Santa Train Brings Holiday Cheer to Belton

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

For the eighteenth year Santa gave his reindeer a rest Saturday so he could ride the train into four Anderson County communities to spread holiday cheer. He even brought North Pole weather with him.

Greenville & Western Railway Company, LLC, in partnership with the Belton Interfaith Ministerial Association (BIMA) and the Presbyterian Food Bank of Pelzer and Williamston (PFB) hosted the Santa Express to collect food for those in the community who are in need this season.

Those who attended this year’s event were encouraged to bring a donation of non-perishable food items to the train. Greenville & Western, BIMA and PFB volunteers will be staffing the Aiken Railway caboose (the caboose directly behind the locomotives) to accept donations which will help both organizations’ food ministry.

The Greenville & Western Railway Company, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation, owns and operates 12.74 miles of rail line in Anderson County. CEO Steven Hawkins said the Santa Train is one of the ways he has chosen to give back to the community each year.