UPVETS Houston Toys for Tots toy drive rolls by rail

The UPVETS Houston Toys for Tots toy drive once again brought holiday cheer to the city by rail.

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

On Dec. 6, the Houston/Gulf Coast Chapter of UPVETS marked the campaign’s success with a Union Pacific train trip around Houston, headed by commemorative military locomotive UP No. 1943 – The Spirit.

UPVETS Houston Toys for Tots toy drive on the rails

UPVETS, a resource group for military veterans and interested employees, collected approximately 35,000 toys for the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots annual toy drive, a campaign also highlighted in industry coverage from Railway Supply.

Don’t miss…Freight wagon surplus in Kazakhstan: pause in purchases

Aboard cars from Union Pacific’s Heritage Fleet, U.S. Marines in dress uniform joined the ride, showing how railroad employees, service members and community supporters come together around this Union Pacific train toy drive.

Veteran volunteers and community partners

Beyond the train ride itself, the event recognizes volunteers and local business owners who donate time, effort and space for toy collection boxes to ensure the drive’s success.

This year marks the seventh year the Houston/Gulf Coast Chapter of UPVETS has joined the Toys for Tots campaign, with members contributing hundreds of volunteer hours to bring joy to children and give back to the community. Around 18% of Union Pacific employees have military experience, and some still actively serve in the reserves.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

Find the latest news of the railway industry in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and the rest of the world on our page on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, read Railway Supply magazine online.

Place your ads on webportal and in Railway Supply magazine. Detailed information is in Railway Supply media kit