Seeing a blue and yellow CSX locomotive hauling freight alongside the railroads by way of Appalachia is nothing uncommon. However on the Saturday earlier than Thanksgiving, the long-lasting locomotive pulls one thing totally different – a string of passenger vehicles, 15 tons of presents, and Santa Claus. It’s the annual CSX Santa Prepare, a practice relationship again many years.
My household’s Christmas custom with the Santa Prepare began with an accident in 1988. My brother, sister, and I have been crammed into the household automobile on our solution to see household in Large Stone Hole. Whereas driving by way of St. Paul, my mother seen a throng of onlookers gathered close to the railroad monitor in the course of city.
My dad stopped the automobile and walked towards the tracks to search out out what was occurring. A second later, he returned and shouted, “All people get out. The Santa Prepare is coming!”
Twenty-six years later, I returned to St. Paul to expertise the CSX Santa Prepare once more. I couldn’t assist the goosebumps that crept alongside my arms and backbone when the acquainted locomotive trudged across the curve. The practice stopped, and ‘ole Saint Nick stepped onto the lined platform on the final automobile.
The CSX Santa Prepare is one thing everybody should expertise no less than as soon as. This journey information is every little thing you’ll want to learn about seeing the practice because it travels by way of the small cities in Appalachia from Shelby, Kentucky, to Kingsport, Tennessee.
CSX Santa Prepare Map
How one can use this map: Click on the icon within the top-left nook to open the Map Legend, then click on on any of the legend gadgets to show extra info. If in case you have a Google account, click on the (very faint) star on the finish of the map’s title to save lots of this map to your account, then entry the map out of your smartphone throughout your journey.
Historical past of the CSX Santa Prepare
Most coal miners’ households lived in poverty and spent most of their hard-earned earnings on the naked requirements. Christmas was a luxurious few might afford. So, in 1943, a service provider’s affiliation in Kingsport devised a solution to rejoice the gift-giving season.
The affiliation collected toys, clothes, and meals from companies and residents. A couple of tons have been collected through the first run in 1943 – almost 15 tons have been loaded onto the practice in 2023.
The Clinchfield Railroad’s most important line linked Elkhorn Metropolis, Kentucky, to Kingsport, Tennessee. The inaugural “Santa Claus Particular” traveled the principle line in 1943. By 1986, the railroad was operated by CSX after a number of mergers introduced dozens of railroads collectively. Since then, the CSX Santa Prepare has continued the custom.
2023 CSX Santa Prepare Schedule
The 2023 CSX Santa Prepare runs on Saturday, November 18, 2023, starting on the Shelby Yards close to Pikeville, Kentucky, and touring by way of Virginia to Centennial Park in Kingsport, Tennessee.
Right here is the whole schedule of stops the Santa Prepare makes all through its run:
- 6:00 a.m. at Shelbiana, KY
- 6:20 a.m. at Marrowbone, KY
- 7:05 a.m. at Elkhorn Metropolis, KY
- 7:45 a.m. at Toms Backside, VA
- 8:07 a.m. at Haysi, VA
- 8:40 a.m. at Clinchco, VA
- 9:08 a.m. at Fremont, VA
- 10:08 a.m. at Dante, VA
- 10:53 a.m. at St. Paul, VA
- 12:03 p.m. at Dungannon, VA
- 12:48 p.m. at Ft. Blackmore, VA
- 1:48 p.m. at Kermit, VA
- 2:20 p.m. at Waycross, VA
- 3:00 p.m. at Kingsport, TN
Finest Locations to See the CSX Santa Prepare
The CSX Santa Prepare travels a railroad part removed from main highways by way of small Appalachia cities. Many stops are difficult to go to except you reside inside just a few miles.
As an alternative of trying an arduous journey on twisty roads, go to one in every of these finest locations to see the CSX Santa Prepare.
Shelbiana, KY
The CSX Santa Prepare’s first cease is the Shelby Yard within the unincorporated Shelbiana, Kentucky. The yard is a couple of fifteen-minute drive from Pikeville alongside U.S. Freeway 23. Parking is scattered however plentiful.
St. Paul, VA
St. Paul is one of the best place to see the CSX Santa Prepare after Kingsport. If you happen to arrive early, round 10 a.m., you might discover simple parking alongside Riverside Drive adjoining to the railroad tracks. If you happen to arrive later, you’ll discover loads of parking all through the small city, however use Smart Avenue for straightforward entry.
It takes about 40 minutes to drive to St. Paul from Abingdon alongside U.S. Freeway 58 Alternate.
Dungannon, VA
Dungannon isn’t a simple city to go to, but it surely’s a part of a two-hour loop from Norton that features a few different stops. It takes about 30-40 minutes to drive to Dungannon alongside U.S. Freeway 58 Alternate and Dungannon Highway.
The CSX Santa Prepare stops close to a pointy bend within the highway close to the center of the unincorporated city. The perfect place to park is close by Dungannon Elementary College – it’s a couple of five-minute stroll from there. Apparently, you’ll be able to stand on a bridge the place Sinking Creek Freeway crosses the railroad and watch the Santa Prepare go beneath.
Fort Blackmore, VA
Fort Blackmore is likely one of the best locations to see the CSX Santa Prepare but additionally one of the crucial tough locations for parking. The freeway crosses the railroad and Clinch River. Park anyplace alongside the highway’s shoulder at both finish of the bridge and stroll alongside Islandview Circle to the purpose the place the Santa Prepare stops.
There may be loads of room for folks on the cease, and it’s a safer place from the principle freeway.
Copper Creek Viaduct in Duffield, VA
The perfect view of the CSX Santa Prepare is from an overgrown scenic overlook alongside U.S. Freeway 23 in Duffield. After the practice passes by way of a tunnel, it crosses the spectacular Copper Creek Viaduct. In-built 1908, the trestle is 167 ft above the Clinch River and spans 1,091 ft.
Whereas crossing the historic trestle, Santa normally seems for keen onlookers on the scenic overlook.
Kingsport, TN
The one cease the CSX Santa Prepare makes in Tennessee can also be the ultimate cease. It’s one of the best place to see the Santa Prepare on its journey from Kentucky. There may be loads of free parking all through downtown Kingsport and loads of room in Centennial Park to benefit from the practice.
CSX Santa Prepare in Kingsport, TN
The festivities in Kingsport begin lengthy earlier than the CSX Santa Prepare arrives. Santa’s Depot opens at 1 p.m. in Centennial Park, a small public park close to Residents Financial institution within the former practice depot. Vacation actions embrace writing letters to Santa and crafts. Take pleasure in scorching chocolate, cookies, and festive music whereas ready for Santa’s arrival.
The CSX Santa Prepare arrives in Kingsport at 3 p.m. Upon arrival, an unbelievably chipper Santa Claus exits the practice and visits everybody on the park.
After I was a child, Santa would exit the practice and hop onto the final float of the Kingsport Christmas Parade. That modified just a few years in the past. Now, the parade is held on the primary Saturday in December.
Ideas for Seeing the CSX Santa Prepare
It’s simple to get wrapped up within the festive spirit and neglect that the CSX Santa Prepare is an enormous piece of equipment trudging alongside railroad tracks. CSX workers and native police spare no effort to make it a protected expertise. However you continue to must look earlier than you cross!
Listed below are just a few tricks to benefit from seeing the CSX Santa Prepare:
- Plan to reach an hour earlier than the practice to discover a good parking spot
- Park your automobile so that every one 4 tires are off the paved highway
- Don’t block any driveways when parking
- Look fastidiously earlier than crossing roads – don’t assume site visitors will cease simply since you step into the highway
- Watch out when crossing over railroad tracks
- Hearken to the directions from CSX workers when the practice arrives and departs
- By no means stand in entrance of the locomotive, even when it’s parked
- It’s extra necessary to be protected than to take a selfie
- Kids sitting in your shoulders have one of the best likelihood of catching toys
CSX Santa Prepare Photograph Gallery
