Christmas Train Calls On Goodman

Santa and his merry elves made a whistle stop in Goodman, but Saint Nick wasn’t in his normal ride this time. He arrived in style – riding the rails of the Kansas City Southern.

On Dec. 14 the Kansas City Southern Holiday Express Train visited the area to speak with the youngest residents about the Christmas season and spread cheer.

Guests were invited to walk through three train cars, each of them festively decorated from beginning to end, inside and out.

There are six cars featured in total: a grinning tank car named Rudy; a flatcar carrying Santa’s sleigh, reindeer, and an intricate miniature village; a gingerbread boxcar, the elves’ workshop; a stable for the reindeer; and a small, red caboose where Santa waits.

The Holiday Express was created in 2001 as volunteers dedicated more than 8,000 hours transforming the retired rail cars into the shining spectacle they now are.

Jim Langford, of Y City, Ark., joined the Kansas City Southern Historical Society five years ago.

This year, he took a polar plunge and applied to be one of Santa’s elves. As you watch him interact with the children and their families, it’s evident that he made the right decision.

“Everyone has a whole lot of fun,” he said. “We sleep on the train, eat on the train, and travel about on the train.”

Langford and approximately 25 other volunteers live, work, and play in the passenger cars attached to the seasonal train. This includes the engineers, maintenance, and dining staff, as well as Santa himself.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Langford said.

At each stop, The KCS Charitable Fund spreads good will by donating gift cards to the local Salvation Army. These cards are then used to provide warm winter clothing for local children in need.