51 years ago, Santa Claus arrived in Fort Wayne by train for downtown Fort Wayne’s annual Christmas celebrations. In 2012, a holiday tradition returns again to Allen County aboard the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society’s Santa Train.

Families can climb aboard a vintage train and visit with Santa on a 20 minute ride during the day or reserve a special evening Santa Charter for up to 15 people for a 45 minute trip with refreshments, classic holiday music, and gift giving with Santa himself on December 1st, 8th, and 15th. Trips depart the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society’s restoration facility at 15808 Edgerton Road.

Santa Trains

December 1st, 8th, 15th
10AM-4PM
$4 per person, first come, first serve basis with trips departing approximately every 30 minutes.

Santa Charters (reservations required at santa@fwrhs.org)

December 1st, 8th, 15th
6PM, 7PM, 8PM
$200, includes light refreshments. Bring your entire family along and let Santa deliver your gifts.

December 15th – 5PM, 6 PM, 7PM, 8PM   9PM available!

For fast reservations, email contact@fwrhs.org with your preferred date, time, and number of people. You may also call 260-493-0765.

Once an event sponsored by Fort Wayne landmark store Wolf & Dessauer, these trips will give children the opportunity to take a trip back in time and visit with Santa Claus aboard a caboose and vintage diesel locomotive.

Families can pay homage to a great Fort Wayne tradition and create brand new ones while visiting the home of the largest operating steam locomotive in the midwest: Nickel Plate Road no. 765. Once on display in Lawton Park, the 1944-built 765 is a fast freight and passenger machine, completely restored into a living time machine that operates excursions throughout the country.

Check out coverage of 2010′s year’s Santa Trains by the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette:

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