![](Christmastrain01.gif)
The
Kansas City Southern's annual Holiday Express came to Jefferson, Texas
on Monday, November 30, 2009 and this site includes some photos of the
train in daylight and at night. I even took pictures inside the trains'
display cars.
Earlier in the day, around 2 p.m., I got a fantastic 3-KCS train meet in Lassater, TX at the Lassater Road
crossing, including the KCS Holiday Express. While taking the pictures
of the Christmas train, I had my other digital camera (the Panasonic FZ28)
on a tripod and turned on the HD movie mode to capture the train's
passing. There's a link to this movie on this page and here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZY_pjGuNVY Lassater is about 7 miles west of Jefferson.
The train meet went like this: The
first train was on the siding and was a mixed freight with a few
container cars at the end. It was heading east toward Jefferson at 1:19
p.m.. It was lead by KCS Belle 4124 and 4 other KCS and 2 NS units (I also included a movie of this train - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaVbLAPaxos). The second train was a westbound loaded KCS coal train, which had leased UP locomotives, at 1:45 p.m. This coal train stopped on the main line while the third train, the KCS Christmas
train, passed eastbound on the siding at 2:03 p.m., following the mixed
freight. It was bright sunshine by the time the Holiday Express showed
up.
There was a KCS MOW crew at this crossing waiting for the
trains to pass and these were some of the nicest railroad people I've ever
chatted with. They came over to where I was set up and told me about
the three-train meet about to happen. I had never been to this crossing
before and it was fantastic luck that the KCS people were there and
that the site was a good photo spot. (All photos and videos by Ken Ziegenbein)
Included today:
1) Friendly dog
2) KCS 1, 2, 4124-Belle, 4022, 2839, 2899, 1906
3) NS 2636, 6670
4) UP 7311, 6840
5) KCS Holiday Express and business train
6) Elves
![](113009KCSHoliday-dog-18R.JPG)
This
very friendly dog also became a friend while I was standing there.
Apparently it belonged to someone living in a house nearby.
![](113009KCSHolidayLassaterXng-20R.JPG)
This is the Lassater Road crossing.
![](113009KCSHolidaykcs4124-119pm-21R.JPG)
KCS 4124 heads the eastbound DASH (Dallas-Shreveport) train at 1:19 p.m. on the siding.
To view a movie of the locomotives of this train passing, click on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaVbLAPaxos
![](113009KCSHolidaykcs4124.120pm-22R.JPG)
This train had 7 locomotives.
![](113009KCSHolidaykcs4022-ns2636-23R.JPG)
KCS 4022 and NS 2636 and NS 6670.
![](113009KCSHolidaykcs2839-2899-1906-24R.JPG)
KCS 2839, 2899 and 1906.
![](113009KCSHolidayup7311-145pm-26R.JPG)
While
the KCS mixed freight was on the siding moving east, the KCS loaded
coal train arrived westbound on the main line, headed by UP 7311 at
1:45 p.m. (YIKES! Here I am in KCS territory and I get UP leased power! Might as well have stayed in Little Rock :-)
![](113009KCSHolidaypassing-28R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaykcs2-203pm-36R.JPG)
KCS 2 heads the Holiday Express train eastbound on the siding following the mixed freight. It's now 2:03 p.m November 30, 2009.
![](113009KCSHolidaykcs2-37R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaykcs2Lassater-204pm-39R.JPG)
Very sharp looking train.
To view a movie of this scene, which shows the whole train passing, click on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZY_pjGuNVY
The
movie was shot in HD, 16x9 format, so when you open it, there's a 'HD'
button on the bottom of the Youtube movie, which expands it to HD.
![](113009KCSHolidaykcs1-40R.JPG)
KCS 1.
![](113009KCSHolidayheadingEast-41R.JPG)
Through the trees and red leaves.
![](113009KCSHolidayStLouis-42R.JPG)
St. Louis.
![](113009KCSHolidayDallas-43R.JPG)
Dallas. You can read all the names of the cars in the video.
![](113009KCSHolidayLakeCharles-44R.JPG)
Lake Charles.
![](113009KCSHolidayDome-45R.JPG)
Almost everyone in the dome was waving.
![](113009KCSHolidayLazaro%20Cardenas-46R.JPG)
Lazaro Cardenas.
![](113009KCSHolidayVeracruz-47R.JPG)
Veracruz.
![](113009KCSHolidayPortArthus-48R.JPG)
Port Arthur. Note the DPU on the rear of this train!
![](113009KCSHolidayxmascars-49R.JPG)
Engine 2009. Guess you could say he's the equivalent of Rudolf helping deliver good cheer this Christmas season.
![](113009KCSHolidayXmasCars-50R.JPG)
Neat shot of reindeer with a coal hopper as a backdrop. I got a shot of these flying over the Moon later in the night.
![](113009KCSHolidayXmascars-51R.JPG)
The gingerbread car.
![](113009KCSHolidayxmascars-52R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidacaboose-53R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidayAway-54R.JPG)
Colorful train I must say.
![](113009KCSHolidayup6840dpu-56R.JPG)
DPU of coal train, another UP engine No. 6840. Me and the dog returned to solitude and silence....Santa and his train have gone.
![](113009KCSHolidayJefferson-62R.JPG)
This is taken in downtown Jefferson, Texas and is parked where the train will be on display in the evening. It's 2:45 p.m.
![](113009KCSHolidayJefferson-70R.JPG)
Ready for visitors. The train was displayed between East Austin Street and Lafayette Street.
![](113009KCSHolidayJeffXng-71R.JPG)
The train was split with the business cars pulled across East Austin Street.
![](113009KCSHolidaycars-74R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidayCypressTrains-79R.JPG)
There's a small tourist train in Jefferson that runs year round and they too had a Christmas train.
![](113009KCSHolidayCypressTree-80R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHoliday-81R.JPG)
Looking downtown from across the tracks.
![](113009KCSHolidayreflection-89R.JPG)
Reflection of engine 2009 in water from rain the day before.
![](113009KCSHolidaycrowd-338pm-90R.JPG)
Crowds started gathering as early as 3:38 p.m. The display cars opened at 4.
![](113009KCSHolidaybridge-106R.JPG)
Here's the parked KCS business train across a lake. The old abandoned KCS trestle is in the front.
![](113009KCSHolidaybridge-107R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidayoldtestle-111R.JPG)
The old trestle is to the right.
![](113009KCSHolidaytrestle-115R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidayoldbridge-116R.JPG)
You can see the locomotives of the train.
![](113009KCSHolidaykcs2-413pm-118R.JPG)
KCS 2 parked at 4:13 p.m.
![](113009KCSHolidaykcs2-122R.JPG)
KCS 2 in the shade.
![](113009KCSHolidayposing-133R.JPG)
Back to the Christmas train and families were posing for pictures.
![](113009KCSHolidayelves-136R.JPG)
Yes Virginia....there ARE elves!!
![](113009KCSHolidayline-440pm-141R.JPG)
Line to go through the cars.
![](113009KCSHolidayline-142R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaygreetings-144R.JPG)
Seasons Greetings on the side of the caboose.
![](113009KCSHolidaycrowd-145R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaysanta-148R.JPG)
Inside the train now in the caboose with Santa.
![](113009KCSHolidaysanta-149R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidayin-151R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaylayout-155R.JPG)
KCS O-scale layout, one of several in the train.
![](113009KCSHoliday-156R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaylayout-157R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaylayout-160R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaylayout-163R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaytrolley-167R.JPG)
Trolley.
![](113009KCSHolidayWorkder-168R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidayelves-179R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidayelves-180R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaymoon-189R.JPG)
Moon over the model houses.
![](113009KCSHolidayJumpMoon-190R.JPG)
Santa's reindeer jumping over the Moon.
![](113009KCSHolidaymoon-191R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaynite-518pm-206R.JPG)
Twilight.
![](113009KCSHolidaylocoNite-216R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidayreindeer-218R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaysteam-219R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaymoon-220R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidayreflection-223R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidayboard-226R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaycabooseMoon-227R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaycabooseTown-235R.JPG)
![](113009KCSHolidaydark-238R.JPG)
Totally black.
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