--- title: ETC boards the Polar Express – et cetera... description: When guests arrived at the train platform for a ride on The Polar Express this holiday season, they knew they were in for a magical evening — but chances are they never thought about the technical challenges that […] image: https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/17_pex_2018-750x499.jpg --- - [ETCCONNECT](https://etcconnect.com/) - [ABOUT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/about) - [AUTHORS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/blog-authors) - [CONTACT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/contact) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/electronic-theatre-controls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.youtube.com/user/ETCVideoLibrary) [![EtCetera_319x104](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EtCetera_319x104.png?width=319&height=104&name=EtCetera_319x104.png "EtCetera_319x104")](https://blog.etcconnect.com) [![ETC Blog](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EtCetera_319x104.png?width=319&height=104&name=EtCetera_319x104.png "ETC Blog")](https://blog.etcconnect.com) - [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) - [ETC CULTURE](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etc-culture) - [GEAR](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/gear) - [LEARN](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/learn) - [ODDS & ENDS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/odds-ends) - [BRIGHT IDEAS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/bright-ideas) Search ## [![blog-header](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-header.png?width=476&height=155&name=blog-header.png "blog-header")](https://www.etcconnect.com) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ElectronicTheatreControls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/electronic-theatre-controls) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.youtube.com/user/ETCVideoLibrary) [✕](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/01/etc-boards-the-polar-express#gwen-offcanvas-primary) - [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) - [ETC CULTURE](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/etc-culture) - [GEAR](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/gear) - [LEARN](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/learn) - [ODDS & ENDS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/odds-ends) - [BRIGHT IDEAS](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/bright-ideas) # ETC boards the Polar Express By [Kate Kling](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-kling) 23 Jan 2019 ![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/17_pex_2018-750x499.jpg)   When guests arrived at the train platform for a ride on The Polar Express this holiday season, they knew they were in for a magical evening — but chances are they never thought about the technical challenges that come with mounting a show on a moving train … “The Polar Express ride is like Broadway on train,” explains Guy Rhodes, lighting designer for the show. “We deploy a complete theatrical lighting and sound system in the luggage racks of each car, and treat the show as we would a show in a proscenium space. We have a full crew, including myself on lighting design, a sound designer, props designer, costume designer, two stage managers, and multiple production managers. In one small train car.” ![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/trainbooth-1.jpg?width=750&height=500&name=trainbooth-1.jpg) The Polar Express Train Ride, produced by Rail Events Productions, in Whippany, N.J. Photo by Guy Rhodes Guests of the show, based on the well-known children’s book and film, are taken on an hour-long train ride and treated to a live performance in the aisles of the train. Rhodes and his team started researching the lighting in July for an opening the second week of November. And because of the limitations of time and availability of the train, teched the show ahead of time in a mock train car they built in a warehouse in Colorado. This enabled Rhodes and his crew to finesse the show in a relaxed environment, as opposed to years past when they fought against time and space. “When you throw a railroad into the mix, everything is just compressed. You lose the time to fine tune and you’re always rushing,” Rhodes explains. “Lots of quirks come from producing a show and doing technical theatre on a train.” That quick timeframe and quirky environment also made ETC an easy choice for his lighting needs. “Triggering lighting cues off Eos was a no-brainer. It’s my go-to platform in theatre, musicals, and dance, so I knew that working in such a rigid environment would be a natural fit,” says Rhodes. He also needed a system with which the local techs at all four locations would be familiar. Eos was the answer. The iRFR app was also extremely helpful in the tight space. With iPad in hand, Rhodes could walk down the train during tech and load the cue stack without lugging the console around. “Polar Express has forced us to up our game on technical knowhow,” says Rhodes. “It’s unlike anything I do during the year. Any technology we can get our hands on to make life easier is great. Our electrician even already had the app on his phone.” If the looks on the passengers’ faces are any indication, it looked like another great year on The Polar Express. - - - 0 [#Eos](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/eos) [#SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) [#FEATURED](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/featured) [#Ion](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/ion) ### 2018 in review: ETC’s 10 most read blog posts [Previous article](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/01/2018-in-review-etcs-10-most-read-blog-posts) ### From the Museum: The first “official” ETC console [Next article](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/01/from-the-museum-the-first-official-etc-console) [Kate Kling](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-kling) Kate joined ETC in November of 2018 with 16 years of experience in marketing communications and writing for many other industries, such as healthcare, higher education, and tech. She’s excited to find herself once again surrounded by theatre aficionados as she was a high school drama nerd herself. Kate and her husband moved to Wisconsin from the Chicago area and when they’re not busy binging Netflix series or restaurant hopping in the winter, they spend the warmer months enjoying the endless outdoor fests and green spaces in the area (patios included). #### You may also like [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/28_Cast-of-Guys-and-Dolls-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/06/a-renovation-100-years-in-the-making-for-the-muny) [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/spotlight) ### [A renovation 100 years in the making for The Muny](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/06/a-renovation-100-years-in-the-making-for-the-muny) By [Kate Kling](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-kling) 18-Jun-2019 As the largest outdoor musical theatre in the United States, The Muny amphitheater in Forest Park, MO has been entertaining St. Louis-area audiences since 1919. This summer, as it embarks on its... [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/06/a-renovation-100-years-in-the-making-for-the-muny) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/kms_700px.png)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/03/etc-introduces-new-support-article-system) [LEARN](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/learn) ### [ETC introduces new support article system](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/03/etc-introduces-new-support-article-system) By [Kate Kling](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-kling) 15-Mar-2019 ETC is excited to introduce a new Knowledge Management Site (KMS), providing technical solutions that are both faster and more robust than our previous support article system. With the ability to... [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/03/etc-introduces-new-support-article-system) [![](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/14sm-Boritt-750x500.jpg)](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/12/eos-feels-love-freestyle-love-supreme) [Eos](https://blog.etcconnect.com/tag/eos) ### [Eos feels the love in Freestyle Love Supreme](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/12/eos-feels-love-freestyle-love-supreme) By [Kate Kling](https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-kling) 17-Dec-2019 The Eos control system has proven itself as a favorite in Broadway theatres for its consistency and reliability, but what happens to the lighting design when a Broadway show is based primarily on... [Read More](https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/12/eos-feels-love-freestyle-love-supreme) - [ETCCONNECT](https://etcconnect.com/) - [About](https://blog.etcconnect.com/about) - [Authors](https://blog.etcconnect.com/blog-authors) - [Links](https://blog.etcconnect.com/links) - [Contact us](https://blog.etcconnect.com/contact) [Privacy Policy & Legal Notices](https://www.etcconnect.com/Privacy-Policy-Terms-of-Use-and-Acceptable-Use.aspx) [CA Transparency Act & Transparency in Coverage](https://www.etcconnect.com/About/California-Supply-Chain-Transparency-Act.aspx) [Do Not Share My Personal Info](https://www.etcconnect.com/Do-Not-Share-My-Personal-Info/) [CA Privacy Rights](https://www.etcconnect.com/CA-Privacy-Rights/) ![ETC blog](https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/ETC-logo_footer-wh.png)   ![ETC 50 anniversary](https://www.etcconnect.com/uploadedimages/Main_Site/Images/50yr_160x80.png "ETC 50 anniversary") [![ETC social networks](https://www.etcconnect.com/uploadedFiles/Main_Site/Images/social_Footer.png "ETC social networks")](https://www.etcconnect.com/Get-connected.aspx) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Kate Kling", "url" : "https://blog.etcconnect.com/author/kate-kling" }, "dateModified" : "2022-11-29T16:57:43.422Z", "datePublished" : "2019-01-23T06:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "ETC boards the Polar Express – et cetera...", "image" : [ "https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/17_pex_2018-750x499.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.etcconnect.com/2019/01/etc-boards-the-polar-express", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.etcconnect.com/hubfs/Logos%20-%20Icons%20-%20Design%20Elements/ETC_4c.png" }, "name" : "ETC" } } ```