CLEWISTON, Florida — On December 11th, The Santa Express will deliver gifts to Toys for Tots organizations and local families in need. Special stops with Sugar Express No. 148 and Santa Claus are planned in Glades, Highlands, Hendry, Palm Beach, and Martin Counties.
“This is our second year operating The Santa Express and we couldn’t be happier delivering these gifts to our friends and neighbors,” said Scott Ogle, operations manager for Sugar Express. “We encourage all of our neighbors to come safely enjoy the sights and sounds of No. 148 and see Santa as he passes through.”
At each stop, the public will be welcome to see Santa Claus and his train. Routing, stops, and an approximate schedule can be viewed at sugarexpress.com/santa. All train stops and viewings are completely free and open to the public. Interested parents can sign up to receive toys later in December directly from the program at toysfortots.org.
First passenger excursion announced
On December 12th, Sugar Express will operate the very first public passenger excursion behind steam locomotive no. 148 between Clewiston and Lake Placid, Fla.
“We’re very excited to give people the opportunity to ride aboard a steam-powered passenger train in the South Central Florida region, and this trip is just a preview of the wide variety of events we’re exploring with the Sugar Express as we build up our passenger train fleet. Future events like this will no doubt drive tourism and interest in the rich culture of the Glades communities and we’re proud to be a part of that effort,” said Ogle.
This day-long roundtrip includes accommodations in either deluxe coach and open-air passenger cars with a scheduled departure from Clewiston at 10 AM and return at approximately 4 PM. Passengers will enjoy a trip through the Florida countryside, a layover in downtown Lake Placid for lunch on their own, with a return to Clewiston later that same day.
Ticket sales will begin at sugarexpress.com on Tuesday, November 23rd at 6 PM. A limited number of tickets will be available at sugarexpress.com. Tickets start at $148.00 and light refreshments are included. Parking and boarding for the trip will take place at Basillian Cres and South Deane Duff Avenue, Clewiston, Fla.
More information is available online.
— From a Sugar Express news release online as of Nov. 18, 2021.
