Santa is taking a train ride in advance of his big engagement later in December. He’s the featured guest on the 16th annual Kansas City Southern Holiday Express train that will pull up to the Sam Wilhite Transportation Museum in West Point Thursday, Dec. 1. The train’s current tour makes stops in 22 communities in seven states. At each stop, visitors can tour the inside of three of its six cars. There is no charge.
The Express will open at 4 p.m. Thursday for viewing and tours.
“The train will stay open until the last person in line,” said Lisa Klutts, director of Main Street and Tourism. “There is no end time; they will not turn anyone away.”
This marks a return engagement to West Point for the Express. Its first stop was in 2014, when it’s estimated more than 5,000 people came out; 4,430 of them toured through the train. Others visited Santa and took in the brightly-lit sight.
“In the three-car tour there are decorations from top to bottom, ornaments, Santas from all over the world and a winter wonderland train mobile,” Klutts said. “You will walk through with your mouth wide open as you gaze at everything.”
The KCS Holiday Express was built on the tradition of the Santa Train, which ran on a segment of the network bought by KCS in 1997. In 2000, a group of KCS employees noticed that the Santa Train was the only Christmas some kids had, and that some kids did not have essential items like coats, hats and gloves, so they committed to elevating the project. In 2001, volunteers transformed a retired freight train into the Holiday Express.
Led by KCS’ Southern Belle business train, the Express includes a smiling tank car “Rudy”; a flatcar carrying Santa’s sleigh, reindeer and a miniature village; a gingerbread boxcar; a newly remodeled elves’ workshop; the reindeer stable; and a little red caboose. Each car is dressed in lights.
“An added component to each stop is that KCS makes a donation to the local Salvation Army,” Klutts explained. “Since West Point does not have a local office that donation goes to the Columbus location.”
You need to know
The Sam Wilhite Transportation Museum is located at 201 Depot Dr., near West Main Street. Ample parking is available in the Save-A-Lot parking lot off Highway 45 Alternate and onto Main Street said Klutts. Shuttles will run continuously; cost is $1 round trip. Law enforcement will direct traffic and relieve vehicle congestion. Designated handicapped parking is available near the train; for directions to that, contact the Growth Alliance at 662-494-5121.
For those waiting in line to tour the train, hot chocolate and cookies will be available for $1; a kettle corn vendor will also be on site.
“There will be lots of elves to answer questions, reindeer to entertain the crowd and keep them company while waiting in line,” Klutts said. “The train is free, no tickets are required.”
“KCS is pleased to continue its long-standing Holiday Express tradition,” said president and CEO Patrick J. Ottensmeyer. “As a company, we value family and being responsible corporate citizens. It’s a pleasure to give back and bring the holiday spirit to communities where we operate and where our employees live and work.”
Anyone interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to the 2016 KCS Holiday Express fundraising campaign may do so by visiting kcsouthern.com.
For additional information about the train’s West Point stop, call the Growth Alliance, 662-494-5121.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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