TWO ANNUAL ST. PAUL TRADITIONS are coming up this weekend – one is older (the Santa Train), and one is newer (the Christmas Bazaar). The CSX press release featuring complete Santa Train details is included in this article. For more information about the Christmas Bazaar, consult the Town of St. Paul’s Facebook page.
Before you read on, let’s view a slideshow of some CVT archival photos of the 1971 Santa Train. You’ll want to share these photos with your children because [with the exception of the rails] nothing shown in them still exists. The Western Front was torn down in 1985, the St. Paul Union Depot burned in 1973, and the Bickley house on Sugar Hill burned in 1976. For us older folks, it’s a story of “gone but not forgotten.” BUT…we still have the Santa Train to remind us of years gone by, and for that we are thankful.
CSX SANTA TRAIN TO RUN THIS WEEKEND
Platinum-Selling Vocal Duo Maddie & Tae Set To Join The Holiday Tradition
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (Nov. 12, 2018) – The CSX Santa Train will make its 76th 110-mile run through rural Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee this Saturday, Nov. 17, distributing gifts, toys, food and winter clothing to families along the route.
Country duo Maddie & Tae will join Santa Claus, CSX, and event partners Food City, Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, Appalachian Power and Soles4Souls on the train for this year’s ride.
“This is such a special event, and we’re thrilled to be back in Appalachia to spread holiday cheer with the Santa Train,” said Bryan Tucker, vice president of CSX Corporate Communications. “We’re so proud to help continue to carry out this holiday tradition with our other sponsors, Food City, Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, Appalachian Power and Soles4Souls.”
In preparation for Saturday’s event, the Santa Train will hold its annual packing party at the Eastman Road Food City in Kingsport on Wednesday, Nov. 14, will start at 5 p.m. Community volunteers will join Santa and the train’s sponsors to assemble gifts for families along the route. Food City will also provide a celebration dinner with door prizes for all participants following the packing party.
Members of the media are welcome to cover the event at stops along the way. Below is a list of the tentative train arrival times and time spent at the stops throughout the day:
- Shelby, Ky. – Train leaves at 6 a.m.
- Marrowbone, Ky. – 6:20 a.m. (15 minutes)
- Elkhorn City, Ky. – 7:05 a.m. (20 minutes)
- Toms Bottom, Va. – 7:45 a.m. (10 minutes)
- Haysi, Va. – 8:07 a.m. (15 minutes)
- Clinchco, Va. – 8:40 a.m. (15 minutes)
- Fremont, Va. – 9:08 a.m. (25 minutes)
- Dante, Va. – 10:08 a.m. (20 minutes)
- St. Paul, Va. – 10:53 a.m. (20 minutes)
- Dungannon, Va. – 12:03 p.m. (20 minutes)
- Ft. Blackmore, Va. – 12:48 p.m. (15 minutes)
- Kermit, Va. – 1:48 p.m. (20 minutes)
- Waycross, Va. – 2:20 p.m. (15 minutes)
- Kingsport, Tenn. – Train ends at 2:58 p.m.
Once the train arrives in Kingsport, Santa and Maddie & Tae will disembark and join the activities at Santa’s Depot in Centennial Park. Maddie & Tae will hold a short performance, and there will be activities and games for children, including time with Santa.
About the Santa Train:
Now in its 76th year, the Santa Train operates along a 110-mile route through Appalachia, making 14 stops in Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee to distribute more than 15 tons of toys and other items to Appalachian families. The Santa Train is sponsored by CSX, Food City, Appalachian Power, Soles4Souls and the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce.
About Maddie & Tae:
Award-winning duo Maddie & Tae are drawing praise for their new single “Friends Don’t.” “The sound is identifiable while still representing a distinct step forward” (Billboard), giving fans a taste of what to expect from their highly anticipated forthcoming full-length album. Maddie & Tae made a splash with their debut single, “Girl In A Country Song,” a brilliant take-down of bro-country, which took country radio by storm, skyrocketing to the top of the charts and quickly going Platinum. The duo became only the third female duo in 70 years to top the country airplay charts, also earning trophies from the Country Music Academy and Radio Disney Music Awards, along with multiple ACM, CMA and CMT Award nominations. Receiving widespread praise from NPR, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, Glamour and others, country music’s hottest stars including Dierks Bentley, Lee Brice and Brad Paisley have welcomed Maddie & Tae on the road. For additional information, please visit www.maddieandtae.com.
About CSX:
CSX, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is a premier transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural and consumer products. For nearly 190 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation’s economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation’s population resides. It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available atwww.csx.com. Like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.
So sorry to see that Trammel didn’t make the list this year. That was one of the most uplifting events for children and adults living in that area of Dickenson County.
To share your concerns, contact Ben Baden, MP&F Strategic Communications, at (615) 259-4000 or bbaden@mpf.com