CALGARY — The CPKC Holiday train raised a record C$1.8 milion and collected more than 160,000 pounds of food for local food banks during four weeks of travel across the United States and Canada, the railroad has announced.
The Holiday Train program, which has completed its 25th year, raised more than $24.3 million and collected approximate 5.3 million pounds for the community food banks in the two countries. Also, the CPKC Holiday Express, which continued a tradition started by Kansas City Southern, visited 20 communities in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas and raised $200,000 for the Salvation Army.
“Once again, people in big cities and small towns across the CPKC network came together to celebrate the season and support their local communities,” CPKC CEO Keith Creel said in a press release. “We wish to thank the hundreds of thousands who gathered to see the Holiday Train over the past four weeks and express our gratitude to all those who gave so generously to support local food banks.”
The Holiday Train ran between Nov. 21 and Dec. 19, stopping in 191 communities in 14 states and six Canadian provinces. This year, it ventured south of Kansas City, Mo., for the first time, with new stops in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana. Concerts featured performances by artists Virginia to Vegas, Trudy, Anyway Gang, Tyler Shaw, Kiesza, Seaforth, Tenille Townes, Breland, MacKenzie Porter, and Dallas Smith.
In Mexico, CPKC operated the Tren Navideño, a specially-decorated train adorned with lights and festive scenes that began in 2010. It visited nine communities.
The community service of such is something that UP and NS would do well to emulate.
This is a wonderful thing that CP and now CPKC do each year. They bring cheer to hundreds of thousands of people all over North America.
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to them and all their employees.
Great Job! CPKC