2006-Event History

Unique Features:

• First time use of the bi-level passenger cars for the transport of Kings and volunteers from the West over the Ferrocarriles Peninsulares del Noroeste (the former Tijuana y Tecate) rails.

• Airconditioned comfort and modern restrooms of the stainless-steel cars provided comfort to the 300 or so folk on board, and the scenic views from the second level, when pulling past the imposing Rodriguez Dam, through the Valle Redondo and into Tecate, were very much enjoyed.

Description of the Day: by Jack O’Lexey

I got up at January 8, 2006, ate, gathered my things, and drove to the next-to-last trolley stop going to the border, where I could park all day for free and paid just one Dollar for a round trip to San Ysidro. I was told the train south was due any time as it was due back by 6:29. Well I must have just missed it as it came on time. But another trolley came about the same time and I rode it to the border. As I turned the corner from the trolley stop, I could see the Carrizo Gorge Railway (CGRy)’s consist of four coaches and the power car, it was their baggage car with a large power unit stuck inside.

I found about 50 people there already and shortly after I arrived, they started checking people in for the trip. I was one of the first and did not get my arm band, but someone brought it to me. Jim Freidlan arrived with his Santa suit and, when he went to check in, I put it on the train so he did not have to carry it down and back again. He was escorted around by Dave Johnson and Victor Gonzalez (Spanish translator) serving as "Santa's helpers "

The bi-level coach cars were acquired for eventual commuter service between Tijuana and Tecate and were provided to the Christmas Train by Carrizo Gorge Railway. I found Ken Kahan, Carrizo Gorge VP, who showed me around the new cab car control compartment, used in push-pull rail operations like the Coaster. It had worked fine when they were testing it earlier in the week, though it would not be needed for the run, today. We discussed the idea of me sitting in the cab control compartment for the trip, but later I opted to ride in the locomotive itself, as the Mexican engineer Roberto Contreras was an old friend, I first met when he started in Tijuana with the SD&IV.

I observed a team of people decorating the engine with stuffed toys and a sign on each side noting this as the 3 Kings Christmas Train to Tecate. México’s gift-giving holiday celebration is centered around Epiphany, the 12 th day of Christmas. The 3 Kings were played by George Saldamando retired Assistant Chief of the San Diego Police Department (boys gifts) ; Felipe Ortiz , President of the National Latino Peace Officers Association (girls gifts); and Charlie Brown, Viejas Tribal Councilman, the 1 st Kumeyaay King (infant gifts).

We had been told we would depart at 7:30 a.m. and if you were running up the hill to the train it would not stop and wait for you. I talked to videographer Mike Gerdes, who did the photography on the KPBS documentary The Impossible Railroad, and was recording our departure. His son Kevin, if I remember right is now 6’2” and loves riding trains up the coast.

We left 6 minutes late, because a couple of the clowns were still scrambling into their costumes in the parking lot. As we pulled through the double gates at the border (one new, very-strong-looking gate on the U.S. side and another normal chain link fence 14 feet or so high), I spotted several Mexican officials ready to board at the Tijuana Depot. They did and we departed about 7:45 a.m. for Tecate.

The track that used to be 3-5 mph was now up to 10 mph. The engineer and I talked about how much things had changed since CGRy assumed operational responsibility for the line. They had just finished building a new over pass near the old gas plant. There are a lot more families infringing on railroad property to build homes. I remembered there being lots of kids in Garcia, but none were out. After Matanuco, our speed increased to 20 mph except for one 10 mph trestle. We rolled up the Redondo Valley and still more families building on railroad property. Roberto said there had been talk about moving them off, but so far just talk.

There was also an increase in the number of home-made power poles, families take 14-gauge wire and toss it over a power line to get free electricity. Several years ago, when I was riding a run to Garcia, the train took out some lines strung too low over the tracks.

Roberto had told me before leaving San Ysidro that it might take about 3 hours to get to Tecate, but it only took 2 ½ hours. And we didn’t run over 20, except when I got to man the throttle in the Redondo Valley, we could run 25 mph.

We first stopped at the Depot in Tecate so Channel 10 news could shift to the locomotive to ride the front of the engine across a couple roads and to our point of arrival at the Tecate baseball stadium. We stopped at our final location at 10:15. They parked the train across one side street and the locomotive stuck out into another, but a Tecate Police escort provided protection.

When we got to the stadium, there were already about 3,000 kids waiting. They had LOUD Music and dancers, singers to entertain the kids, and finally started the parade of families around the infield with Tecate brewery supplied canopies on the outfield grass. The 6,523 bags of gifts for babies, boys, and girls had been trucked across the border on Thursday and were set up and waiting for the 250 volunteers who would assist the Kings in handing out the bags.

For three days starting on Jan 1 st, I had helped the baggers pack dolls for the girl bags and really nice strong cars for the boys, plus pens, pencils, crayons, coloring books, notebooks, pencil sharpeners, candy and other things I cannot remember. After receiving their bags, the families continued to another tent to get apples donated by the Produce Company that every year allows us to make up the bags in their warehouse, even during business hours, on Monday the 2 nd in the afternoon. At the 5 th and final shade tent, every kid got some toothpaste and a brush, then proceeded to a gaggle of clowns painting the kids hands, face and arms with designs like all kids like to do.

As I took this all in for the 9 th year, I thought back to the first trip in 1998, when I was the Conductor. Leaving from Campo, we loaded all the boxes, then only a few, and the volunteers, with Denby Jones and Dan Runyan sharing engineer duty. That first year, we stopped at a crossing outside of Tecate to drop off a box of stuff for which I had made special arrangements. There was a family lived there with about 6 kids who always came out to wave when we passed that crossing. We stopped and gave them their box and a lot of people thought that was so great, In following years, so may families continued to build on railroad property. It would be impossible to even think about doing something like that at the same location. That same crossing is now the center of a garage door type homes with double door walls and roof. And the joy we all felt in the early years when a couple thousand kids were lined up in the brewery parking lot by the Depot, we had to unload all the boxes, fruit and volunteers before we could start. When they did a shift change some walked into town and got lunch. This year they had sack lunches for everyone with a sandwich, orange juice and an apple. I had my own lunch, from which I forgot to eat my pear and had to give it up at the border when returning to the U.S.

The busses were due to start back at 2 p.m., but got there around 1:00, in the wrong parking lot. I was scheduled to go out on the first bus and we left at 1:08 p.m. it took us just 57 minutes to get to the border and an hour to get though Customs. I used my passport and got through easily, until I had to open my backpack and, as mentioned, they took my pear from lunch. I also had a tennis ball in one pocket that made it look like fruit. I got on the trolley and, when it stopped, got off right in front of my car.

It was a great trip as it always is each year!