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Holiday cheer on the CSX Christmas Train |
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Christmas on the Rails
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Every Christmas, dozens of BLE members volunteer their time to spread holiday cheer across the rails as they pilot specially designed Christmas trains.
Two examples are the BNSF Santa Claus Express and the CSX Christmas Train. These hard working employees deserve a salute for all of the joy that they have brought over the years.
The BNSF Santa Claus Express has 25,000 lights, a workshop that covers two flat cars and a payload that makes motorists happy at grade crossings.
For the past several Decembers, a half dozen or more Burlington Northern Santa Fe employees have spent two weeks of their free time converting a diesel engine, four cars and a caboose into a Christmas wonderland that brings Santa Claus to children in the Ozarks.
They cover the train with lights and decorations, including a "Santa's Workshop" that covers two flat cars. They then wire the train for Christmas music that sounds its arrival at each station from more than a mile away. Finally, they fill the train with over five tons of candy and give it to children at every stop.
The route was cut down last year, but the train still made stops at several stations in Missouri and drew people by the thousands. At each stop, a BNSF employee dressed as Santa disembarked the train and mingled with the children. Santa was assisted in his efforts by several elves (including the electrician elf who kept the train's lights and sound system working).
BNSF employees volunteer their time based on their love for the children, says the program's co-founder Larry Wilson. He and BLE Division 83 (Springfield, Mo.) member Charles Dischinger have worked on this project for the better part of a decade.
"These people are angels," says retired BLE Division 327 (St. Louis) member Thomas McCall, who was instrumental in bringing this program to the attention of the BLE. "These people work hard and volunteer their free time to do something for children. God bless them"
BNSF also runs other Santa Trains around the country. Including one in Southern California for disabled and disadvantaged children. Several groups, such as the City of Hope Medical Center, the Masons, Shriner's Hospital and various United Way agencies, work with BNSF to take the children on a short train ride, and giving them gifts to brighten their holiday season.
BNSF employees are not the only ones who will be spreading Christmas cheer. For the past seven years, BLE members on CSX have enjoyed an annual Christmas ride with their families.
The CSX Christmas train is sponsored by the Philadelphia/Wilmsmere Safety Committees, and is strictly a volunteer operation. The volunteers bring the train from Baltimore to Philadelphia, clean the coaches and decorate the train. Refreshments and prizes are provided for all in attendance, and Santa Claus visits the train with gifts for the children.
This year the train will be dedicated to the late Joe Kochersperger and his family. Joe, the former chairman of the safety committee, died suddenly several days after Christmas last year.
"The train is our way of providing a few hours of fun and entertainment for both the employees and their families," said BLE Division 353 (Baltimore) President Rick Maguire.
In previous years, there has been a large turnout for the Christmas train, and this year is no exception. In fact, the organizers expect even more people this year because of the Conrail takeover.
The event is planned for Sunday, December 12 and will depart from the Wilsmere Yard near Wilmington, Delaware at 9 a.m. It will make a round trip to the Susquehanna River bridge and return at about noon.
For more information about the train, contact Brother Maguire at P.O. Box
716, Claymont, DE 19703.
© 1999 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers