2000-Event History

• Due to Fire collapsed Tunnel No. 3 between Campo, California and Tecate, México, the San Diego Railroad Museum was not able to use their train for this year's event. Instead, the Three Kings arrived from the East by way of Tijuana. Mike Ortega of the San Diego & Imperial Valley Railroad generously stepped up to the plate to provide equipment and rail services and equipment, including an authentic colorful caboose for the Kings, to complete Christmas Train 2000. The San Diego Railroad Museum, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board and all the volunteers and donors thank Mike and SD&IV for their important contribution to keeping the Christmas Train tradition. 

• New costumes especially created for the Kings this year.

• Gift distribution extended to outlying communities in the days following, to bring holiday cheer and needed blankets to those who could not come into town for the train's arrival.

Description of the Day

As in the past, this years goal for The Christmas Train 2000 was to provide the children of Tecate a quality gift bag delivered by train, and presented by "The Three Kings." Work for Christmas Train 2000 began in March 1999. Meetings were held at the office of the San Diego Railroad Museum, and additional meetings in Tecate, México, planning for the day the train travels to the town of Tecate with the Three Kings to deliver gifts to the children. In attendance were the City of Tecate Mayor, Director of Infants and Families (DIF), Chief of Police, Red Cross, and Manager of Public Relations at the Tecate Brewery.

The Christmas Train event is held in conjunction with "The Day of the Three Kings" festival, or in Spanish, "FESTIVAL DEL DIA DE REYES." The festival was scheduled to be held on Sunday, January 9, 2000, in the gardens of the Tecate Brewery, which offers a train track siding for access, a safe area for the children, and colorful gardens that add a beautiful touch of magic to the event.

 Throughout the year volunteers made contact with businesses, clubs, organizations, friends and families, to tell them what was needed to make up approximately 5000 gift bags. As donations arrived, they were delivered to the warehouse of Specialty Produce in the Morena District of San Diego. We received major donations from Long’s Drug Stores and Advantage Merchandise.  

At the warehouse, the items were sorted and placed on pallets and stored for the actual day of gift bagging, which began on January 2, 2000. More than a hundred San Diego area volunteers worked in the afternoons and into the night making up the gift bags. We were very fortunate to have Palomar Plastics of San Marcos custom make our bags this year. There were bright red bags for girls, deep green for boys, and white for infants.

While the gift bagging was in progress, other volunteers assembled to cut and sew the new costumes that were specially created for the "Kings" this year. By January 8th, all the behind-the-scenes work was completed and the gift bags and items were delivered to the train.

On a bright, warm Sunday morning, January 9th, 2000, one hundred volunteers and nearly 8,000 residents of Tecate assembled at the Tecate Brewery to celebrate "FESTIVAL DEL DIA DE REYES 2000". Among the Tecate residents were approximately 4,700 children who quietly, but anxiously, awaited the arrival of “Three Kings Train 2000."

By 10:30 a.m., a train's horn could be heard off in the distance to the east. For over 30 minutes the children listened excitedly while each blast of the train's horn got closer, as the train engineer kept blowing the horn to announce its arrival.

 On schedule, at 11:00 a.m., the bright yellow engine of the San Diego and Imperial Valley Railroad, along with its cars and a caboose, could be seen at the edge of town. While the train was now only a few blocks away, it continued to announce its arrival with blasts of the horn. In accompaniment to the diesel horn, the wail of sirens from the police motorcycle escorts at each road crossing could be heard drawing ever closer. As the train slowed before them, the children could now see the Teddy bears riding the hand rail on the locomotive, and the big, bright, red, green and white bows hanging from engine and caboose. Red, white and green streamers also fluttered playfully from the sides of the train. 

It was at this moment that everyone saw "The Three Kings." Looking regally splendid in their elegant new, handmade robes and headdresses, one King stood in each of the two box cars, and the third on the rear of the bright red caboose, accompanied by Alejandra Rodriguez De Leon, President of the Department for Infants and Families (DIF) in Tecate and the surrounding Baja California area.

Upon entering the gardens of the Tecate Brewery, the train gave one last long blast of its horn and ground to a stop. Waiting to greet the train was the Mayor of Tecate, the Public Relations Officer for the Brewery, and the one hundred volunteers from the U.S., who awoke bright and early that morning to greet the train and assist with the unloading of the gift bags and other items to be presented. After a short introduction of the Three Kings by the Mayor and the President of DIF, the festival officially began. On a stage erected for the event there were children singing and dancing. There was also a disc jockey playing festive music to entertain the children, patiently waiting in mounting anticipation as the volunteers promptly prepared for the distribution of the gifts.

The large white gates to the garden area finally opened and the children came in to receive a gift bag from one of the Kings. After receiving their gift bag, the children continued in line where they were given a large, bright red apple, donated by Henry's Market Place. Three and a half hours later, the last of 4,700 children filed through the garden gates. Not one child was disappointed. Many opened their gifts after receiving their apple, then went to the City Plaza and immediately began to play.

After the last gift bag was given out, the volunteers headed into town for lunch and to reflect on the event. On this day we had celebrated the "Festival of the Three Kings." But in truth, it was an even greater fLte. It was the "Uniting of Two Nations" for the love of children. There was a clasping of hands across the border of two countries, united in mutual cooperation and dedication to celebrate the joy of the holidays on both sides, and to put a happy smile on the face of a child. This union would have never taken place if not for the dedication of the numerous volunteers who gave tirelessly of their time and efforts, and the donations of business leaders and organizations throughout Greater San Diego and across the nation.

In total, 5,500 children shared in the efforts of so very many, and were united with us, even if only for a fleeting moment. Not once did a thank you go unnoticed, and there were many of them from the children and their parents. Such excitement of the children awaiting the Christmas Train, bearing Three Kings to town just for them. . . where else does a train pass from one country to another on a little known piece of railroad and deliver gifts just for children?

Although the festival at the Tecate Brewery gardens had come to an end, the festivities were not yet over. There were 900 gift bags still to be distributed, and for the next four days DIF and their volunteers transported the remaining gift bags into outlying communities, some of which were along dirt roads many miles from Tecate. They distributed the gifts to children in these communities who had no way to come to Tecate to greet the train, and held small festivals in these communities to provide the children the fun and excitement of the occasion

Since The Christmas Train’s first trip to Tecate in January 1998, the experience has had a profound effect on those who have participated. The friendships gained across the boarder, and the happiness reflected in the dancing eyes and smiling faces of thousands of children, are all the gratitude one needs to last a lifetime

Yet, the experience of Christmas Train 2000 was truly unique. It not only spanned the boundaries of two neighboring countries, but hopefully generated an opportunity for the cultures and ideals of these two nations to join in celebration of their union everyday of this new millennium and beyond. To all the businesses, organizations and supporters who so generously donated the wonderful goods for the gift bags and other items, and all the volunteers who worked many long hours and gave so enthusiastically of their time and efforts, to achieve the ultimate goal of bringing happiness to so many children, we send a truly heartfelt, Thank You!!