2010 Marquette Rail Santa Train

[i995impalass]

For Immediate Release

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Here Comes Santa Claus on the
Fifth Annual Santa Express
Saturday, December 11th!

Ludington, November 18, 2010 - For the fifth year, Marquette Rail will be bringing Santa and Mrs. Claus to communities along its line, where they will hand out candy to good boys and girls from the Santa Express. Children (and adults) of all ages are welcome! To commemorate this milestone occasion, Marquette Rail has partnered with Jim Nickelson’s Christmas Trees and will be distributing trees at each stop to lucky drawing winners who have been pre selected. Marquette Rail will operate its fifth annual Santa Express on Saturday, December 11th, between Grand Rapids, Ludington and Manistee, following the schedule below:

Station Arrive Depart Location

Comstock Park 9:30 am 9:50 am Comstock Park depot, Dwight Lydell
Park off West River Road

Sparta 10:15 am 10:25 am Division St. Crossing

Kent City 10:40 am 10:50 am Main St. crossing

Casnovia 11:00 am 11:10 am Main St. /Kenowa Ave crossing

Grant 11:30 am 11:50 am Grant depot

Newaygo 12:15 pm 12:35 pm River St. Crossing

White Cloud 1:10 pm 1:20 pm Wilcox Ave. crossing

Bitely 1:45 pm 1:55 pm Main St. crossing

Baldwin 2:20 pm 2:30 pm Baldwin depot off Astor Rd.

Scottville 3:20 pm 3:30 pm Main St. crossing

Ludington 3:50 pm 4:20 pm First St. Crossing

Fountain 5:20 pm 5:50 pm Main St. crossing

Freesoil 6:00 pm 6:20 pm Freesoil Rd. crossing

Stronach 6:45 pm 7:05 pm Main St. crossing

Manistee 7:45 pm 8:15 pm River St. Crossing

For more information, contact MARQUETTE RAIL at 1-866-RAIL-911. MARQUETTE RAIL, LLC is a short-line railroad serving Western Michigan and operates between Grand Rapids, Ludington and Manistee, Michigan.

[cyclist_dalmac]

what type of train will you be running for this?

[AARR]

what type of train will you be running for this?

I think it's an engine and decorated caboose. There's pictures somewhere around here but darn if I know how to find them.

[~Z~]

Lots of pics in the photo gallery AARR, just have to go there, hit search at the top, and wala: http://railroadfan.com/gallery/thumbnai ... n&type=AND

[J T]

what type of train will you be running for this?

Here's another link with some Santa Train pics:

http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos. ... USA||-2|-2||

[csxt4617]

Last year it ran with GMTX 2635, MQT 7000 (covered hopper), MQT 1009 (boxcar with open doors, and a Christmas tree inside) and MQT 3158 (caboose)

[John Ryan]

I photographed this in 2007, and compiled some photos into short slideshow for our annual December railroad-theme meeting up north. This is the fourth act of the holiday program.

http://homepage.mac.com/allegheny/hg4w.m4v

If it snows a lot this year, I might come back for another run at it. Truly a classy operation.

[i995impalass]

10 more days.. Anyone going?

[~Z~]

Planning at the moment to bring the little one down to Comstock Park to see his first train, won't be chasing if that's the case.

[LSRC]

I'm probably going this year. I do hope that they run the 3001.

[aadti]

The Grand Rapids Model Railroad Historical Society will have our layout open and running starting about 9 am

[John Ryan]

According to the railroad, the train will be a blue and white geep, with one boxcar, flatcar, and caboose.

[J T]

Bump for tomorrow. Gregg and I will be heading out to Comstock Park around 8:30 or so.

[~Z~]

Most cars in Comstock Park that I've seen in the 5 years of running so far. Brought the little one to see his first train, ran across Trussell and his woman, Trussell Jr, Just Aaron, John Ryan, LSRC, BB, i995impalass. Saw shtx284 and Railcanon there, and JT's car at least.
Got a co-worker to head out with his wife and 5 kids. Our little one seemed very interested in the big woot woot going by

[J T]

Here's my take for the day.

First shot north of Sparta:



Kent City (Thanks, Chris K for the location idea):



Half Moon Lake:



From the old wooden overpass south of Newaygo. Note the young conductor-in-training waving:



Newaygo at the M37 overpass:



White Cloud. "Jerry" waves at the train.



Somewhere east of Ludington:

[SW]

Nice shots, JT!

[A No.1]

Really Nice shots JT.

[J T]

Thanks.

Oh, I forgot to post this picture. This was the highlight of the entire day. Gregg and I stopped at Subway in White Cloud so he could get a sandwich, and while I waited in the car for him this dude comes rolling through the parking lot on this most awesome bike. I jumped out of the car and asked if I could take a picture. He obliged:

[csxt4617]

Heh, that bike is sweet. Some real ingenuity there! I wonder how well that plow works?
Anyway, for the chase, I ended up starting at Comstock park, but missed the next couple stops due to looking around the club layout and talking with the guys there. Got him at Grant (including Santa getting on just south of town), coming under the wooden overpass, on the bridge at Newaygo, the wooden trestle at White Cloud, and the curve leaving town, several places along the line where the tracks parallel M-37, Bitely, Baldwin, Scottville and Ludington.
Thanks go out to rsinoms for the wooden bridge location. Didn't know we had any of those left here. We both climbed down the hill (which was fun in the snow) and got shots of him coming under the bridge.

[Railwidow]

Nice shot of my Jr conductor in training... Did any one else get any shots of him and dad by chance? JT is it ok if I borrow this one of Jr.. would like to put it on facebook for the family also would like to make a copy of it for his dad and myself. Thanks