Welcome to Wednesday, ladies and gents. We are in the home stretch of 2015. Time to look in your treasure trove of memories for our Year-End Review taking place on the Wednesday between Christmas and New Years Day.
While the year is winding down, a lot of railroads are having a grand old time with their various Jingle Bell, Polar Express, Holiday Fest or regular old Santa Claus Special trains.
In Scranton, PA, a partnership of the Steamtown National Historic Site, the Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society, Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley Railway Historical Society and Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad produced a series of Santa Claus trains this past weekend. Friday and Saturday trains ran to Moscow, PA. Authentic Lehigh Valley C420 number 414 held down the duties. Here, she passes the Mall at Steamtown. You see the WEJL radio tower past the parking garage.
Conductor and trainman wave out the Dutch door of sleeper City of Lima.
Lackawanna Railroad Diner 469.
Followed by two Erie Lackawanna/ NJ DOT Dieseliner coaches. This was the 9:30 AM departure heading East.
Now for the 1:30 train.
It was a very warm and wonderful day. The Electric City Trolley Station and Museum had a special trolley trip at that time, also.
A lot of people riding the train that day.
On-Board entertainment came in the form of some carolers strolling through the train singing a few songs.
Some even wore elf costumes.
I love those J-I-N-G-L-E bells, all the way!
The people greeted the cheerful snow-family at Santa's Station.
The reindeer barn is where the most famous resident from the North Pole could be found.
Yes, indeed. Santa Claus was on hand for photos and to hear special wishes.
The locomotive completes the run-around in preparation for the return to reality.
But first, one last photo. How embarrassing, the park ranger is wearing the same outfit as the snowman. He just forgot to bring his broom to the curling competition.
That's my contribution for the week. Whatever you have, holiday related or routine operations of railroading in the real world, Please add here.
