The North Pole Express pulled into Waterloo Sunday and gave frontline workers a front row experience of holiday fun.
The Waterloo Central Railway rebranded its holiday train ride for 2022 as 'A Vintage Christmas.'
"This year, it's a new experience," said conductor Russell Deacon. "This is the North Pole Express. When people arrive, each one of our cars is individually decorated."
The candy cane car and snowflake were just some of the themed cabins on the train, while more than 15,000 lights were wrapped around the exterior.
"It's great to be out here and experiencing the holidays," said one attendee. "We got the snow here, it's beautiful."
Passengers were gifted visits from the Grinch, Cindy Lu, and Santa Claus on the fully interactive experience.
"When you get on, it just transforms into almost a winter wonderland," said Deacon. "The excitement of going to the North Pole, we're playing carols, and we're getting everyone to sing."
The Waterloo Central Railway dedicated the week's trips to Waterloo region frontline workers and gave out over 2,000 free ticket to police officers, firefighters, healthcare workers, and more.
"We really want them to have some bright light of Christmas spirit in this really tough time," said Deacon. "They're doing a great job."
A Vintage Christmas opens to the public next weekend and runs through Dec. 21.
