Santa to Arrive on Caltrain Holiday Train Dec. 5 and 6

By

December 3, 2009

Santa himself will make a pre-Christmas visit to the Peninsula on board the Caltrain Holiday Train this weekend. The jolly old elf will stop at nine stations to see who’s been naughty or nice. He will be accompanied by Mrs. Claus and an entourage that includes Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.

Good little boys and girls can make points with Santa by bringing a toy to donate to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots Program and the Salvation Army. Last year the Caltrain Holiday Train received more than 5,000 toys and books – up 27 percent from last year’s toy count of 4,179 - and nearly $2,250 in cash donations from visitors to the stations. Since the first Holiday Train in 2001, more than 40,000 gifts have been generated by the Holiday Train for needy Bay Area children.

Each evening kicks off with a live performance at 4:45 p.m. before the train departs the San Francisco station at 4th and King streets at 5:20 p.m.

The train will stop at four Peninsula stations each night. Entertainment at those stations will begin 30 minutes before the train arrives.

The Caltrain Holiday Train would not be possible without support for decorations, wiring and costumes from the following sponsors: Linear Technology Corporation, HNTB Corporation, Parsons Brinckerhoff, the Port of San Francisco, Shimmick Construction Company Inc. and Rinat.

The San Mateo County Times, The Daily Journal and Radio Disney are the event’s media sponsors, and in-kind donations are being provided by Peterson Power Systems of San Leandro, Raison D'etre bakery and the San Francisco Caltrain Station Subway.

Amtrak, Caltrain’s contractor operator, and the San Mateo County Transit District also are partners in the event.

For a complete Holiday Train schedule, call 1.800.660.4287.