Santa/North Pole/Holiday Trains
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One of the more interesting developments in the railroad industry over the past couple decades has been the large number of special Santa Claus/North Pole/Holiday Trains that operate in November and December. Even with the apparent cancellation of the CN/IC Santa Train, kids of all ages can enjoy riding or watching special trains throughout our area, bringing the holiday spirit to the local communities.
These events come in several variations: most are rides, many are fundraisers for non-profits and charities. All of these events have proven to be very popular -- most of these trips sell out months in advance. We have left out dates as there are too many to list as they range from one-time events to nearly daily service. We invite you to click on the links below to find out more about a special holiday train near you. |
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Note that the Blackhawk Railway Historical Society is not responsible for issues you may have with these organizations, including problems with their websites, cancellations, delays and equipment substitutions.
Is there a Santa/North Pole/Holiday Train that we left out? Have you found a broken link? Please send us an E-mail.
Is there a Santa/North Pole/Holiday Train that we left out? Have you found a broken link? Please send us an E-mail.
- Canadian Pacific - various stops in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin
"Holiday Train" gathering donations for local food pantries - http://www.cpr.ca/holiday-train/united-states - Chicago Transit Authority - Chicago, Illinois
"Allstate CTA Holiday Train" - https://www.transitchicago.com/holidayfleet/#about_train - Chicago Union Station/Amtrak - Chicago, Illinois
"The Polar Express" - https://www.chicagothepolarexpressride.com/ - CN (for employees and families only) - Downstate Illinois, Michigan
"Christmas Express/Santa Train" -http://www.gtwtracker.com/2018-cn-santa-train.html - East Troy Electric Railroad - East Troy, Wisconsin (southwest of Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
"Christmas Train" - https://www.easttroyrr.org/christmas-train.html - Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (home of NKP #765) - New Haven (Fort Wayne), Indiana
"Santa Train" - https://fortwaynerailroad.org/events-and-excursions/ - Fox River Trolley Museum - South Elgin, Illinois (between Elgin and St. Charles, Illinois)
"The Polar Express" - https://www.foxtrolley.org/polarexpress - Friends of the 261 (owners of Milwaukee Road #261) - St. Paul, Minnesota
"North Pole Express" - https://261.com/NPE/ - Hesston Steam Museum - Hesston, Indiana (near Michigan City, Indiana and New Buffalo, Michigan)
"Santa's Candy Cane Express" - https://www.hesston.org/ccx-event - Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum - North Judson, Indiana (southeast of Valparaiso, Indiana)
"Santa Trains" - http://www.hoosiervalley.org/shop/tickets/… - Illinois Railway Museum - Union, Illinois (northwest suburban McHenry County)
"Happy Holiday Railway" - https://www.irm.org/event/happy-holiday-railway/ - Indiana Rail Road - various stops in south-central Indiana and Illinois
"Santa Train" - https://www.facebook.com/…/a.60981590905…/1900473233323032/… - Indiana Transportation Museum - Kokomo, Logansport and Tell City, Indiana
"Polar Bear Express" - https://www.polarbear.express/ - Kansas City Southern - far southwestern Illinois and Missouri
Holiday Express: http://www.kcsouthern.com/…/2018%20Holiday%20Express%20Sche… - Keokuk Junction Railway Company - various stops in Western Illinois
"Santa Train" - http://pioneer-railcorp.com/KJRY%20Santa%20Train.html… - Lake State Railway - North Central Michigan
"Santa Train" - https://www.facebook.com/events/710037609355291/ - Little River Railroad - Coldwater, Michigan (far southern Michigan, just north of the northeast corner of Indiana)
"Holiday Express" - http://littleriverrailroad.com/index.php/special-events/ - Mid-Continent Railway Museum - North Freedom, Wisconsin (Wisconsin Dells area)
"Santa Express" - https://www.midcontinent.org/train-ride-info…/santa-express/ - Monticello Railway Museum - Monticello, Illinois (between Champaign and Decatur, Illinois)
"The Polar Express" - http://www.mrym.org/polar.html and "Lunch with Santa on the Train" - http://www.mrym.org/santa.html ;
MRM also provides equipment for the Norfolk Southern's Santa train for employee families out of Decatur, usually the second weekend in December - St. Louis Union Station - St. Louis, Missouri
"The Polar Express" - http://www.stlthepolarexpressride.com/polar-express-train-…/ - Steam Locomotive Heritage Association's Soo Line #1003 - Hartford, Plymouth, and Elkhart Lake, WI
See Santa along with their 1913-built steam locomotive - http://steamlocomotiveheritage.org/ - Steam Railroading Institute (home of Pere Marquette #1225) - Owosso, Michigan (between Lansing and Flint, Michigan)
"North Pole Express" - https://www.michigansteamtrain.com/npe - Whitewater Valley Rail Road - Connersville-Metamora, Indiana (halfway between Indianapolis, Indiana, and Cincinnati, Ohio)
"Metamora Holiday Special," "Santa Claus Limited," and "The Polar Express" - https://whitewatervalleyrr.org/excursions/events - Operation North Pole - Des Plaines, Illinois
ONP is a charity that works with Chicago’s major children’s hospitals, providing a day of fun and fantasy for families who have a child battling a life-threatening illness by hosting a fantasy trip with a specially decorated Metra train to the "North Pole." - https://www.operationnorthpole.org/ - Santa in Chicago - various Chicago and suburban locations
Numerous community organizations and park districts sponsor their own "Santa/Polar Express" trains, and a full list can be found on this handy website - http://www.santainchicago.com/santaonthe…/santaandtrains.htm