Holiday Train returning to Lansing to benefit Allamakee County Food Shelf during December 7 event

As part of its ongoing assistance to food banks in North America, the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will be returning to Lansing this year, making a stop Friday, December 7 along South Front Street across from the ball diamond. A scheduled time of 5:30 p.m. has been announced for the train’s arrival in Lansing, and attendees can view and enjoy its entertainment for the simple admission asking of a cash or non-perishable food donation which will then be donated to the Allamakee County Food Shelf.
As an added incentive to help address escalated food and funding needs in response to Hurricane Sandy and other natural disasters experienced recently, Canadian Pacific will match all funds raised at its Holiday Train stops this year, up to a $250,000 total.
“Basic food supplies are in urgent need for those impacted by Sandy and unfortunately continue to be needed in other communities across the U.S.,” said E. Hunter Harrison, President and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Pacific (CP). “CP and its employees believe that dedicating this year’s Holiday Train to the spirit of neighbors supporting neighbors applies directly to disasters such as the one we have just experienced. Through our U.S. Holiday Train we can help generate much-needed awareness for continued Hurricane Sandy relief, while, at the same time, support local food pantries that are visited annually by our train of lights.”
Beginning its journey in Quebec, the U.S. Holiday Train will embark on its journey November 27 from Kahnawake before heading to the northeast U.S., southern Ontario, the U.S. Midwest, and back into Saskatchewan December 17. Entertainers on the U.S. train this year include The Claytones and Canadian Country Music Hall of Famer Tracey Brown. The 30-minute live musical presentations are free of charge - all that’s asked is that attendees bring non-perishable food items for the Allamakee County Food Shelf.
Prior to its arrival in Lansing December 7, the Holiday Train will be making stops in Guttenberg and Marquette earlier that day, with La Crescent, MN scheduled as the train's final stop for that day. Arrival and departure times for the Holiday Train are approximate, and attendees are asked to check the arrival time prior to attending the event as the train’s schedule is subject to change. Updates can be found by checking the Canadian Pacific website for daily blog updates at www.cpr.ca, or following the train’s progress on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/HolidayTrain, or on Twitter, at twitter.com/cpholidaytrain.
The Holiday Train Program began in 1999 with a handful of communities and a few lights on a freight train. Today, with its hundreds of thousands of festive lights and a live show featuring well-known performers, it’s one of Canadian Pacific’s main ambassadors in working with communities in Canada and the United States and is the only fundraiser of its kind for food banks in North America.
Each Holiday Train is about 305 meters (1,000 feet) in length with 14 decorated rail cars, including a modified box car that has been turned into a traveling stage for performers. The two trains are assembled and decorated by CP employees in Montreal, Smiths Falls, Chicago and Calgary. The U.S. and Canadian Holiday Trains are each decorated with hundreds of thousands of energy efficient LED lights.