Santa Train Brings Joy on the Tracks

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

It was a cold Saturday morning in Belton, but the warm welcome of the crowd for the arrival of the Santa Express was greeted with the sound of laughter and the clatter of train wheels on old rails. The Greenville & Western Railway Company, LLC, in partnership with the Belton Interfaith Ministerial Association (BIMA) and the Presbyterian Food Bank of Pelzer and Williamston (PFB), transformed the annual Santa Train stop into a festive act of generosity. Children bundled in winter coats waved as the locomotive pulled into the station, while families filed past the Aiken Railway caboose—the caboose directly behind the engine—dropping off bags of non-perishable food items for those in need this holiday season.

The event, now a tradition in the community, is more than just a chance for kids to meet Santa. Volunteers from Greenville & Western, BIMA, and PFB staffed the caboose, accepting donations and ensuring that every can and box would find its way to someone struggling this winter. The Greenville & Western Railway Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation, operates 12.74 miles of rail line in Anderson County, and CEO Steven Hawkins sees the Santa Train as a way to give back each year. “It’s about community,” Hawkins said. “It’s about making sure no one goes hungry during the holidays.”

As the train prepared to depart for its next stop (the train also visited Pelzer, Williamston and the Cheddar community), the caboose was filled with donations, and the spirit of giving lingered in the crisp air. The Santa Express, with its blend of nostalgia and purpose, continues to remind Upstate residents that the holidays are not only a time for celebration but also for compassion and connection.