(The following story by Darrell R. Santschi appeared on the Press-Enterprise website on December 20, 2009. Rudy Borrego is Local Chairman of BLET Division 662 in Los Angeles, Calif.)
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Four hundred underprivileged Inland children and their parents boarded a seven-car passenger train in San Bernardino on Saturday for a two-hour excursion with Santa Claus up the Cajon Pass and back.
The train slowly chugged its way up the mountain pass as Santa and Mrs. Claus, accompanied by elves and BNSF Railway volunteers, sang Christmas carols and handed out coloring books, stuffed bears, candy canes and balloon hats. The cars were decorated with Christmas lights, stockings, garlands, poinsettias and posters depicting mock letters to Santa Claus.
One of the signs read: “Dear Santa, please refer all inquiries regarding naughty behavior to my attorney.”
The youngsters were anything but naughty, singing along with the carolers and calling out cheers that reached a crescendo as Santa approached.
Each child got a personal moment with the big red guy and made known his or her Christmas requests.
Seven-year-old John Figley, of Bloomington, told Santa he wanted a video game system.
“I think I’ll get it,” he said after making the request.
A young girl in one of the cars asked for a hamster, but Santa declined, saying it would likely freeze at the North Pole.
Mariah Thomsen, of San Bernardino, turned 8 years old on Saturday and got her birthday wish — to meet Santa Claus.
“This is my second time on a train,” she said, acknowledging that it will be tough to top the excitement of this one.
It was the 19th year that BNSF Railway has moved special passenger cars from Kansas to Southern California for six days of decorating and transporting children recruited by local nonprofit groups.
“It means, to me, giving something back to the community,” said the railroad’s California Division general manager, Mark Kirshinger. “We operate through the community, and sometimes people can perceive us to be a nuisance. This is a nice way to get the message out that we provide a service and for kids to be involved and see what we do.”
Becky Martin, community impact director for the Arrowhead United Way in San Bernardino, organized train rides for 200 of the Inland kids.
“For a lot of them, this was their opportunity to celebrate the holidays,” she said. “Many of them are coming from shelters or from very low-income families. This is a way for them to maybe leave behind where they came from and bring in the holiday spirit.”
Rudy Borrego, 39, of Highland, took a day without pay as a BNSF engineer to drive the Santa Claus Express.
“This is the least I could do for community,” he said. “Besides, I enjoy seeing the faces of the kids getting on and off this train.”