Santa Claus is Coming To Town — By Rail
By Larry Alexander
Intelligencer Journal
December 15, 2006
LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - It’s not quite the Polar Express, that magical train that carries children across the frozen wilderness to Santa’s North Pole headquarters, but it’s a terrific second, combining two of the Polar Express’s key features — a train ride and a visit with Santa.The Strasburg Rail Road’s Santa’s Paradise Express is running the rails between Strasburg and Paradise through Sunday.
The depot is decked out for Christmas with lights, wreaths and garlands. Carolers stroll the grounds, adding music to the festive atmosphere.
Taking time out from his busy schedule — “time is of the essence in everything I do,” he said — Santa Claus strolls the platform, saying hello to the children.
Asked if he worries that such pre-Christmas appearances won’t throw him hopelessly behind schedule, Santa said, “I have a real good staff of elves who take care of all my logistics.”
Boarding the train, riders have their choice of the first-class coach, the deluxe lounge car, the dining car or the coach-class cars for the 45-minute excursion. Each car is heated by a pot-belly coal stove that casts its warm glow over the passengers.
The cars are all decorated, usually with hanging greens, with the most elaborate being the first-class coach, which includes a Christmas tree and strings of lights.
As the train chugs through the inky darkness of the night, the cars rock with the motion of the wheels on the iron rails. Outside, white smoke from the engine curls past the windows as inside, Santa makes his way from car to swaying car.
“Hello,” he says to kids along the way. “How are you doing? Have you been good?”
Often he stops, poses with a child for a picture snapped by a grinning mom or dad, then hands the child a pack of crayons and a coloring book, and moves on.
Santa said he enjoys the looks on the kids’ faces, and while most are thrilled by his attention, some are apprehensive, and “those are the ones I try to reassure that it’s OK.”
Coming from the other direction, two brass horn players move through the train, performing a wide assortment of Christmas tunes. As they meet Santa coming from the opposite direction, the duo breaks into “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”
Santa’s Paradise Express runs tonight at 7 p.m. only.
On Saturday and Sunday, trains will run between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., with an evening train at 7 p.m.
All trains depart the station on the hour.
This weekend also features the Christmas Garden, a holiday train layout erected by the National Christmas Center in Kinzers and set up in the switching tower, plus other activities at the depot.
Mrs. Claus also attends the railway event, greeting visitors in the President’s Car.
Reservations are strongly recommended, and can be made by phoning the Strasburg Rail Road at 687-7522.
