It’s not the Polar Express, but rather the White River Line of the Missouri Pacific Railroad.
Reporter Lucille Morris Upton and photographer Betty Love rode the passenger rail service during one of its last weeks in service. Traveling from Pleasant Hill, Missouri, to Newport, Arkansas, the diesel-powered line nicknamed “The Jungler” had been in operation since 1907.
The Interstate Commerce Commission voted to discontinue service, prompting protests and disappointment from townspeople along the line. Although many of the smaller stations along the route had long been closed or abandoned, riders noted that buses and other forms of transportation were scarce in these towns…