History Heartwarming / ThePolarExpress

** The Conductor is at first furious due to the train being stopped seemingly for no reason while they're on a tight schedule, but upon learning that Hero Boy only pulled the break so the Lonely Boy can get on he quickly mellows out and agrees with the use of the brake.

--->'''Conductor:''' One thing about trains: it doesn't matter where they're going. What matters is deciding to get ''on''. ''(winks)''

* When the Hero Boy gets off the train, he gives a thanks to the Conductor. The Conductor gives a big "No!"... and turns it into a "Thank ''you''." It's a major PetTheDog moment for such a divisive character.

-->'''Hero Boy:''' ''(calling out)'' What?!\\

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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/polar_express_disneyscreencapscom_10784.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Though I've grown old the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.]]

* Sarah finds one last gift for her brother under the tree, which turns out to be [[spoiler:the bell, which Santa found on the seat of his sleigh]].
* Hero Boy's older self revealing that even after all of these years, he can still hear the ringing of the bell Santa gave him.

* The other kids being willing to help Hero Boy [[spoiler:find his bell]]. [[CharacterDevelopment Even the know-it-all kid]].

* Hero Boy's older self revealing that even after all of these years, he can still hear the ringing of the bell Santa gave him.
* In a meta-example, the steam locomotive used in the film is the Pere Marquette 1225, an N-1 class 2-8-4 "Berkshire" built by Lima in 1941. This very locomotive, when on display at Spartan Stadium in Michigan, inspired Chris Van Allsburg to write the story of ''The Polar Express'' in the first place. Thanks to this engine, this film has become a holiday staple, so it getting to be in the film as the very train it inspired is a touching gesture. Van Allsburg was even tickled to find that it was the same engine!

[[caption-width-right:350:SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments Though I've grown old the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.]]]]

* Hero Boy's older self revealing that even after all of these years, he can still hear the ringing of the bell Santa gave him.

--->'''Billy:''' We'll find it!
--->'''Lenny:''' Yeah! We'll help you! All of us!

* When the Hero Boy gets off the train, he gives a thanks to the Conductor. The Conductor gives a big "No!"... and turns it into a "Thank ''you''." It's a major PettheDog moment for such a divisive character.

* Hero Boy's older self revealing that even after all of these years, he can still hear the bell Santa gave him ring.

* The other kids being willing to help Hero Boy [[spoiler:find his bell]].

* Hero Boy stopping the train so the Lonely Boy could get on.