|
|
All Aboard; Santa
Express rolls to Heath Springs
By Greg Summers - Features Editor The Lancaster News December 20, 2006
HEATH SPRINGS - Walter
Craig knows a good thing when he sees it.
Craig, a L&C Railway retiree, stood beside the Santa Express train
parked next to the Heath Springs depot on Saturday afternoon and
watched as 3-year-old Luke Eason wadded up a small handful of snow,
shaped it into a lump and heaved it skyward.
"At the rate this is going, there's going to have to be at least
two weekends of this, maybe three," said Craig, of the train
ride that had about 300, including Luke and his older sisters, Jordan
and Morgan gearing up for Christmas.
|
Spencer Estrada, left,
wrestles with his sister, Claire, in the man-made snow outside the
Heath Springs depot on Saturday during the Santa Express train ride.
Photo by Gregory A. Summers - Features Editor |
Not only was making a snowball a new
experience for Luke, so was riding a train. Dressed in a railroad cap and
matching overalls, Luke was keeping up a family tradition.
"His daddy (Ben Eason) works for
them," (the L&C), said Luke's mom, Jodi Eason. "But we
never get to ride. We've been wanting to ride the train for a while but
haven't been able to until now."
Sponsored by the city of Lancaster, L&C Railway, town of Heath
Springs and Founders Federal Credit Union, the demand for the Santa
Express tickets caught organizers off guard.
Two rides aboard the renovated L&C charter cars _ the Golden
Tower, J. Pickney Henderson and Hollywood Beach - were scheduled from
the L&C Depot on South Main Street to Heath Springs, but a third
trip was added.
Some went to great lengths for tickets, like Mary Beth Camp of
Heath Springs.
Camp "camped out" in her van outside the Lancaster
County Council of the Arts Center to get at the front of the line
so that she and her son Isaac, could ride the Santa Express.
Santa Express "conductor" Dr. Robert Majors said he
wasn't a bit surprised that the tickets were a hot item. A
retired physician and "self-acclaimed train nut,"
Majors said that recreational train rides are on the upswing.
"I've found that train rides like this are always well
received," Majors said. "It really is a popular,
especially if you've never ridden the rails."
Morgan Ledford, 6, said she had never ridden on a train
until Saturday. Morgan's grandparents surprised her with a
ticket as an early Christmas gift.
"I wanted to get on a train and eat," she said.
Heath Springs Mayor Ann Taylor, said seeing the train
pull into the depot reminded her of the first time she
rode the line from Heath Springs to Kershaw.
" It makes for a memorable experience,"
Taylor said. "Some of these folks have never
ridden a train before."
Despite a much-warmer-than-normal day, the snow was
a huge success.
A snow blower was set up by the depot and
surrounded by hay bales so children could play in
their own mini winter wonderland.
"This is pretty good," said Marilyn
Roddey. "The snow is really neat."
L&C conductor Dennis Craig, who was donned
in a Santa cap, said the manmade snowfall
added a great touch.
"If this is all the snow we get this
year, I'm game for that," Craig said,
laughing.
On each return ride back, Santa Claus
visited each child on board and presented
them with their very own Christmas bell,
just like in the animated movie,
"Polar Express."
Some children even wore pajamas like the
children in the movie.
Taylor said now that supporters know
what to expect, she believes the Santa
Express can only grow. She said that
next year the town of Heath Springs
will add more activities and crafts
for children to enjoy.
"We've never done anything like
this before, so how do you
anticipate just what to
expect?" Taylor said.
"It's truly been a howling
success."
- Contact
Greg Summers at 283-1156 or
gsummers@thelancasternews.com
Article
© The
Lancaster News, reprinted with
permission.
|
