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Christmas lights on Caltrain: Holiday train tradition returns
A long-time Bay Area holiday tradition returns this weekend as Caltrain's Holiday Train makes its way from San Francisco down the Peninsula.
SAN FRANCISCO - A long-time Bay Area holiday tradition returns this weekend as Caltrain's Holiday Train makes its way from San Francisco down the Peninsula.
The train, adorned with more than 70,000 glittering lights, will travel Saturday and Sunday, stopping at stations along the route to entertain crowds with music, dancers, and even make-believe snow.
Ross Peterson, a volunteer Caltrain conductor for 21 years, described the event as magical.
"As soon as you roll into the first stop and look out the door at several thousand smiling faces, how do you describe that unless you've seen it?" Peterson said.
The Salvation Army Band will perform, and attendees are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy for the organization's toy drive.
Major Matthew Madsen with the Salvation Army emphasized the growing need for community support.
"Every Christmas, the Salvation Army across the Bay Area helps about 120,000 people," Madsen said, noting a 10% increase in requests for assistance this year. "We're hoping we can meet that need this year."
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The celebration comes as Caltrain reports increased ridership following the October rollout of its all-electric train fleet.
Weekday ridership is up 38% compared to October 2023, while weekend ridership has more than doubled.
Dan Lieberman, a Caltrain spokesperson, highlighted the improvements and noted that with electric trains, Caltrain now has trains available about every half hour on weekends, instead of hourly.
"These trains represent an across-the-board improvement in Caltrain service — we're talking faster, quieter, cleaner, greener," Lieberman said.
The Holiday Train, still powered by diesel, is part of Caltrain's effort to introduce more potential riders to its service through festive community events.
For more information on train schedules and stops, visit Caltrain's website.