Thursday, December 19, 2013

19 December 2013: Here Comes Santa! **UPDATED**

After yesterday's frustration, today i struck gold: i timed the dog's afternoon walk to coincide with the arrival of the CTA Holiday Train at Morse station.  Santa was waving and calling to all the children on the platform and walking on Morse Avenue, and honestly, i felt like i was five years old again just seeing him. I don't know if other cities have a similar holiday custom, but they should (although i always feel a little sorry for Santa and his "elves" having to ride through miles of subway tunnels in an open car).  There were rumblings that the CTA would discontinue the Holiday Train because of budgetary concerns, and it is making fewer runs than in past years, but i hope the CTA will realize what an absolute treasure this is and keep Santa riding the rails for many years to come.

**UPDATE**: I've been assured by Kevin O'Neil of the CTA Tattler that the service on the Holiday Train has not been cut back, and I'll defer to him here since he has more knowledge of the workings of the CTA than I. Saturday looks like it will be a busy day for Santa on the Red and Purple lines; read more about it on the CTA Tattler.


Here are a few bonus shots because you've all been such good girls and boys.




And, in case you missed it yesterday, here is the schedule for the CTA Holiday Train. 

4 comments:

Kevin O'Neil said...

Thanks for the photos. Just so you know, the CTA did NOT make fewer runs this year because of budget concerns. It's been the same every year, hitting all eight rail lines, sometimes more than once.

Ms. Demeanor said...

Didn't it often make two runs a day in past years (at least on the Red Line)? In past years, it would go by my building a couple of times in each direction on the days it was scheduled.

Kevin O'Neil said...

It actually is making two runs Saturday on the Red Line, plus it was on the Red Line Tuesday and Thursday.

Ms. Demeanor said...

Ah, okay, thanks for clarifying that.