Cameron Christmas Train Breathes New Life Into Old Traditions

Hundreds of families swarm the Cameron Christmas Train while it stops in Angola, Ind.. Nick Martin photo

The nostalgia of Christmas and the nostalgia of trains have always been closely connected, whether through the Polar Express in our books and TVs, Lionel trains circling the tree, or the sheer romance of the golden age of rail travel. Those who work in heritage railroading see this connection firsthand every year, as holiday-themed train rides make up a significant part of the bottom line for most operations.

But when our trains tap into the spirit of giving, they stir up a different kind of magic — and that’s what the Indiana Rail Experience and Cameron Health have done with the Cameron Christmas Train.

Little River Railroad No. 110 steams softly with the Cameron Christmas Train in Quincy, Mich.. Nick Martin photo

Unlike the experiences many are familiar with, no tickets are sold for a ride on the Cameron Christmas Train. Instead, the train makes a three-night sojourn over the Indiana Northeastern Railroad’s 100-mile, three-state system, handing out over $20,000 of toys, clothing and winter essentials to the rural communities that line the track. Hundreds of families turn out to each stop, and so many folks line the grade crossings that the train occasionally makes special stops just for them. And yes, Santa comes along for the trip, too.

Though the first Cameron Christmas Train was run in 2024, its roots are buried in the Clinchfield Railroad’s Santa Claus Special, which made its first dash through the coalfields of Kentucky in 1943. It was a rather humble affair — a small group of volunteers throwing candy and small toys from the rear of a regular southbound passenger train — but it was a glimmer of holiday magic to the families who were there, living through crippling uncertainty at the peak of World War II. This beloved tradition has endured for 82 years and is now a highly choreographed, 110-mile, 14-stop tour put on by Clinchfield’s successor, CSX Transportation, as the Santa Train.

While other big railroads put on similar trains each year, nothing quite like it existed in the heritage railroad circuit until the Indiana Rail Experience and Cameron Health partnered up.

Clover Leaf Media was proud to be contracted by the Fort Wayne Railroad to ride along and document the 2025 run. Adam C. Matthews photo.

At each stop, 10 volunteers from Cameron Health step into the crowd with lots of toys and goodies — coloring books, winter clothing, stuffed animals, toothbrushes, fanny packs and more. One special family is selected at each stop to board the train and receive their very own scooter for their little one. The jolly old elf makes an appearance for photos and Christmas wishes, and the line is always dozens deep. On the northern end of the route, the Little River Railroad joins the celebration, making this particular train unique for being powered by a steam locomotive. No matter where the train is or what’s on the head-end, however, each stop is a jubilant time.

While this operation puts the heritage railroad face-to-face with its lineside neighbors, the Indiana Rail Experience transforms Northeast Indiana year-round. Since launching operations in 2022, the program has generated over $5 million in economic impact for Steuben County, was named Indiana’s Best New Experience by the state tourism board, and put a spotlight on tri-state communities that would otherwise be flyover towns.

The benefits of this operation extend to Cameron Health, too. For Cameron’s employees, this is a new perspective on the people they serve every day, and for the community, this allows Cameron Health to be reframed as more than just a hospital, but a valuable community asset.

And for anyone working the train, no matter whose camp you were in, each memory made was a reminder of why we do this.

This was why Clover Leaf Media was proud to be contracted by the Fort Wayne Railroad to ride along and document the 2025 run. Between the volunteers' lively attitude, the families' tears of joy, and the incredible winter moments captured, this was one of the most emotional shoots we have undertaken.

We extend our gratitude to Fort Wayne Railroad, Cameron Health, Indiana Northeastern Railroad, Little River Railroad, Cardinal Glass, the Hillsdale Meijer store, South Milford Grain, and Hillsdale College for making these wheels roll.