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2014 Holiday Trains
Nice List. Do you have one for “Fall Colors.” Like many Kalmbach subscribers who get labeled a “train guy” by “friends and family” outside rail fan circles, I get badgered each year to “organize something” for a group day trip to ride an “experience autumn leaves” train ride. Outside of very small groups (such as close family members who can fit comfortably in one mini-van) and that only very occasionally - I’ve resisted such hounding vigorously, and successfully. (Fortunately, such “suggestions!!!” usually come too late to really act on for any size group beyond “a very few” - like the last week in October!) My posture on this is colored by my occasional participation on such rides as “just part of the crowd” in larger groups such as those connected with organized associations - both rail fan and not - and witnessing the headaches cast at the leaders. But, maybe as I age, I have thought maybe I should “give in” a bit - maybe offering to just “help out” (risking, of course, getting marooned.in that position). So, an easily accessible list oriented specifically to fall colors would be a handy tool to refer inquirers to - such as this Christmas one. (TRAINS May issue and occasionally issued guidebook to tourist railroads have helped in the past - but are often seen as “too complicated without enough specific info for a day trip” by last-minute badger-ers. A simple web -site oriented list like this may be just right. (Beyond that, maybe a TRAINS article or pub on rail fans handling such demands from such groups might also help - I imagine there others like me who get “put on the spot” this way.
E. Dean Conley
McLean VA
How could you forget the Arkansas Midland’s Santa Trains???
Since 1997, Arkansas Midland has run a Santa Train on the first Saturday in December between Malvern and Hot Springs, Arkansas with stops at Butterfield, Jones Mill and Lakeside…
On the second Saturday in December, Arkansas Midland runs a Santa Train between Warren and McGehee, Arkansas with a stop at Monticello.
The event is free and e
very child attending receives something through cooperation of the railroad, local businesses, the sponsoring towns and customers of the railroad.