Christmas Cab
From the beginning of the Marquette Railroad's independent existence in 2005, to the year after the sale to Genesee & Wyoming, in 2013 the short line's owners and employees believed in good public relations.
One of the more known about public relations and good will to the communities the railroad traveled in, was the MQT Santa Express. The Santa Express over the years would usually run on either the second or third Saturday of the month of December.
MQT employees would in the days before the train, would take the Santa Express's assigned locomotive cars and caboose, clean them up as best as they could and hung Christmas lights on the locomotive and cars.
Hauling Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and plenty of Elf's the train would start in the midmorning hours at Comstock Park, MI. and follow the route of the railroad north, stopping in places like Casanova, Newaygo, White Cloud, and Baldwin. Leaving Baldwin, the train made a left hand turn and headed for Scottsville, and Ludington.
After the Ludington stop the Santa Express would be turned around to head back east and depart around 16:00. When the train reached Walhalla, another left turn was made and the Santa Express would be in the home stretch with stops in Fountain, Free Soil, Stronach, and finally ending the night at Manistee, MI. around 20:15.
Nearing the end of the days events, the Santa Express has stopped for its scheduled appearance in Fountain at at 17:30. MQT caboose 3155 is parked on Main St. and out of sight to the right, Mr. Claus, and Mrs. Claus, along with the Elves and Marquette employees mingle with the crowd spreading holiday cheer.
Christmas Cab
From the beginning of the Marquette Railroad's independent existence in 2005, to the year after the sale to Genesee & Wyoming, in 2013 the short line's owners and employees believed in good public relations.
One of the more known about public relations and good will to the communities the railroad traveled in, was the MQT Santa Express. The Santa Express over the years would usually run on either the second or third Saturday of the month of December.
MQT employees would in the days before the train, would take the Santa Express's assigned locomotive cars and caboose, clean them up as best as they could and hung Christmas lights on the locomotive and cars.
Hauling Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and plenty of Elf's the train would start in the midmorning hours at Comstock Park, MI. and follow the route of the railroad north, stopping in places like Casanova, Newaygo, White Cloud, and Baldwin. Leaving Baldwin, the train made a left hand turn and headed for Scottsville, and Ludington.
After the Ludington stop the Santa Express would be turned around to head back east and depart around 16:00. When the train reached Walhalla, another left turn was made and the Santa Express would be in the home stretch with stops in Fountain, Free Soil, Stronach, and finally ending the night at Manistee, MI. around 20:15.
Nearing the end of the days events, the Santa Express has stopped for its scheduled appearance in Fountain at at 17:30. MQT caboose 3155 is parked on Main St. and out of sight to the right, Mr. Claus, and Mrs. Claus, along with the Elves and Marquette employees mingle with the crowd spreading holiday cheer.