(The following article by Jose Paul Corona was posted on the Columbian website on December 12.)
VANCOUVER — Not even a train derailment could stop Santa Claus from making his scheduled appearance.
Eager families braved cold weather Sunday morning and gathered at Vancouver’s west-side freight yard to see Kriss Kringle arrive aboard the SP&S 700 steam locomotive.
Instead, Santa arrived aboard a BNSF 4,400-horsepower diesel locomotive, not the famed steam train.
While train enthusiasts may have been disappointed, the many children in attendance couldn’t have cared less.
They pointed and jumped up and down as the train slowly rolled into the freight yard.
“He’s coming!” a boy said excitedly.
“I see him!” said another child.
“I’m so happy!” a child said as Santa began to climb down from the train.
A large crowd formed at the front of the train and had Santa surrounded before he could even try to get off.
The swarm didn’t faze Santa; he gladly shook hands that were thrust his way, with a jolly “Ho, ho, ho” or “Merry Christmas.”
Sunday marked Santa’s second visit with the public at the freight yard.
During the past decade, only railway employees were part of the festivities, but railway officials opened it up last year.
“This has been one of the more popular events,” said Gus Melonas, a BNSF spokesman.
About 700 people attended last year’s event and 625 people attended Sunday, Melonas said.
“Kids, trains and Christmas go together,” he said.
Railway officials weren’t sure how the absence of the SP&S 700 would impact attendance, Melonas said.
The famous train derailed Saturday in Portland and sustained minor damage that prevented it from taking part in Sunday’s event.
Railway officials don’t yet know what caused the derailment and the incident is still under investigation, Melonas said.
As soon as railway officials realized that the SP&S 700 wouldn’t be able to make the trip, they began searching for a replacement, Melonas said.
“We didn’t want to disappoint the kids,” he said.
A diesel engine was located late Saturday night.
Sunday’s turnout was a clear indication that people were still interested in seeing Santa.
Kim Kloft and her 4-year-old triplets, Matthew, Zachary and Logan, couldn’t get enough of the SP&S 700. Sunday marked their second trip to see it in three days.
They rode the SP&S 700 while in Portland on Friday and hoped to see it again Sunday, Kloft said.
As they arrived at the freight yard Sunday, at about 10:40 a.m., Kloft heard a loudspeaker announcement stating that the event had been canceled due to Saturday’s derailment.
As soon as she heard that, Kloft set about “trying to get the real information,” she said.
While her children heard the same announcement, they didn’t catch the part about the event being canceled, Kloft said.
“All they heard was ‘Santa Claus,'” she said.
The Dollar family also went to the freight yard to see the steam train and Santa.
It’s a family tradition, said Jennifer Dollar.
She brought her children, Wyatt, 7, and Megan, 3, to the event.
Jennifer Dollar’s father was a railroad employee, and she and her family have gone to the event several times, she said.
Wyatt made the most of his opportunity and asked for an “airplane set” when he talked to Santa.
As if that wasn’t good enough, Wyatt was even happier with what Santa gave him after they met.
“I got chocolate,” Wyatt said, smiling.