WHISTLESTOP WONDERLAND
Holiday train getaway, meeting Rudy the tanker, Santa’s iron sleigh
Holiday train getaway, meeting Rudy the tanker, Santa’s iron sleigh
More than a million lights form the shapes of reindeer and snowmen alongside a Canadian Pacific train entering Cottage Grove, Minnesota. A crowd gathers in the northern town to experience one of the biggest events along the railway each winter season. The CP Holiday Train has literally rolled into town. Parents hoist children onto their shoulders to see the sight as a hatch on one freight car suddenly swings down like a Murphy bed, revealing a full concert stage for rock and country performers who will yield to St. Nick himself for a rendition of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”
The CP Holiday Train starting in late November will begin its 150-stop loop along tracks in Canadian provinces and as far south as Chicago and into New York, along the way raising more than $1 million for food banks. “Every year, we work to make these trains look really good. It has a strong visual impact and is something a lot of young people look forward to,” says Andy Cummings, a spokesman for Canadian Pacific.
Kansas City Southern Railway also sends its KCS Holiday Express to stops in Louisiana, east Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Illinois before landing at the historic Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri. Visitors line up for days to get free tickets to tour the resting train, says Doniele Carlson, the railway’s assistant VP for corporate communications and community affairs. The project started in 2001 with workers devoting more than 8,000 hours to convert retired railcars into this Christmasthemed delight. “The KCS Holiday Express is a labor of love for KCS employees and a way to give back to communities
Trains boast an undeniable connection to the season of giving.
through which the railway operates,” she says. At each stop, donations are collected for The Salvation Army.
Vacationers in northern regions often ask about CP Holiday Train stops, says Kristen LeVan with Travel Wisconsin, the state’s tourism office. “The Holiday Train is something that doesn’t happen every day,” she says. “You can’t hop in on any weekend. It’s a once-a-year trip, and we see a lot of crowds there.”
Families anticipate the KCS Holiday Express, watching for a tanker named Rudy, bearing a lighted face with a bright smile. Also p art of this six-piece train set: a flatcar carrying reindeer and Santa’s sleigh, as well as a miniature village with a model train, a gingerbread boxcar, a rolling workshop for Santa’s elves, a stable for live animals and a decorated red caboose. Free events include a train tour and visiting with Santa.
For the KCS Holiday Express, the annual journey builds up to a multi-day event at Union Station, one that draws visitors from around the country. “The holidays are very big in Kansas City, and this is one of the prominent and popular events,” says Toni Alexander, communications manager for tourism’s Visit Kansas City. In a city still heavily serviced by Amtrak, trains remain a prominent part of the regional character. Lauren Hypse, event manager for Union Station, which opened in 1914 and is today an entertainment complex, says while the train is a free event, reservations are recommended. Union Station houses a working train station and science center, hosts holiday-themed games and activities through a six-week holiday season. But the four days when the express rolls in are among the biggest attractions of the year (Dec. 16-20), she says. “It’s a big draw for the families in the area,” Hypse says. In fact, some 28,000 visitors went to see the Holiday Express last year, a big chunk of the 300,000 of us that each year visit Union Station. Both rail companies anticipate the holiday train tradition continuing for many years. It’s not just a way to keep a positive profile; trains boast an undeniable connection to the season of giving. “When you think of the world from a kid’s perspective, there’s wonder and enthusiasm around that holiday time,” Cumming says. “A lot of families have model trains running under the Christmas tree, so this just feels natural.”
The KCS Holiday Express is a labor of love for KCS employees and a way to give back to communities through which the railway operates.” —Doniele Carlson, Kansas City Southern Railway