Santa Claus greeted children inside the C&O Railway Heritage Center while the Grinch played engineer by taking grownups with their children and grandchildren on the C&O’s mini-train for rides around the Center.
Children three and under were admitted free to the event which cost $5 per person over three. Hot cocoa and cookies were served.
The Grinch stopped the mini-sized locomotive after two trips around the track, got off and stretched his legs while his helper assisted the next load of riders onto the mini-train and climbed back on for another two circlings of the tracks.
Vicky Anderson, a translator for the C&O Heritage Center, was kept busy registering guests for the event that was held from noon to 2:00 p.m.
While many visitors waited in line outside to ride with the Grinch, some visitors explored the railyard where they climbed onto the red caboose and C&O locomotive sidetracked just beyond the tiny mini-train’s oval that encircled inflatables of Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman and the Grinch.
The Railroad Heritage Center features a museum in addition to its mini-train ride for children, and it was established in 2008 by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Society as part of Colonel Tomas W. Dixon’s vision.
Dixon, who was born in Alderson, W.Va., graduated from West Virginia University and served in the U.S. Army from 1969-1990. He is the founder of the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society to which he recently donated his lifetime collection of C&O photographs.
