The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train is chugging on for its 13th year, but this year marks the first stop at the ALCO Heritage Museum, scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m.
“There is holiday lights all over the train, so it looks very festive,” said James Cesare III, spokesman for the ALCO Heritage Museum. “I’m planning on this being our biggest event so far … I am really psyched about it and it should be a lot of fun.”
The ALCO Heritage Museum is asking for volunteers to help with setup before the holiday train arrives.
On Saturday, Nov. 26, at 9 a.m. the museum will be setting up signs to direct traffic. The pine tree out front needs to have Christmas lights added and the parking spots out back prepared. Inside display tables need to be set up too.
On Sunday, Nov. 27, the Museum staff at 4:30 p.m. needs help with final preparations and manning the event.
Anyone interested in helping should contact the Museum’s Director of Events Meredith Colacino at [email protected].
Cesare said he hopes to have 1,000 people come down to the museum and take in the holiday festivities. The museum will be open at 5:30 p.m., and it features an M-47 tank and other artifacts. A bonfire is also planned.
“The train takes donations, so we are hoping that everybody can bring one canned good once they show up,” said Cesare.
The unique event was started in 1999 as a way to collect food and money for local food banks and to raise awareness in the fight against hunger. Members of local Rotary clubs will be on hand to collect food pantry donations and to sell hot chocolate, with proceeds benefiting local food banks.
Two trains will make about 150 stops altogether, with one traveling through Canada and the other through the U.S. Since the program’s inception, it has raised $5.6 million and taken in almost 2.5 million pounds of food, according to Canadian Pacific.
The Holiday Train features 14 rail cars decorated with hundreds of thousands of festive lights. Also, there is a modified boxcar that literally sets the stage for music performers. The music act playing at stops across the states is Wisconsin-based artist Willy Porter.
“It should be a lot of fun for the kids … the car opens up and the door plops down and there is a band playing,” said Cesare.
According to Canadian Pacific’s website, the Holiday train will also be stopping in Delanson at the railroad crossing on Main Street at 5:30 p.m. before traveling to Schenectady. Also, after leaving Schenectady the train will stop in Saratoga Springs at the Amtrak Station at 9:05 p.m.
