Toys for Tots Holiday Train brings Christmas cheer with Norfolk Southern and Amtrak

The Toys for Tots Holiday Train once again brings together Norfolk Southern, Amtrak and the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation in a partnership that has been running for more than two decades and still focuses on delivering Christmas cheer to children and families across the Northeast.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Over the life of the project, the partners have collected hundreds of thousands of toys, and since 2022 Norfolk Southern has contributed nearly $500,000 to the foundation’s work, as noted in a recent Norfolk Southern news release on the Toys for Tots New York Holiday Train.

Toys for Tots Holiday Train route and schedule

This year’s Toys for Tots Holiday Train is scheduled for Saturday, 13th December, departing from Binghampton, New York, and running across the Northeast USA to deliver toys and holiday cheer to families along the line, on a route that echoes coverage in a Railway Age holiday brief.

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The day begins in Binghamton, where the train will be at East Binghamton Yard, 5 Holmes Place, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., giving families time to enjoy free doughnuts and hot chocolate, children’s activities, music, small giveaways and a festive atmosphere before the consist moves on.

After leaving Binghamton, the Holiday Train will make four short community stops. It will first pause at Walnut Avenue Crossing in Bainbridge from 11:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.

The next halt is planned for Gas Ave Rail Crossing near 70 S Market St. in Oneonta, where the train will be present from 1:10 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. In the afternoon, the schedule calls for a visit to Cobleskill Fire Station, 610 E Main St., Cobleskill, between 2:55 p.m. and 3:25 p.m., followed by a final stop at Delanson Fire Station, 1797 Main St., Delanson, from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. At each location, local families can greet the train, donate toys and take part in the holiday celebrations.

Marine Toys for Tots mission and rail partners

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation was created 78 years ago by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve with a straightforward idea: children in need across the USA should receive a new toy or book at Christmas. The programme is designed to support children’s confidence, offer them hope and leave a positive memory of the festive season that can last a lifetime. Since its founding in 1947, Toys for Tots has delivered the magic of Christmas to more than 314 million economically disadvantaged children.

Marine Corps Coordinator Patrick M. Lurenz underlines that for over 75 years Toys for Tots has worked to ensure every child can experience the magic of the holidays. In his view, the collaboration with Norfolk Southern and Amtrak on the Toys for Tots Holiday Train brings that mission onto the rails, allowing the charity to reach families in a way that has a tangible impact while the train itself serves as a visible focal point for donations and community support.

Community impact of Norfolk Southern and Amtrak

This Toys for Tots Holiday Train campaign fits within a broader pattern of community involvement by the participating railroads. In 2023, Norfolk Southern Corporation donated $18.2 million to organisations in the 22 states where it operates through its Corporate Giving initiative, reflecting the company’s wider commitment to social responsibility and local communities.

At the same time, Amtrak has begun testing a new fleet of trains for the Northeast Corridor, continuing to invest in the future of passenger rail on this key route — an area where Norfolk Southern’s passenger rail partnerships with states and Amtrak have also been discussed by Railway Supply.

For Amtrak, the Toys for Tots Holiday Train in the Capital Region forms part of its ongoing community engagement. Amtrak Special Assistant to the President Bruno Maestri notes that the company is proud to continue its annual tradition of celebrating the holidays with Toys for Tots, the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and Norfolk Southern through Operation Toy Train in the Capital Region.

Bringing together the Toys for Tots Holiday Train, the festive atmosphere of the winter holidays and the joy they can offer children remains, he stresses, one of the highlights of the year for everyone involved.

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