THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TRAIN

If it's late December, then it must be time for the Christmas train!

Train DEC25 rolls into town, with Santa on the front walkway!

Since this year's train is much longer than before, an extra engine has been added -Athearn-painted engine 2007!

Car 11 is a specially-equipped car; converted from an old baggage car, it now supplies power to the two passenger cars behind it. The generator is on the left end of the car, hence the intakes on the car side. The fuel tank is inside the other end of the car.

The two passenger cars are sleepers; "Joliet" and "Kansas City". More toys to deliver means more personnel have to travel!

The coal hopper and tree-hauling gondola are still standard, along with the big white boxcar, just seen at left.

Two more new editions are a second boxcar and a covered hopper, both painted up for the season -and both long retired from revenue service.