Jim’s Part of the Trip – Dec. 8‐21, 2008
My trip really started in December of 2007 when I heard some friends talking about a Christmas train coming to the area. I asked the family if they wanted to go see it and as usual, they rolled their eyes, but soon we were in the car and on our way. The line wrapped around the block with families waiting their turn to climb on the caboose and see Santa. I recognized a couple of the Kansas City Southern (KCS) railroad crew and chatted with them while the family waited in line. They asked several times why I didn’t get hooked up with the volunteers to work the train when it was in the general area of St. Louis, MO. They gave me the contact information for the main office in Kansas City, MO to speak with after the holidays. Then back in line with the family as we were about to board the caboose.
Santa and Mrs. Clause greeted us as we walked in. My granddaughter, Zoie, daughters, Megan and Jessica, and wife, Dawn, and I spoke with the jolly old man and got a picture then on through the train we went. There were Christmas decorations everywhere you looked. There were Santa dolls and Santa statues on shelves from floor to ceiling. Little white lights lined every shelf. As we reached the other end of the caboose, elves helped us cross a walkway into the end of a boxcar. As my wife entered the boxcar, I could hear her say: “Oh dear, don’t let Daddy drool on the display”. The boxcar had not one, but two large Lionel train sets on display. One display had modeled the KCS Business Train running on a lower track with the Holiday Express train modeled on an upper track. The second display had a KCS freight train running through the snow covered mountain town with ice figure skaters, ski lifts, and an alligator skiing down the hillside. The little towns were all decorated out with various humorous puns in the name of local businesses. Many, I came to find out later, were inside jokes to the crew of the KCS Historical Society who built and operated the displays for the public shows. The next car was another caboose decked out in more Santa dolls with a little HO train. (HO is a reference to the size of the train and represents half the size of “O” scale. Most Lionel trains are “O” scale.) We climbed down off the second caboose and walked along the train passing the Elf Workroom Boxcar, a flatcar carrying Santa’s sleigh and all nine Reindeer, then the locomotive with the tender wrapped as a large candy cane known as Rudy. Beyond this point is the KCS Business train where the volunteers were housed during the trip. Unfortunately, the business train was off limits to the public.
As the family headed home we stopped at a local restaurant for supper. The girls were telling everyone there about the train and how much fun it was. Then confessed they did enjoy the train as if I couldn’t tell already.
Later in February 2008, I contacted the name given to me to volunteer. While the lady was polite, she said it was too soon to ask about the 2008 season and asked that I contact her again in September. I didn’t think spring and summer would pass by quick enough. Soon September arrived and we spoke again and started working out details. Thanks to a very generous manager and almost two hundred hours of vacation, I was given the opportunity to volunteer the entire trip. But in speaking with Patti of the KCS, she suggested I try a shorter time frame since this was my first trip. We agreed the northern leg of the trip would be best and made the appropriate arrangements. The southern leg travels from Shreveport, Louisiana, through Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, one town in the far southwest of Missouri, Kansas, then has a day off in Kansas City, Missouri. They completed eleven towns in eleven days. On the twelfth day of Christmas (haha) they got to rest in Kansas City. But the weather didn’t cooperate for the volunteers to stretch their legs. Temperatures were dropping fast with the onset of a winter storm. By midday, Kansas City was battling several inches of snow on top of ice with wind gusts around thirty five miles per hour.
I had made arrangements to ride Amtrak from St. Louis, Missouri to Kansas City, Missouri. The trip was on time until we reached within an hour of Kansas City. Then the snow was playing havoc with freight service and we were delayed by half an hour then ran at restricted speeds of twenty miles per hour into Kansas City. In all, we were one hour late and arrived at three in the afternoon. A friend had ridden along and was due to return on a later train at four o’clock. We only had time for a quick hamburger at Harvey Girls in Kansas City Union Station. Our plans for bar-b-que at the restaurant, known as Jack Stack across the tracks would have to wait for another trip. Once Robert was back on the train headed to St. Louis, I called Patti to let her know I was in town. She called a cab and off I went to the KCS freight yards. Once aboard, I stowed my gear and was introduced to many of the historical society volunteers. There were many times I was asked how someone not associated with the KCS or the Historical Society ended up on the trip. I was starting to have a few worries if I was going to be accepted since I was not only an outsider, but a “Northerner from Illinois”. Remember, most of the gang was from Louisiana. Soon I was telling stories with the best of them. It was like we had been family for years. It was almost worse than a group of fishermen trying to out tell the other about some fishing experience where the big one got away.
The Northern leg of the trip started early Wednesday morning. By early, I mean three AM when the locomotives back up the train with a bump almost rolling me out of my bed. We traveled the few miles from downtown Kansas City to Blue Springs, MO where we were placed in a side track. Even before sunrise the train crew members were preparing for the local news station to do a live interview as the train rode into town. The crew disconnected the locomotives from the front of the passenger part of the train. They ran the locomotive down the main track to the rear of the Holiday Express part of the train and pulled that part back beyond a curve and out of sight from the camera crew.
Rudy smiles for the camera crew at Blue Springs.
Once it was time for the live feed to the news station, Santa and four elves climbed aboard the car with the sleigh. The train then came into view of the cameras as Santa and the elves waved to several of the local residents who had come down to welcome us into town. Once the interviews were completed, the train was put back together and backed up to ‘spot’ the steps of the rear caboose at the sidewalk on Main Street for the show later that day.
Blue Springs is a small but growing friendly town of 53,885 people. The downtown area was enjoyable to walk around and I was often greeted and thanked for bringing the train to town. The city workers were busy clearing snow from Main Street and clearing the sidewalks leading to the train. As the afternoon arrived more and more businesses were setting up welcome centers to greet the residents and provide a warm place for people to wait. The Quick Copy office was passing out free chili, while the community center was entertaining the kids with face painting and various activities. The weather was still very cold with a temperature in the low twenties but very little breeze. The lines lead up the block and down the next block for several hours. The official count of people to walk through the train was 1567. Once the last of the viewers were through the train, we closed up shop and headed to the dining car for soup and sandwiches and warmth. No sooner had I filled my bowl with soup, I heard the sound of two long blasts on the locomotive horns. I knew to grab a hold of something quick. Soon we were running at thirty five miles per hours to our next town and a peaceful sleep.
We woke to a bright sunny day in Odessa, Mo., population 4,818. The passenger cars were low on water and showers instructions were one minute to get wet, wash, then one minute to rinse off. Odessa granted us permission to attach a garden hose to a local fire hydrant and fill each car of the passenger train. Every twenty minutes the train would move another eighty feet to the next water tank. Due to the constant moving of the train, we were not allowed to get off the train and walk around town. Once all the water tanks were full, it was now time to ‘spot’ the train for the evening show. Again, we were not able to get off the train until we were told the train was ‘tied
down’ and secure.
Watering the passenger cars from a local fire hydrant in Odessa, MO. Bing supervises Chris.
Unfortunately, by the time we were ‘tied down’; it was time to get dressed in our elf outfits for the evening show. A visit around Odessa would have to wait for another trip. Even with a town less than a tenth of the previous town, we had 1,210 visitors. The children were thrilled with the little goodies bags of candy, crayons and coloring books, and happy meal type toys. Once again I was stations at the down steps of the second caboose to assist viewers in climbing down off the train. I received thank you after thank you from parents who seems so very grateful for even such small gifts for the kids. Several mothers had tears in their eyes as they said: “God Bless You All”. Soon we were back in the dining car with warm hearts and hot soup.
Salvation Army welcoming visitors.
At each stop, the Kansas City Southern gives the local Salvation Army gift cards to Wal Mart. The local branch then passes then out to needy families in their area. An average of two hundred cars per location is given out. That comes to about five thousand dollars per town. There are twenty three towns on this trip. The friends and employees of KCS will give out over one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars in gift cards through the local Salvation Army offices.
We traveled by night again for about an hour to Blackburn, Mo and ‘tied down’ to meet a fuel truck in the morning. While there is no show here this year, there is a siding to allow us to clear the main track for other trains.
A beautiful local church in Blackburn, MO.
The daily routine starts at eight AM with breakfast. The kitchen staff makes sure you have plenty of good food to eat. Today’s breakfast was oatmeal, scrambled eggs, sausage links, hash browns, mixed fruit, and muffins. I have never seen people drink so much coffee. The kitchen staff see me at breakfast and grab the milk from the refrigerator. After breakfast, we head to the Elf Workshop were volunteers bag the goodies for that night’s show. Our crew ran very efficient and often filled 1500 bags in less than thirty minutes. Once the bags are stuffed, the crew finds ways to entertain themselves until lunch.
You find Domino games in the New Orleans car and puzzles being put together in the Dome car.
The dome car has two levels. The top level has large glass windows to see the country side as we travel. This seems to be the place where most of the stories are traded. Every topic seems to lead to another topic. I sometimes think we would spin tales the whole trip. There is very limited Internet access in the areas we pass. Very seldom can we ‘piggyback’ on an unsecured wireless network somewhere for a quick look at emails. Maybe that’s a good thing – haha. Of course, Santa has a hot line to the North Pole and can keep up to date on the Naughty/Nice list on his laptop in the lower portion of the Dome car.
Everyone thinks Santa always wears his red suit everywhere he goes.
Lunch is always served at one in the afternoon. They told me this was our ‘big’ meal of the day. How could it get any bigger than the breakfast? I know I’m going to weigh an extra twenty pounds when I get off this train. Our chief is from Shreveport but fortunately, he doesn’t ‘kick it up a notch’ – too much. Supper is usually soup and sandwiches after the show is over. Then, most retire to their rooms for the night while some head for the Dome car to watch the countryside pass by as we head out for the next town.
Marshall, MO, population twelve thousand, four hundred and twenty three, was a slower night with only 989 viewers. Many of those took advantage of the smaller lines and walked through the train twice to get a second look at everything. One of the highlights of the trip so far was the “local” Santa. Our Santa made a detour to visit family in the area and an alderman who grew up in the town and knew most of the people filled in. What a surprise to the kids when Santa called them by name asking what they wanted for Christmas. Even the wide eyes of many parents were fun to see.
We left again at night and traveled east at about 35 miles per hour until we arrived at Mexico, MO., population eleven thousand, three hundred and twenty. We stopped just west of downtown to spend the night just past a road crossing. We parallel the Norfolk Southern Railroad along this section. Several times during the night I woke to the blast of their train horns as they started blowing for the crossing as they passed my window. As the light of morning came, we pulled down to the retired train station that just serves as a crew changing point now. There, we took on more fuel and water. We also exchanged some volunteers. Several of the Shreveport volunteers and some from the Kansas City office decided to head back home before the weather turned bad. Forecasts for a little snow and ice was a concern and as the temperatures dropped and the wind speed increased, I waved goodbye to new friends. (even if they are southerners)
Once the train was services, we had to back out of town and onto a siding to allow a freight train to pass us. This line only sees a couple of through trains and maybe a local train each day. So once this train passed, we were clear to ‘occupy the main’ during the show.
While it has been a great experience so far, there have been a couple of regrets. My wife and I celebrated our twentieth wedding anniversary the day I left for Kansas City. But we were able to enjoy a night out the evening before and she was very understanding. The other would be missing seeing my younger “tomboy” daughter all decked out the for her high school Christmas dance. She called after having her fingernails painted to tell me how ‘girly’ she felt.
Our conductor and engineer from Kansas City to here switched with a crew from the St. Louis area. Our new engineer is a friend but I have not had the opportunity to say hi yet with all the servicing and moving of the train. Soon it will be show time and maybe a chance then to say hello.
KCS crews have manned an Operation Life Saver at every show. OLS promotes public awareness and safety. They have been passing out key chains and brochures informing people about the danger of racing a train at a crossing with their campaign of Look, Listen and Live.
Engineer Tommy, Conductor Butch, and ?
With two thousand, three hundred and nineteen people viewing the train, I didn’t find time to talk with the engineer until after the show. We caught up on friends and event from the pastseveral months. It was good to get a chance to talk but all too soon the trainmaster called him away. Our last visitor was climbing down and soon the lights on the train were turned off. That was our signal to pack up and head back to the passenger cars. Once the last volunteer was on board, we backed the train into the same siding we were in the previous night alongside the Norfolk Southern tracks. (Now where did I pack those ear plugs?)
Sunday morning in Mexico is very quiet. I received permission from our crew chief to leave the train and headed into town to attend the local church near the train station. While the congregation was small, their hearts were very big and soon I felt like I had been a member for years. Today is the third day of Advent and the church was nicely decorated in holiday cheer. The hand bell choir started the service along with solos by children singing the Little Drummer Boy. The theme of the service and message was how even the lowly and poor are used by God. As I was leaving a family passed me a note. I’m glad they waited until after the service. My mom would have been mad at me if she knew I was passing notes during a church service.
Thank you & all, the crew of the KC Southern railroad for having the Santa Train. I know it is a lot of work & time for the adults to make this happen. (& us standing in line – smiley face) but it is deeply appreciated. The children thoroughly enjoy it. We have been the last 4 years & my daughter & I look forward to it. My uncle & his child come from Columbia to join us every year. This time he brought 2 more children to see it. It is a very special time for our family. Thank you, thank you, for all the Christmas joy & love you share with us & all the children.
Bless you all! Julie and Lesli, Mexico United Methodist Church
We will remain in the Mexico siding until around noon. Then we will cross the Mississippi River at Louisiana, MO and head across Illinois to Pearl.
Pearl, IL. is the smallest town on my leg of the tour. There are only approximately one hundred and eighty seven people, seventy five households, and forty four families in the town. The seasoned volunteers say not to let that number fool you as to the size of the crowd to expect. They say there a lot of little towns that travel up to fifty miles to come see the Santa and the Holiday Express. The crew says this is the most heart wrenching stop on the trip. Pearl was, as warned, a very depressed little town but had such a warm uplifting group of people.
Pearl Post Office
Pearl Volunteer Fire Department
Families in the county had bagged six hundred sacks of fruit and little stuffed animals to be added to our bags of treats. They said many of the kids don’t get fruit because the parents aredoing the best they can just to buy main staples. The weather was predicted to turn to ice and snow and the temperature was dropping. I was in layers several garments deep and still slightly chilled. Many of the families that came through only had on sweat shirts and sweaters. The smaller children were lucky to have a hand-me-down coat from an older sibling. One little boy was in his older sister’s outgrown pink coat. The final count for the night was one thousand, twelve hundred and forty nine people. Of the six hundred bags passed out to the children, we only had less than twenty left. One of the gentlemen from Pearl said people from all over the county had come in because this was the only Christmas many would get to share in. Between the spring floods of 2008 and the flooding from Hurricane Ike, along with the economy, most families were just barely hanging on. After the line had cleared and the train porters had closed up the train, we heard the rain begin to fall. We all were so glad Pearl was able to enjoy a dry, even if cold, visit through the Holiday Express.
We headed east out of Pearl across the Illinois River towards Roodhouse, IL. The train yard there serviced the locomotives and watered the passenger cars once again. The radio was full of chatter about where the best place was to ‘tie down’ for the night. Since the last visit to Roodhouse, some of the sidings were taken out of service. There was a train scheduled to drop off some cars here for the morning local to work. But our train was too long and we had the local locomotives blocked in. The engineer and conductor agreed it would be best to water the train tonight before the possible ice storm moved in. They agreed that servicing the train in the rain was much better than having to work in an ice storm. The fuel truck will have to deal with the ice in the morning. Once the passenger cars were watered, we pulled past the station to clear the local locomotives. But now we were too close to a crossing and the lights and bells would be active all night if we stayed here. Once again the crew and Trainmaster had to think of alternatives. It was finally decided we would pull to the north end of town and ‘tie down’ on the main line. Then when the local crew arrived, the Trainmaster would have room for them to work in the yard area and move us if needed. No sooner had we tied down and saw the engineer and conductor head for the nearby hotel, the rain changed to ice. Ice has already covered my compartment window. We will spend the night in Roodhouse. Our engineer and conductor are
due to return at twelve noon.
The ice was everywhere the next morning. Water lines froze and our crew chief felt it was too dangerous to have us leave the train. The engineer and conductor returned to a after the fuel truck had filled the locomotives then we headed south to Godfrey, IL., population sixteen thousand, two hundred and eighty six, for the show on Monday.
While we saw the sun most of the day, we never felt any of the warmth. It was bitter cold all day and the water lines on the train froze. Water conservation required we not shower and limit all use of water. Bottled water was available for drinking. As we ate lunch, the train headed toward Godfrey. Our locomotives had run around the train and were towing us south from the rear of the train. Even in this very cold weather, we saw train fans at various intersections taking pictures of the train. Even as much as I like trains, I just don’t understand why people would stand out in this weather to take pictures. But then I am getting dressed to stand out in this weather for several hours. The train stopped about ten miles north of Godfrey. There was a passing siding and our locomotives ran around to the head end of the train. We were now backing into Godfrey with our conductor braving the old wind while riding on the back deck of the caboose.
Photo provided by Zach Pumphey
(Note: Picture taken at Sulphur Springs, AR)
I was able to listen in on the radio scanner as he would let the engineer know road crossings were clear. At one point he had to have the engineer almost come to a stop because even with the crossing lights flashing and the train only three railroad cars away, they traffic kept crossing the tracks. Finally, with us almost at a crawl, he calls to say all traffic has stopped and we are clear to cross the road. Once in Godfrey, our crew raced to get into position. There was already a line of people waiting in the cold and blustery wind. I was surprised to see my in-laws had braved the weather to come visit the train (and me too I hope). Once they had walked through the Holiday Express, I was relieved of duty long enough to take a few photos with them. We got to chat for a while then the line got busy again and I needed to return to allow some of the other elves the opportunity to take a break and warm up. I was keeping an eye out for my younger daughter, wife and older daughter’s daughter. Once they arrived, I was able to leave my post once again and visit with them for a while. We exchanged luggage. They brought fresh clothing and a couple of new movies to watch during the slow afternoons. Zoie was a little afraid of Santa, but seem to enjoy the rest of the train. As with many of the kids, she didn’t want to leave the model train layout. Hum, I wonder where she got her love for model trains. All too soon, they needed to leave and I needed to get back on duty. We were all trying to rotate every fifteen to twenty minutes for a little warmth inside. We had a final count of nine hundred and forty six visitors. In a way, we were glad the number was low so people didn’t stand in line too long in such cold weather. Once the stragglers ended, the crew chief shut off the Christmas lights and gave the order to head for the warmth of the passenger train.
During the show at Godfrey, our maintenance men on board had worked furiously under the train to try and thaw the water pipes. Unfortunately the worst had occurred. Pipes had burst and water had drained from one of the cars. We will return to Roodhouse, Illinois tonight for the night. It is after eleven and I still hear the quiet voices of our determined mechanics working to restore water to the train.
Roodhouse, Il., population two thousand, two hundred and fourteen, is the connection point for the eastbound from Kansas City to either northern or southern Illinois. There is a Wye here. We arrived here to sleep once again after the show in Godfrey. The snow and ice still made it too dangerous to venture away from the train on foot. We spent most of our time putting puzzles together, watching DVD’s or trading stories. By show time, we had a line of people waiting to enter the train. With the weather still so cold and windy, our crowds were down once again. The final count for the night was only six hundred and forty five. Once the initial crowd died down, it was just a trickle of people now and then. By seven PM, we were packed up and ready to head back to Slater, MO. This would be the longest run of the trip.
Several of the crew took up positions in the Dome car to watch the night fly by as we traveled from Roodhouse, Illinois to Slater, Missouri. We will cross three major rivers on this run. The first is the Illinois River at Pearl. This is a lift bridge where the railroad deck of the bridge is raised to allow river traffic to pass under. There is an approach signal a few miles before the bridge. The light was yellow indicating we were to slow down and be prepared to stop at the next light. I was listing to the train crew on my radio as they called the attendant at the bridge to let him know we were approaching. He confirmed the bridge was lined and locked for rail traffic. As we approached the second light, the green glow in the dark night confirmed to the engineer that we were clear to cross the Illinois River. About one half hour later we passed another yellow signal light. The radio chatter this time was to the attendant for the bridge that crossing the Mississippi River at Louisiana, MO. Once again we received the transmission that the bridge was lined and locked for rail traffic. This bridge is a swing bridge. A section of the bridge rides on a pivot point and rotates ninety degrees as opposed to the Illinois River bridge that raises above the river. Once on the bridge over the Mississippi River, we were stopped by a red signal where our tracks from the tracks of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe at Louisiana, MO.
Our third major river is at Glasco, MO. This is a fixed bridge and does not move or have any attendants. Somewhere between Louisiana and Slater, the radio came alive as we passed a detector. A detector is a devise can automatically radios the train to indicate if there are any overheated axles, if anything is dragging, train speed, and sometimes ambient temperatures and direction of travel. Normally, you will hear the detector say it speech and end with “No Defects – Detector Out.” This time it indicated there was a defect. The detector noted something was dragging near the third axle of the train. That would indicate something near the front of the locomotive. The crew contacted dispatch to let the dispatcher know they were going to stop the train for an inspection. As the engineer figured the brake line hose on the nose of the locomotive and come loose from the strap that holds it up and was dangling below the front of the locomotive. This is the air hose that connects between cars to allow the engineer to activate the air brakes on the cars. Once the line was secure, we were once again on our way to ‘tie down’ for the night in Slater.
The small town of Slater, MO., looked like a scene from Mayberry. It is a town of about two thousand. While it was very cold, we were allowed to leave the train and visit some of the shops in town. Having only been able to wash up with those little moist towellets, I was in desperate need for a good shampoo. I was disappointed to find the only barbershop in town to be closed. A city streets worker was shoveling snow off the side walk and suggested I try the beauty shop down the block. He said most of the guys go there anyway. I headed that directions but must have had that look as I stood there trying to figure out where the shop was. I only saw on sign on the side of the building and it wasn’t a beauty shop. The worker came by and pointed out the little side door. There was an older couple waiting and the owner of the shop asked if I could come back in twenty minutes. That gave me time to look around the town some more. Once I had the haircut and wash, it was time to head back to the train. We were to report back no later than noon. Of course once we were back on board we were informed our maintenance crew had thawed most of the pipes and we now had showers again. But even then it is difficult to shampoo what little hair I have left when you are only suppose to run the water one minute to get wet, soap down, then one minute to rinse off. I’m glad I got the shampoo.
We were told that the editor of Trains Magazine, his wife and two photographers were to meet us at Slater to write a story for the Winter 2009 edition of their magazine. The story would be about the Holiday Express. They arrived near the start of the show and carried some of their luggage on board then started taking pictures of the train all lit up at night. After the crowd of five hundred, thirty four people ended, the camera crew was given a tour through the Holiday Express. They will ride with us the rest of the trip interviewing volunteers and taking more pictures with the public on board. I helped them carry the rest of their luggage on board after the show and suggested they eat fast and find a seat in the Dome car for our trip to Higginsville. They were just as thrilled as I was on my first ride in the Dome car. Even though it is very dark, it is still a thrill each night.
We only have three more towns and four shows left. Tonight we are in Higginsville, then Grain Valley, then the two shows in Kansas City. While is has been a wonderful experience, many of the long time volunteers agree it will be good to finish and head home. I think the bitter cold weather had taken its toll on us. While the next couple of days are predicted to be warmer and in the forties, there is also the forecast for rain. Everyone agrees we would rather have the cold than rain. Only time will tell. We have lucked out several times with the rain, sleet and snow not hitting during show times.
Higginsville has a population of four thousand, six hundred and eighty two. As soon as I saw the KCS caboose on display, I remembered driving through with the family on one of our ‘race across Missouri’ camping trips. For several years now, our family would pick a region of Missouri and visit all the state parks and historical site to complete a camping program sponsored by the State of Missouri. An added feature this past summer was hiking trails to promote healthy hearts. Higginsville was a town we passed through on our way to the Battle of Lexington historical site. Of course I spotted the caboose on display and had to circle around for a few pictures before we continued on. Somewhere in my files of pictures is one of a sign posted near the depot in Higginsville during that trip announcing when the Holiday Express would be there.
The evening forecast called for rain with temperatures dropping during the evening below freezing once again. It was decided to move the train into position and open early. The volunteers were standing by. Each town has provided extra volunteers to assist. Tonight was my pleasure to work with the mayor and his wife. At one point in the evening I was asked to stand on the ground and direct people coming to view the train. I enjoy this part because it allows me more time to speak with people. One mother along with her young son was waiting for her two daughters to get out of dance class at the community center. While waiting, I asked the young man if he knew what he was going to ask Santa to bring him for Christmas, expecting the normal answer of toys, video games, etc. He said he did not want to say because he thought I would laugh. I gave him my guarantee as an elf that I would not laugh. My heart melted when he said all he wanted was a nice suit so he could dress up and go to church. There was no way I could promise him Santa would bring him a suit. I told him to wish very hard and if some little boy did not need a suit, I would tell Santa to see if he could bring one. I went to the mayor and his wife and told them of the request and a description of the boy. Neither recognized the boy but were sure they could find out what little boy had two sisters in the city sponsored dance program. They both, with tears in their eyes, assured me the young man would be dressed in a suit for the service on Christmas. Each of the crew I have come to know have had a story like this to share. The one of a little boy asking for flowers to place on his sister’s grave brought silence to the supper table as we all swallowed hard to hold back the tears. I know there is a reason I am on this train. I am not sure yet what that reason is but I hope and pray the mayor and others can help Santa bring these unselfish requests.
After seven hundred, seventy two visitors had seen the train; we left the beautifully lit main street of Higginsville as the rain moved in. Once again, though misting during the show, the rain held off until the last of the town had a chance to visit the train. With warm hearts and cold feet, we wished our volunteers a Merry Christmas as the train pulled out of town. We are now on a siding in Odessa where we will spend the night before pulling into Grain Valley in the morning. This will be our last small town to visit before arriving back in Kansas City.
Grain Valley, MO., population five thousand, one hundred and sixty, is a bedroom community of Kansas City. One of our volunteers is a teacher at the local high school. Tonight, as on the nights in Blue Springs and Odessa, a couple of his students joined us as volunteers also. While both have done a great job, the joy of one watching him interact with the viewers can only make you smile. You can see how much joy he receives from the smiles of the viewers.
The lines had already formed before we pulled into town. Members of the local high school band were setting up and began playing Christmas songs for the crowd. They played for about two hours then a small three to four member brass band played for the remaining hour. By seven o’clock, the crowds were gone and we began to close down.
We picked up a special guest tonight. His name is Santos and is five years old. Santos has terminal cancer and is a very big train fan. The Kansas City Elves arranged to have Santos and his mother picked up in a limousine and brought to the train. He got to talk to Santa and tour the Holiday Express. The porters then helped get them settled into an executive room on the Southern Belle and tour the rest of the train. I am sure there was a really big smile on his face when he was taken up to the locomotive to blow the horns on locomotive number KCS-1. Santos will get to travel overnight on the train as we head into Kansas City. During his stay on the train, all the elves will remain in costume. Santa and Mrs. Clause sat with him at supper. Santa was in his red shirt with his red suspenders.
It is now ten o’clock at night and we are at Union Station, Kansas City. Tomorrow will be a long day. The Holiday Express will be open to the public from nine in the morning until six in the evening. Many of the KCS staff from Kansas City are expected to be here to help with one to two hour shifts.
Saturday morning was a rush to get breakfast done and head out to our positions. The lines seems to never end but then neither did the smiles. Due to the cold weather, we alternated crews again to drink in the warmth of hot chocolate then back to our posts. This will be my last evening on the train. Sleeping at night has become very easy after these long days.
It’s Sunday and my time is almost up. I helped pack all the bags and get things ready for the day but was only able to work my elf shift a couple of hours. I had packed my bags the night before and taken them early this morning to the Amtrak terminal for storage. All I would have to do now is turn in my elf uniform and dash away just before my train headed out for St. Louis.
As we were boarding, there were three elderly ladies traveling together from Kansas City to Kirkwood, MO. I somehow, while assisting them, became their own personal conductor and porter. It was a task I enjoyed performing for them. Soon they departed in Kirkwood and I at my stop in downtown St. Louis to be greeted by my family.
Now as I try to write an ending, I have decided there shouldn't be an ending. My Christmas wish is for the story to continue. I know I was allowed on this train for a reason and am anxious to see that the future holds.
Merry Christmas to all who read this and may God bless you all.