Decatur Pre-K students take ride on Christmas Express
SPRINGDALE — “Now boarding car 105 for Johnson, ALL ABOARD!” announced Conductor Mike Eckels as children and adults from Decatur Pre-K school boarded the Christmas Express train on a short journey to Johnson and back Dec. 18.
The Arkansas Missouri Railroad, located in Springdale, operates the Christmas Express several times throughout the month of December.
Eckels, Decatur reporter for the Westside Eagle Observer, was the conductor on board car 105, Golden Age, a vintage 1926 Pullman coach car.
At 10:45 a.m, 15 minutes before the train’s departure time, the 31 students, 15 teachers and parents lined up on Platform Two, ready to board Golden Age, ready for the short 30-minute round trip. Once Eckels gave the word, everybody boarded Golden Age from the front platform. The students struggled a bit as they managed the long set of steps that, for some, were about chest high. But they made the climb, many with just a little hand up.
With everybody seated and ready to go, Eckels began serving hot chocolate and cookies to everyone on board.
“Santa Claus is on board and heading this way,” Eckels announced. “Let’s practice one of Santa’s favorite songs, ‘Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.’”
Eckels led the group in a practice run of the popular children’s Christmas song.
During the short trip to Johnson, several of the students led the group in some of the most popular Christmas songs, such as “Frosty the Snowman,” “Santa is Coming to Town,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
When the train stopped in Johnson for the engineer and train conductor to switch locomotives, Eckels recited the 1823 poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” commonly known as “Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore and Harry Bornstein. The Golden Age fell quiet as Eckels read on. By the end, everybody was so captivated by the poem that the group continued to sit in silence.
As the Christmas Express began to roll back towards the Springdale Depot, Eckels led the group in one final practice of Rudolph.
Then, suddenly, the door flew open and in walked the jolly old elf himself.
“Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas,” Santa Claus exclaimed.
Children and adults came alive as Santa made his trip down the 75-foot-long rail car, stopping to visit with each child.
As fast as it began, Eckels was on the ground at the Springdale station once again.
“All off Springdale,” Eckels shouted, signaling the end of the short journey.
The group stopped one more time to take a picture with Eckels and Santa in front of the Arkansas Missouri’s caboose.
As suddenly as he appeared, Santa was gone. But the kids and adults of the Decatur Pre-K school heard him exclaim as he went out of sight: “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”