Rainy weather did not keep holiday-seeking visitors away from the Wanamaker, Kempton and Southern Railroad’s Santa Claus Special this past weekend Dec. 6 and 7. The popular event featured Santa and Mrs. Claus and other North-Pole visitors and offered a fun-filled, yet laid-back way to welcome the holiday season.
An annual event at the “Hawk Mountain Line,” the special ran multiple times each day, taking a slow, three-mile path through the neighboring Kempton countryside. As guests arrived at the station, decked out with cheerful holiday lights and other red-and-green decorations, they were greeted by Frosty the Snowman. He waved at youngsters from under the shelter of a canopy and posed for pictures with families before they boarded the old-fashioned passenger cars.
The warm, cozy cars were a welcome change from the rainy chill outside. As visitors climbed aboard, many were greeted by St. Nick himself, calling out “Ho, Ho, Ho” from his perch on an open platform and asking, “Has everyone here been good?”
Excited children, along with older siblings, parents and extended families, sat in clusters on the cars, bouncing with excitement as they waited for the train to pull out. The conductor made his way through the aisle, calling out “Tickets, please” as the train slowly picked up speed. Pulled by a bright red engine, the nostalgic sounds of the train’s whistle and the rhythmic sway of the cars set the tone for the event.
In each car, visitors from the North Pole made an appearance. A cluster of elves, wearing green outfits trimmed with red and garlands over their long hair, moved through the aisles, handing each child a magnet featuring Santa and Friends, along with the WK&S logo. They stopped to pose for photos and also offered to take shots of different groups.
Mrs. Claus also made an appearance, decked out in her traditional red velvet dress with glasses perched on her nose. Many young children warmed up to her friendly, maternal personality. One timid youngster proudly waved a shiny, miniature train for her to see.
“I’m the one with all the cookies,” she said in explanation.
Of course, Santa himself was there. He slowly made his way through all the cars, greeting each child and posing with those willing and giving friendly waves and smiles to those too shy to do so. “Have a Merry Christmas, everybody,” he called from time to time.
“I got Santa’s picture,” one little girl told her grandmother. “And that’s the REAL Santa!”
While Santa and his friends were a big draw on the Santa Claus Special, the ride itself was enjoyable. Children sat, entranced, staring out the windows. The slow pacing of the train allowed them to take in details of the passing countryside: sloping mountains with rain-misted tops, curving fields plowed and ready for winter, creeks meandering through the woods.
Midway through the trip, the train stopped for the engine to switch sides on the line of cars for the trip home. Passing a farm, one girl recounted all the animals she saw out loud: horses, goats, even a few chickens.
All too soon, the conductor announced the next stop – Kempton Station – and passengers began pulling on coats and gathering loose items. As they made their way off the cozy train and back into the rain, the friendly elves handed everyone a tree-shaped treat.
The Santa Claus Special is an annual event at the Hawk Mountain Line, once part of a larger network of railways when trains were a chief mode of transportation in the United States. In 1963, a group of volunteers took over the line. They offer regular rides from May to November and special events, like this one, on a seasonal basis. For more information on the Wanamaker, Kempton and Southern Railroad, visit them online at kemptontrain.com or call 610-756-6469.