The CPKC Holiday Train has been and gone for another year, after raising more than $1.75 million and collecting more than 130,000 pounds of food for local food banks during its four-week trek across Canada and the United States.
While the Holiday Train is well-known in this area, people might not know that it has companions operating elsewhere. The CPKC Holiday Express train visited 13 communities in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi, raising $108,000 for food banks there, while the festively-decorated Tren Navideño visited nine communities across Mexico.
The Holiday Train made its inaugural trip in 1999, and since then has raised more than $26.1 million for food banks along the route, and collected 5.4 million pounds of food. In Ashcroft, where the train has stopped almost every year since 1999, the South Cariboo Elizabeth Fry Society food bank has received more than $125,000 from CPKC, along with donations of cash and food from attendees during the train’s visit.
In 2024 the Holiday Train made its first ever stop in Atlantic Canada when it visited Saint John, New Brunswick. Two separate trains carrying a rotating cast of musicians hosted 166 live music shows at stops in seven provinces and 13 states.
The CPKC Holiday Express train began life as the “Santa Train” in 2001, after volunteers dedicated more than 8,000 hours to the restoration and transformation of retired rail cars. Today the six-car train is pulled by a beautifully-restored Southern Belle passenger train, which provided luxury service between Kansas City and the Gulf coast from 1940 to 1969.
Visitors to the Holiday Express are able to board the train, visit with Santa and his elves, and tour the inside of the festive cars, which include a smiling tank car named Rudy; a flatcar carrying Santa’s sleigh, reindeer, and a miniature village; a gingerbread boxcar; elves’ workshop; the reindeer stable; and a little red caboose. Each car is bedecked with sparkling lights and holiday decorations.
Like its Holiday Train counterpart, the Holiday Express has a charitable component. In the 15 years since it has been operated by Kansas City Southern (now CPKC), the train has raised more than US$1 million for local food banks.
The Class I Tren Navideño is a festively-decorated train that includes two decorated cars, a platform featuring a Christmas scene, an Alto Total caboose, a Mexican Revolution commemorative caboose, and an eco-friendly locomotive, all adorned with Christmas lights. Since 2010, the festive train has visited 22 communities across Mexico for special events and to brighten the Christmas season for underserved communities in Mexico.
"I am continually amazed with the excitement and enthusiasm the Holiday Train generates during its annual journey across North America as it celebrates the holiday season while supporting local communities and charities," said CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel in a statement.
"Thank you to the thousands of individuals, young and old, who joined us this year to see the Holiday Train during its magical trip and gave so generously to support local organizations helping those in need."
