company to deploy its fleet and venue for high-capacity events when weddings/tours might be slower. The live-action theatrical ride aligns very well with “experience economy” trends: families are looking for memorable seasonal events, pajamas, hot cocoa, immersive story-themed rides—all of which this ride provides.

In marketing terms, being the sole Long Island licensed Polar Express ride gives them a unique local draw—parents living in the New York metro area may choose this over farther-afield rides. The ride also complements the winery/tour side of the business by reinforcing the brand as a “fun, unique trolley experience”.

Tips for visitors

For rail-history/experience-oriented visitors, a few notes:

While the trolley does not operate on actual historic rail tracks, the vintage aesthetic, themed ride and ticket-punch conductor evoke the feel of a classic excursion.

For the Polar Express ride: book early, especially for weekend slots in December. Arrive early (30 minutes) to allow for parking, check-in and pre-boarding performance.

Families are encouraged to wear pajamas (consistent with the movie) to enhance the experience.

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