(Kansas City Southern issued the following news release on November 17.)
KANSAS CITY — In its fifth annual trip, Kansas City Southern’s (NYSE: KSU) (KCS) Holiday Express train will bring Santa Claus and his elves to visit 20 communities in eight states throughout the KCS system, including Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. At each stop, KCS will make a contribution of Wal-Mart gift cards to the local Salvation Army. Thanks to the generous contributions of KCS’ employees, vendors and friends, KCS raised nearly $104,000 this year, almost 30 percent more than was raised in 2004.
In addition to monetary contributions, employee and community volunteers donate their time for various aspects of train preparation and operations, including playing the roles of Santa Claus and his jolly elves. The Holiday Express premiered in 2001, after volunteers dedicated 8,000 plus hours to the rigorous transformation of retired freight cars to their present day grandeur. Led by KCS’ Southern Belle, the six-car Holiday Express includes a smiling tank car “Rudy”, a flat car carrying Santa’s sleigh, reindeer and a miniature village, a ginger bread box car, the elves’ workshop, the reindeer’s stable and a little red caboose. At each stop, children visit with Santa Claus in the caboose before touring the three cars full of holiday displays. Festive music and lights complete the package.
Annual enhancements to the train have become tradition and this year is no exception. This year’s theme is angels, dolls and one space ship.
Over the last year, employees and volunteers have collected more than 300 angels and dolls that will be featured on the train, replacing last year’s nutcracker theme. Children will enjoy finding the spaceship in one of the train’s new hand painted murals. Additions to the o-scale models and lighting changes keep the exhibits fresh and exciting for repeat visitors.
The train’s route varies each year to include some communities on the KCS system not previously visited by the Holiday Express. Admission to the train is free and it is open to the public. The Holiday Express project would not be possible without the generous sponsorships of DST Systems, Inc., the Kansas City Southern Historical Society, Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences, Michael and Marlys Haverty, TranSystems Corporation and Wal-Mart Stores.
The Holiday Express train was built on the tradition of the former Gateway Western (GWWR) Santa Train, which made stops in small towns from East St. Louis, Ill. to Blue Springs, Mo. (GWWR was purchased by KCS in
1997.) In 2000, KCS employees noticed that the Santa Train was the only Christmas some kids had, and that some did not even have essential items like coats, hats and gloves. The employees were so touched that they committed to elevating the project to the experience that communities throughout KCS’ service area enjoy today.
Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., KCS is a transportation holding company that has railroad investments in the U.S., Mexico and Panama.
Its primary U.S. holdings include The Kansas City Southern Railway Company and Texas Mexican Railway Company, serving the central and south central U.S. Its international holdings include TFM, S.A. de C.V., serving northeastern and central Mexico and the port cities of Lázaro Cárdenas, Tampico and Veracruz, and a 50% interest in Panama Canal Railway Company, providing ocean-to-ocean freight and passenger service along the Panama Canal. KCS’ North American rail holdings and strategic alliances are primary components of a NAFTA Railway system, linking the commercial and industrial centers of the U.S., Canada and Mexico.