Increasingly, the holiday season is also a team for brightly decorated trains on major commuter and transit systems.
The New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco areas will all see such trains this year, including a new train on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro North Railroad, and Metra trains with more elaborate decorations. Here’s a rundown of what has already begun, and what is coming up.
Metro-North Railroad
In the New York area, Metro-North will introduce a holiday train for the first time on Friday, Nov. 29, running on all three of its lines and operating through New Years’ Day. Holiday lighting has been applied to the outside of an electric trainset that will operate between Grand Central Terminal and Croton-Harmon on the Hudson Line, Southeast on the Harlem Line, and New Haven on the New Haven Line. It will operate on a random rotation of regularly scheduled trains at all times of day and night.
“I’m thrilled that Metro-North can bring the joy, beauty and lights of the season to all of our riders on their way to work, school, or to see family and friends during the holidays, and to those who see it roll through their towns,” Metro North President Catherine Rinaldi said in a press release. Justin Vonasheck, executive vice president and chief operating officer, said, “We wanted to create something special for our community and bring back the sense of wonder, especially for children, and for children of all ages. It’s a way for us to connect with our passengers and create lasting memories during this festive time of year when days are short and darkness is long. We hope these colorful lights spark excitement and a sense of holiday cheer for all who come aboard and who see the train pass by.”
New York subway nostalgia trains
New York City will also see the annual Holiday Nostalgia subway trains featuring equipment from the New York Transit Museum. This year, the trains will operate on Sundays, Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, between 2nd Avenue and Houston Street on the uptown F Line and 96th Street and 2nd Avenue on the Q Line. Rides are available for the cost of a regular subway fare. The trips will feature the 1930s-era R1/9 cars from tine Independent Subway System. More details are available here.’
Metra Holiday Trains
Chicago’s Metra is operating sold-out Holiday Train rides on six of its routes, beginning this Saturday on the Electric Line; in December, those rides will take place on the BNSF, Rock Island, Milwaukee North, Union Pacific North, Union Pacific Northwest and (again) Electric lines. Holiday decorated trains are also operating in regular service; on Tuesday, Nov. 26, a fully decorated train operating on the Milwaukee West line met the CPKC Holiday Train during the CPKC train’s stop in Franklin Park, Ill.
CTA Holiday Train (and bus)
From modest beginnings in 1992 — when a “Season’s Greetings from the CTA” sign was placed on an out-of-service train delivering food to charities — the Chicago Transit Authority’s Holiday Train has grown to a systemwide event featuring a decorated train with Santa waving from a sleigh on a flatcar. There’s also a holiday-decorated bus, and photo sessions with Santa for both the train and bus.
The Holiday Train makes its debut on Friday, Nov. 29, on the Green and Orange Lines; will operate again on the Green Line with photo stops on Nov. 30, and then operates Dec. 3-7, 10-14, 17-21, and Dec. 23. A full schedule is available here, along with the schedule for the Holiday Bus, which began operation on Nov. 26 and continues through Dec. 21. On operating days, the train can be followed on CTA’s Train Tracker, which denotes the Holiday Train with a candy cane; there is also a special Holiday Bus tracker.
Metrolink Holiday Express
LA-area operator Metrolink fires up its Holiday Express Train starting Saturday, Nov. 30, for four weekends of operation, running one day each in Orange, Riverside, Ventura, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties. Tickets to ride the holiday-decorated trains must be purchased in advance and are $25 per person, with a limited number of table seats available for an additional $5. Seating is reserved. Tickets are available here as of Wednesday, Nov. 27, Saturday’s two trips from Anaheim are sold out, as is the second Dec. 15 trip from Santa Clarita. Still available are two trips from Riverside on Dec. 7; both trips from Simi Valley on Dec. 14; the early trip from Santa Clarita on Dec. 15; and both trips from Redlands on Dec. 21. More information is available here and here.
Caltrain Holiday Train
The Caltrain Holiday Train, decorated with more than 70,000 lights, will operate Dec. 7-8, providing those who attend its stops to donate new toys or books to local children whose families are struggling to make ends meet. The event is a partnership between Caltrain, the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program, and the Salvation Army. The train will make 20-minute stops at each station on its schedule, featuring carolers and the Salvation Army Christmas Brass Ensemble, with Santa and Mrs. Claus and other Christmas characters disembarking to meet children and pose for photos. There will also be entertainment at each station prior to the train’s arrival.
The Dec. 7 schedule includes stops at San Francisco at 4 p.m., San Mateo at 5:30 p.m., Redwood City at 6:15 p.m., Mountain View at 7 p.m., and Santa Clara at 7:40 p.m. On Dec. 8, the train will visit San Francisco at 4 p.m., Millbrae at 5:30 p.m., Burlingame at 6 p.m., Menlo Park at 6:55 p.m., and Sunnyvale at 7:35 p.m. More information is available here.
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