Marquette Rail Sixth Annual Santa Express! 2011

[i995impalass]

For Immediate Release
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Here Comes Santa Claus on the
Sixth Annual Santa Express
Saturday, December 10th!

Ludington, October 20, 2011 - For the sixth year, Marquette Rail will be bringing Santa and Mrs. Clause to communities along its line, where they will hand out candy to good girls and boys from the Santa Express. Children (and adults) of all ages are welcome! This year Marquette rail has partnered with Jim Nickelson’s Christmas Trees of Ludington and Millers Produce of Manistee to help distribute trees at each stop to lucky drawing winners who have been pre-selected. Marquette Rail will operate its sixth annual Santa Express on Saturday, December 10th, 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 10:10 am 10:20 am Division St. Crossing

Kent City 10:35 am 10:55 am Main St. Crossing

Grant 11:20 am 11:45 am Grant Depot

Newaygo 12:10 pm 12:30 pm River St. Crossing

White Cloud 12:50 pm 1:00 pm Wilcox Ave. Crossing

Bitely 1:35 pm 1:50 pm Main St. Crossing

Baldwin 2:10 pm 2:25 pm Baldwin Depot/off Astor Rd.

Scottville 3:15 pm 3:30 pm Main St. Crossing

Ludington 3:50 pm 4:15 pm First St. Crossing

Fountain 5:15 pm 5:50 pm Main St. Crossing

Free Soil 6:00 pm 6:20 pm Free Soil Rd. Crossing

Stronach 6:40 pm 7:00 pm Main St. Crossing

Manistee 7:25 pm 7:40 pm River St. Depot

For more information, contact MARQUETTE RAIL at 1866-RAIL-911. MARQUETTE RAIL, LLC is a short-line railroad serving Western Michigan and operates between Grand Rapids, Ludington and Manistee, Michigan.

*Times are approximate and station stops are subject to change.*

[J T]

Hopefully we get another snowy day like last year.

[LSRC]

Do you guys have any plans for the power? I'd love to see the 3001 leading!

[Saturnalia]

Do you guys have any plans for the power? I'd love to see the 3001 leading!

If 3001 is leading, I'd pay for front row at the Muskegon River Bridge!!!!

[J T]

Do you guys have any plans for the power? I'd love to see the 3001 leading!

If 3001 is leading, I'd pay for front row at the Muskegon River Bridge!!!!

No reason to pay...views are free.

[AveryRdhouse]

I heard the plan was to use the 3002 this year. Maybe Santa can pull a sand blaster and some paint out of his bag.

[Saturnalia]

I heard the plan was to use the 3002 this year. Maybe Santa can pull a sand blaster and some paint out of his bag.

Why ugly grey? Why not Beautiful Blue. If they want some PR, then use 3001, not ugly 3002!!!!!!

[SD80MAC]

I heard the plan was to use the 3002 this year. Maybe Santa can pull a sand blaster and some paint out of his bag.

Why ugly grey? Why not Beautiful Blue. If they want some PR, then use 3001, not ugly 3002!!!!!!

Wow, did you not read the second sentence of his post?

[Saturnalia]

I heard the plan was to use the 3002 this year. Maybe Santa can pull a sand blaster and some paint out of his bag.

Why ugly grey? Why not Beautiful Blue. If they want some PR, then use 3001, not ugly 3002!!!!!!

Wow, did you not read the second sentence of his post?

Are you trying to say A:3002 is to be painted, or B: something else? I'm confused!!

[penn central]

He means choice A that would be really nice.

[MNE Mec]

In my opinion there is only locomotive on the railroad worthy enough to do the honors this year.

[i995impalass]

In my opinion there is only locomotive on the railroad worthy enough to do the honors this year.

As long as you can make the 4433 do track speed to make crew happey id say use it!

I heard the plan was to use the 3002 this year. Maybe Santa can pull a sand blaster and some paint out of his bag.

Why ugly grey? Why not Beautiful Blue. If they want some PR, then use 3001, not ugly 3002!!!!!!

I think Avery ment he wants to see his engine painted. We have treated it like a redheaded step child, time she gets some lovin'.

[AveryRdhouse]

I give the 3002 lovin every time I get it. Much to the shock of the conductor's.

[Saturnalia]

MQT obviously have to get the train south so it can go north. When the train comes south, does it:

A: Back southbound to the scheduled stop, give candy and other prizes, then go north...OR,

B: Back south, past W River Drive, then ist for a bit. Then, pull foward to the park, stop, complete the activites, then travel north?

If option B is picked, then what time will the train be in Comstock Park? I would like to get a particular shot that requires a southbound

[SD80MAC]

Usually comes down on the Z151 the night before as I recall, engine and caboose stay somewhere around Sparta or CP then back south early in the morning before going north making the first stop at CP.

[J T]

If option B is picked, then what time will the train be in Comstock Park? I would like to get a particular shot that requires a southbound

Where?

[i995impalass]

MQT obviously have to get the train south so it can go north. When the train comes south, does it:

A: Back southbound to the scheduled stop, give candy and other prizes, then go north...OR,

B: Back south, past W River Drive, then ist for a bit. Then, pull foward to the park, stop, complete the activites, then travel north?

If option B is picked, then what time will the train be in Comstock Park? I would like to get a particular shot that requires a southbound

Jon's right. We use to run the train down with Z151 the night before. In the past two years we ran it alone as an extra the Friday before. When this is the case the train runs longhood, cab, then boxcar from Manistee. Gets into GR and we do a drop at VANS and run it back to North Park where it is tied down. When it's on the Z151, it gets set off at WEEKES, crew will shove the train to North Park. I haven't been told how this years train will get down, but I'd guess as an extra since it works well and keeps the Ztrain moving and out of the way.

[Saturnalia]

MQT obviously have to get the train south so it can go north. When the train comes south, does it:

A: Back southbound to the scheduled stop, give candy and other prizes, then go north...OR,

B: Back south, past W River Drive, then ist for a bit. Then, pull foward to the park, stop, complete the activites, then travel north?

If option B is picked, then what time will the train be in Comstock Park? I would like to get a particular shot that requires a southbound

Jon's right. We use to run the train down with Z151 the night before. In the past two years we ran it alone as an extra the Friday before. When this is the case the train runs longhood, cab, then boxcar from Manistee. Gets into GR and we do a drop at VANS and run it back to North Park where it is tied down. When it's on the Z151, it gets set off at WEEKES, crew will shove the train to North Park. I haven't been told how this years train will get down, but I'd guess as an extra since it works well and keeps the Ztrain moving and out of the way.

Good, wither way it won't be coming down in the dawn hours. That means I can chase Amtrak from the GTW yard to the station, then possibly Grandville, getting back in time to chase MQT to Newyago

[CERY]

I give the 3002 lovin every time I get it. Much to the shock of the conductor's.

What ever happened to MILW inspired paint scheme you were talking about a couple summers ago?

[AveryRdhouse]

At this point, any paint on the 02 would be good. I have backed off on the Milw scheme though. It is still very much a CP unit and would look better orange with a PacMan, or the red twin flag's scheme.