KANKAKEE, Ill. — Most of the year, Canadian National Railroad chugs its Iron Horse through Northeast Illinois, the Kankakee Daily Journal reported.
But, at Christmastime, the train transforms into an Iron Reindeer.
For the 32nd year, Canadian National — formerly Illinois Central Railroad — will bring carloads of Christmas spirit to the Kankakee area late Sunday afternoon, Dec. 15. The Kankakee stop, at 4 p.m., culminates the Santa Train excursion of a dozen stops over two days.
“There are lines a mile long at each and ever town,” John Childs, Santa Train coordinator said.
“Every year, we say this can’t possibly get any bigger, we can’t do any more,” Childs said. “The whole thing has taken on a life of its own.”
Last year, Santa saw about 3,100 children and at least that number of accompanying grown-ups toured the holiday train, Childs said. Santa chats with children in a refurbished 1923 Pullman car, lined with glowing teak wood and lavishly decorated for the holidays. Each visitor gets to sit in the engineer’s seat to ring the bell and blow the train whistle.
“I don’t know who gets the bigger kick out of it – the kids or the adults,” Childs said.
This year, Santa is getting an extra iron reindeer. Along with the standard freight engine, Canadian National volunteers this year are hitching on a smooth-nosed E-9 passenger engine with an old-time ambiance.
“We couldn’t get him eight locomotives, but this year we did manage two,” Childs said.
With corporate headquarters in Montreal, Canadian National has inside connections with the North Pole.
“We have a direct line to Santa,” Childs said. “He’s available. I’m expecting a call right now.” Santa Train organizers have no problem booking Santa. But there have been instances when a few of the elves have managed mischief.
One elf boarded the train “all lit up,” Childs said. Apparently ablaze with Christmas spirit, the elf was wrapped in so many Christmas lights he outshone Santa. Another time, an elf showed up wearing a moosehead. Santa had a problem with the headdress because it was hunting season.
“If elves get out of line, we just turn that matter over to Santa and he takes the necessary disciplinary measures,” Childs said.
Each year, about 100 railroad workers donate hours to organize and decorate the Santa Train for its 48-hour junket. Canadian National provides the locomotive and community volunteers from each town chip in with extra elf-power and presents.
Moms and dads should bring cameras and video recorders because nobody will be selling photos, Childs said.
“Everything having to do with this train for each of 32 years has all been donated,” Childs said. “No one is selling anything. No one gets paid for their time. No one is advertising anything.”
Childs sees himself as the keepers of Arvid Cook’s vision. Cook sparked the Santa Train concept when, in the early 70’s, he donned the Santa cap and waved to gaping children as the freights plowed through the snow past the towns on the Kankakee-Bloomington lines.
The Santa train is so successful it’s spawned its own spin-offs. Wisconsin Central and Indiana railroads have created similar holiday train trips fashioned after Canadian National’s concept