About the Author J. D. Santucci (a.k.a. "Tuch") began his railroading career in 1978 as a trainman on the Missouri Pacific. After a round of lay-offs in 1985, Tuch embarked on a railroad odyssey, working in many different situations for different roads. This column tries to explain some of the nuts and bolts of the job and also demonstrates what we have to deal with on a regular basis within and without the industry. Tuch currently works through freights out of Chicago for Canadian National/Illinois Central. ©1999, 2003-2007 JD Santucci. Logo ©2002 The Railroad Network. By J.D. Santucci

December 20, 2003
Several weeks ago I put out a piece about the 33rd annual running of the CN's Chicago Subdivision Santa Train. I had also mentioned that I would gladly send the history of the Santa Train to anyone that requested it. Well little did I realize that there would be such a tremendous response to this offer. So instead of trying to send it out to the multitudes that requested it, I just decided to borrow a page from Johnny Carson formerly of "The Tonight Show" and do a "Best of" column; a fancy way of saying that this is a rerun.

The column presented will be exactly as originally "aired" back in December 2001. I will add some comments at the end though, so stay tuned.

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Hot Times on the High Iron, originally broadcast 6 December, 2001

This weekend is the annual operation of the Santa Train on CNIC's Chicago Subdivision. This marks the 31st consecutive year of its formal operation. The train had quite the interesting origin and development. Thanks to information forwarded to me by John Childs, I will recount the story of its beginnings and success.

John by the way, aside from being the train's current Caretaker is also the daylight trick, Desk 2 Train Dispatcher for CNIC at Homewood. The Santa Train is a never-ending project and has indeed become a family affair for the Childs household. John's lovely wife Susan and pretty daughter Margaret also assist in making the train the annual event and success that it is and they also deserve credit and recognition.

Back in 1967 there was an Engineer on the Kankakee/Bloomington tri-weekly local named Arvid Cook. Arvid took up to dressing as Santa at Christmas time. As the local went about its assigned duties of servicing the on-line customers, people noticed "Santa Claus" running was running the engine. Motorists in their cars would honk their horns and the children would wave. Arvid would graciously wave back and give a few short blasts on the whistle to acknowledge their greetings. At Anchor, IL, Arvid recalled a little boy who just stood on the corner across from the tracks and watched as the local spotted the elevator. This little boy, about eight, as Avid remembers would neither come over when he motioned him to do so, nor would he wave to Arvid. However he was always back the next day on the corner when the local came south. This got Arvid to thinking.

The following year not only did Arvid dress as Santa; he came armed with a bag full of candy. When the local stopped in the towns along the line to do their switching and any little child would come by the train to see its famous engineer, Arvid would throw them some candy and wish them a "Merry Christmas". Needless to say, it didn't take too long at any town for Arvid to start drawing a crowd. He was having the time of his life. However, not all on the crew shared in Arvid's Christmas spirit. Many a time the answer to the instructions to "take'm ahead", was, "just a minute I'm busy". The Conductor on the job told Arvid that they were wasting too much time and if the company found out what he was doing that he would get them all fired. Despite this concern, Arvid was not about to quit.

The next year he again donned his Santa suit and brought his candy, but a new twist was added. As the local departed Bloomington, Arvid stopped the train and got off and went knocking on some doors to houses along the tracks. He passed out his goodies to all the surprised children. The Conductor thought that they were all going to be fired for sure. It was at this point that Arvid decided to make his Santa Train a legitimate concern.

He went to Champaign to speak Illinois Division Superintendent Jim Law about his concept. Arvid had an idea that this would give the railroad some good press. When Mr. Law was presented with Arvid's idea of the Santa train, it got mixed reviews. Arvid did get Mr. Law's approval with some restrictions. The company would provide an engine and caboose but the train had to operate on Arvid's as well as the crew's own time. All his help was also required to sign a waiver freeing the company of any responsibility should they be injured while working the train. Also, no one could violate the hours of service. Even with these restrictions this was more than Arvid hoped he could get. So the next year he would take the first run on the now "Official" Santa Train.

Arvid made up a schedule, amassed his volunteers, and began to make phone calls. He contacted all the mayors or community leaders along the Bloomer (Bloomington District) and told them what he wanted to do, and asked for their help and support. He got it, although not without some resistance from a couple of them. When the train pulled into each town all the children got to go up on the engine, ring the bell, blow the whistle, tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas, then go into the caboose and get a bag of goodies from Santa's helpers. Those helpers were Arvid's fellow employees on the Chicago and Bloomington Districts, who gladly donated their time just like him.

The train operated on the Bloomer until it was abandoned. Arvid then moved to the Kankakee/Gilman turn local which operated on the Chicago District. The Santa train followed him there. By this point in time, the word got out that this was beginning to be a local tradition and the crowds were getting large. Around 200 children at Kankakee alone would come to visit with Santa on his train. The law department got worried and would not allow anyone on the train. Arvid then proceeded to purchase an old caboose from the ICG and had it painted Christmas red and numbered SC-1. He used that caboose until he retired. It sat on the extension track in front of the depot at Gilman, until it was required every 24th of December. When Arvid retired, Santa's caboose was donated to Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois.

Steve Simnick, a Chicago District Conductor, took over the train upon Arvid's retirement. He had towns along the Chicago District requesting the train make stops in their communities. Steve added a second day to the train and extended the run to Rantoul. Arvid continued to show up every year in his familiar red suit. By 1986 though, Arvid found that two days was getting to be too much for him to handle alone as by now he was seeing an average 1400 guests every year. Steve's father, Tim, an Engineer, stepped up taking over the red suit. This was also the first year the company allowed the use of the safety car. The train's consist had grown a bit now with a pair of GP10 locomotives, the safety car, and a caboose (On which the helpers stored their grips. it also contained a stove for the helpers cook hot dogs for their lunch).

In 1989, Rantoul opted out of the Santa Train route. The town had acquired a caboose of their own and had Santa on board every night across from the passenger depot. With Rantoul dropped from the schedule, the town of Thawville was then added. This was the first year the train went out on the Gilman line. While Thawville only has a population of about 200, that first year in their little community brought forth 275 visitors to the train.

Around 1993 Steve was unable to continue with the train and turned it over to John Childs, who has run the train ever since. The train operates the second weekend in December beginning its run at Ludlow and concluding the first day at Gilman. Before ending at Gilman though, the side trip down the Gilman Line to Thawville is made. The second day the train begins its run at Danforth making stops along the way en route to its final destination of Kankakee. Little has changed since Arvid first started the train. The train waits at every stop until everybody has had the chance to visit with Santa.

Both Steve and John agree that they don't run the train, but are really the caretakers of and preserving Arvid's dream.

In 1994 the company took on a much more supportive role in the operation of the train. They added the second safety car, which has a kitchen, for the members of the crew to use. Operation Lifesaver came on board and added a lot of extra goodies to hand out to the children. In 1997 the volunteers added a night at IC's Woodcrest Shops in Homewood where all Illinois Central employees could bring their families out to meet Santa. In 1998 and 99 the crowds were right at 3000 for the two-day run. In 2000, the overall attendance (which included the employee open house at Woodcrest) was about 5000 people.

With the proliferation of the Internet in American life, the Santa Train gets much wider publicity which in turn, draws out larger crowds. This year, the Santa Train will operate on December 8th and 9th. The schedule was posted on the Internet over a month ago. I would suspect this year's attendance will very likely break last year's record as a result.

A great deal of thanks is owed to CNIC Midwest Division Management team, the folks who manage and run Woodcrest Shops and all the loyal and dedicated employees, their families and friends whose efforts continue to make the Santa Train a continued success. Without their cooperation and participation, none of this would be possible.

Yours truly along with the train's caretaker John Childs and all the other helpers will be out again in force to gladly assist Santa this year. And all of us wish you and yours a safe, healthy and joyous Holiday Season.

* * * * (More To Come) * * * *

A few post scripts to add; The Illinois Central name has been officially dropped and now we are just Canadian National or CN. However, by any other name the management team is still supportive of the Santa Train. And with that support we the volunteers owe them a great deal of appreciation. They put up with the inconveniences the train causes to operations and also, continue to provide us with the necessary equipment, such as the train itself. They also feed us well; a hungry elf can become a testy elf.

This year's Santa Train was yet another success. While our total count of visitors was down a little bit from last year, it was still quite the popular attraction. We lost the stops at Loda and Buckley this year, but the folks in Loda have already approached us about an alternative plan for next year to bring them back into the fold. We'll pass the information on should this plan come to fruition.

We did have a few setbacks this year, although most of them were not visible to the guests. Several of the elves and several of the children of the elves (Would they be elfettes?)took sick and had to depart the festivities early. We were left a little short of help, but received some substitute elves along the way to lend a hand, including one from the former Grand Trunk Western side. We appreciate their pitching in.

We were fortunate enough to have an additional car on the train this year, the Wisconsin Central Superior, a beautiful parlor car. It has a dining room, several bedrooms and a parlor which is located at the observation end. The car is very nicely done up and rides as comfortable as it looks. But no good turn goes unpunished. As kind as the company was to provide the Superior this year the railroad gods reared their ugly heads causing the generator for this car to give up to ghost. This loss resulted in no heat or lights within the Superior. Even at Christmas time the railroad gods find the need to be known.

Our hero Rick Tracy (who is upset that I write nice things about him and place them on the world wide web) was able to work up a connection to draw power from the other cars to at least provide some lights and enough juice to power up a couple of space heaters so Elf Jack didn't totally freeze to death in there.

And oh yes Rick, you did another typical bang up job for us this year and we thank you for your efforts. Hopefully this will get posted at Woodcrest so your fellow employees in the Mechanical Department can get a good laugh.

To all of the volunteers and elves that made this year's train another rousing success; take a bow as you deserve it. And of course the keeper of the train John Childs and his lovely wife Susan, we thank you both for your tireless efforts to carry on in the tradition started by the late Arvid Cook, founder of the Santa Train. You went out and procured the original seat that Arvid used setting it up as a tribute and memorial to Arvid, who passes away earlier this year. I'm sure Arvid is resting in peace knowing full well that you have carried on his tradition in such a fine and gracious manner.

And of course the snow that fell was a really nice touch, really captured the feeling of the season. It looked like Christmas. The "paparazzi" of photographers following the train both days certainly appreciated the look of Christmas to capture the look of the season along with the spirit of good will generated by the train and all aboard. I'm sure that I will be receiving Christmas cards next year capturing this year's train as the photograph.

We're going to take a well deserved holiday as well. I have been failing further and further behind with responding to mail as well as even reading some of it. I've been working a steady diet of twelve hour evenings and just have not been able to keep up with all that I need to do. If you have sent me a note and I have not yet answered, that is partially why. Also, I have come down with a severe sinus infection that has kept me out of commission for the past few days. The onset of it has had me operating on very low power prior to its really taking hold. I've been taking prescription meds that have kept me home from work the past few days. Since I returned from the Santa Train Sunday night, I have hardly been in this computer until today.

I will be off this year for both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, so we plan to live a little like the civilians for both days (and evenings).

We'll see you back here in 2004. From the beautiful bride and me, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a safe, a Happy Chanukah and a healthy and joyous New Year.

And so it goes.

Tuch