The Santa Train Delivers Hope Sprinkled With Christmas Magic
The Christmas tradition is that Santa delivers gifts to children in a sleigh pulled by reindeer on the eve of the holiday, going from rooftop to rooftop. But some people receive gifts from Santa from a very different vehicle, a train.
Since 1943, people in the Appalachian Mountains have looked forward to the Santa Trains arrival on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This special train brings presents and holiday joy to small coal towns in Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, along a 110-mile portion of the CSX rail line, reported AP News. This year, the train made an extra stop in Erwin, Tennessee, a community that was devastated by Hurricane Helene.
The tradition of the Santa Train
Many of the people lining up along the tracks to wait for the train are the third, fourth, and even the fifth generation to do so. It is a yearly tradition.
“I look for it every year. I count the days down,” Sandra Owens, of Haysi, Virginia, told AP. She held a pink pillowcase with a message in black ink, “Thank you CSX and volunteers for the Santa Train.” A Virginia resident for 55 years, she experienced her first Santa Train when her son turned three. Now she brings her grandkids.
According to a news release from CSX, a classic heritage locomotive, the Clinchfield #1902, led the iconic Santa train in 2024. The locomotive evokes the nostalgia of the early rail transport in the Southern States. It is fitting that this historic engine led this symbol of goodwill from the railroad and the communities it serves.
The train begins its journey in Shelbiana, Kentucky where families begin to gather in pre-dawn hours, according to AP. At each stop, Santa and his volunteer “elves” – CSX employees who consider it an honor to staff the train – toss stuffed animals to the children. At the same time, elves carrying bags of gifts make sure that every child receives a present.
Each year, more than 15 tons of gifts are distributed including hats, mittens, fuzzy blankets, and games along with the stuffed animals.
Donna Doughetry from Snowflake, Virginia, remembers coming to see the Santa Train as a child in nearby Fort Blackmore. She told AP. “Years back, we didn’t get a lot,” she said. “So back then this was kind of what we got, and we were proud of it. It meant a lot to us.”
The train does not usually go to Erwin, but CSX added a special event this year to help the hard-hit residents celebrate. The town was invited to a holiday party with music, food, and gifts in the Erwin railyard. It was a huge success.
Special volunteers
So many CSX employees volunteer each year that it is hard to get a spot. Jesse Hensley had been trying to get a spot for 35 years, as his wife Angie grew up with the train. This year, they were chosen due to their volunteering in Erwin after the hurricane. Jesse Hensley works as a machinist mechanic for CSX.
“It was such a thrill when we heard that whistle blow,” she said. “When I was a little girl, you know, you have dreams. My dream was to ride that train. Never in my life did I ever think that I would get to.”
She was able to distribute toys to children in her childhood home including grandnieces and grandnephews. She said that the joy of being part of the Santa Train was even better than she expected.