D. B. Arthur Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BOB2 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yeah, and a Marine like Art Brown as Santa Claus
> at Camp Pendleton. Leadership like that helps, but
> these can be hard decisions for an agency begging
> for the operating funds from the County
> Transportation Commissions. Nope, not as decked
> out, but at least it's back. I've kind of
> wondered why we couldn't get more "branding" with
> commercial/sports/entertainment sponsorship for
> the Christmas train. Next year, maybe the
> "Frozen" sponsored Christmas train? Merry
> Christmas to all, and to all a good night....
>
> As you can see here, the Holiday Toy Express, as
> it was called, had a series of sponsors, including
> Union Pacific and Amtrak. I don't know what
> happened, but my guess is the sponsors just lost
> interest. The sponsors changed from year-to-year.
> I remember the San Manuel Casino was a sponsor
> for a time. Maybe they bailed because they
> learned that under-age kids can't gamble! The
> Clinchfield Santa Train has had to rely on hefty
> contributions from a series of sponsors to pay for
> all those toys and goodies that are tossed off the
> train to the kiddies. No sponsors, no train.
>
> [i.ibb.co]
> vember-00003.jpg

1997
Metrolink's first annual Holiday Toy Express train debuts and collects more than 5,000 toys for underprivileged kids.



Budget Ax Slashes Metrolink Holiday Toy Train
Uploaded: , Friday, Dec 6, 2013

By Austin Dave

An annual tradition for the last 16 years is no more after the decision to close a funding gap resulted in the cancelation of Metrolink’s Holiday Toy Express.

The decision to cancel the event was made to help shore up a $10.2 million funding gap for the 2013-14 Fiscal year according to the agency’s website.

The Metrolink Board of Directors came to the conclusion that the company could not justify allotting the holiday train’s $269,000 annual expense.

However, seeking private funding brings hope for 2014. The agency is trying to obtain corporate sponsorship to operate the train in the future.




The real "PROBLEM" - - -

January 2019: Stephanie Wiggins, a transportation industry veteran with more than 24 years’ experience, begins her leadership as the new CEO of Metrolink. Stephanie, the first African-American, woman to lead Metrolink brought with her the strategic vision of enhancing the customer experience for current and future riders.