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Clinchfield Santa TrainChristmas cheer in the Clinchfield coal region |
Saint Paul, Va / Nov 2017 / RWH
Bryan Tucker, CSX vice president of corporate communications, said in a press release that the Santa Train "is an important tradition, and running the train on its 80th anniversary and beyond was always our hope. Going forward, our plan is to continue the event in Appalachia. The Santa Train means so much to so many, from the community to our employees. Our hope is to use the Santa Train tradition as a blueprint for community events and holiday trains in other parts of our network as well."
Bryan Tucker, CSX vice president of corporate communications, said in a press release that the Santa Train "is an important tradition, and running the train on its 80th anniversary and beyond was always our hope. Going forward, our plan is to continue the event in Appalachia. The Santa Train means so much to so many, from the community to our employees. Our hope is to use the Santa Train tradition as a blueprint for community events and holiday trains in other parts of our network as well."
TRAINS magazine / Sep 2022
he Clinchfield Santa Train is an annual fall event begun by the former Clinchfield Railroad and carried on today by CSX Transportation. The excursion debuted in 1943 with encouragement from several Kingsport businessmen and ran the length of the Clinchfield's mainline between Elkhorn City KY and Kingsport TN, with Santa Claus handing out gifts to the children along the route. This tri-state mountain region (southeastern Kentucky, southwest Virginia, and northeast Tennessee) was the heart of Clinchfield's efficient coal-hauling business, and the railroad won a great deal of public goodwill by sponsoring the annual train for so many decades. Successors Seaboard System and now CSX Transportation have kept the tradition alive, making use of executive passenger equipment and often featuring guest motive power (such as former Clinchfield F3 #800, above). A celebrity guest is often invited to ride on the rear platform with Santa. Billed as the "world's longest Santa parade (110 miles), the 2022 excursion will be the 80th Santa Train along this historic route.
Clinchco, Va / Nov 2017 / RWH
1948 Official Guide map / collection
1948 route listing / collection
Clinchport, Va / Nov 2017 / RWH
Hub City Railroad Museum / Nov 2024 / RWH
Scrapbooks
Dungannon, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
web
Lagniappe
Escape from Elkhorn City
Elkhorn City, Ky / Nov 2017 / RWH
Number Seventy Five
Nov 2017 / RWH
Father Christmas
Nov 2017 / RWH
A Sea for Santa
Clinchco, Va / Nov 2017 / RWH
"Santa is a way of life"
Clinchco, Va / Nov 2017 / RWH
Clause in the Contract
Clinchco, Va / Nov 2017 / RWH
Over the River and Through the Woods
Nov 2017 / RWH
Nostalgia at Nora
Nora, Va / Nov 2017 / RWH
Hobos and Tramps
Hamlin, Va / Nov 2017 / RWH
Eight Hundred Leader
image and artwork RWH
Thirty Eight Special
image and artwork RWH
Eight Hundred Entourage
Saint Paul, Va / Nov 2017 / RWH
Saddle Up and Ride
Saint Paul, Va / Nov 2017 / RWH
Santa and Skaggs
Nov 2017 / RWH
Copper Creek Crossing
image and artwork RWH
An F Unit Has Her Fans
Kingsport, Tn / Nov 2017 / RWH
Covered Wagon
Nov 2017 / RWH
"Quick Service and a Short Route"
Nov 2017 / image and artwork RWH
To Protect and Serve
Marrowbone, Ky / Nov 2022 / RWH
Moving into the Morning
Elkhorn City, Ky / Nov 2022 / RWH
Passing through Pool Point
Elkhorn City, Ky / Nov 2022 / RWH
Santa's Many Helpers
Clinchco, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
Southbound Santa
Clinchco, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
We Greet Thee, Jolly Old Elf
Clinchco, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
Clinchco Claus
Nov 2022 / RWH
Clinchfield Curves
Clinchco, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
Decidedly Dante
Dante, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
You Pronounce It Dan't
image and artwork RWH
Take Me to Church Today
Dante, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
CSX Press Conference
Dante, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
November Knockdown
Dante, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
Sailing the S-Curve above Saint Paul
Morefield, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
Shades of America's First Mainline
Saint Paul, Va / Nov 2022 / image and artwork RWH
In the Main
Nov 2022 / RWH
Clinchfield Country
Fort Blackmore, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
Convergence over Copper Creek
Nov 2022 / image and artwork RWH
Chris Cringle Causeway
Clinchport, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
Second Act Forties
Kingsport, Tn / Nov 2022 / image and artwork RWH
Ninety-Four Miles from the North Pole
Kingsport, Tn / Nov 2022 / RWH
Tennessee Volunteer
Kingsport, Tn / Nov 2022 / RWH
Extra Board
Clinchco, Va / Nov 2022 / ETH
Nov 2022 / ETH
Saint Paul, Va / Nov 2022 / ETH
Nov 2022 / ETH
Nov 2022 / ETH
Nov 2022 / ETH
Nov 2022 / ETH
See also Ella's complete Extra Board image collection in Lagniappe
Snapshots
Clinchport, Va / Nov 2017 / Ben Wells
Kingsport, Tn / Nov 2017 / RWH
Kingsport, Tn / Nov 2017 / Ben Wells
Elkhorn City, Ky / Nov 2017 / RWH
Nov 2017 / Ben Wells
Clinchco, Va / Nov 2017 / Ben Wells
Kingsport, Tn / Nov 2017 / RWH
Elkhorn City, Ky / Nov 2022 / Ben Wells
Elkhorn City, Ky / Nov 2022 / RWH
Saint Paul, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
Saint Paul, Va / Nov 2022
Saint Paul, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
Saint Paul, Va / Nov 2022 / RWH
Kingsport, Tn / Nov 2022 / RWH
Kingsport, Tn / Nov 2022 / RWH
Kingsport, Tn / Nov 2022 / ETH
Links / Sources
- Official Santa Train Facebook page
- ClinchfieldCountry.com CSX Santa Train pages