The CPKC Holiday Train 2024 schedule is NOW READY!!

It’s coming. And I’m not letting anything stop me from photographing it.

The CPKC Holiday Train – a brilliantly illuminated train that travels from coast to coast, bringing joy and holiday cheer to millions throughout North America – and, in return, raising funds for local food banks and helping to fight food insecurity – has just released its 2024 holiday schedule.

And I’m studying it like it’s a midterm cram session.

I’ve photographed the Holiday Train for several years, and it’s been an exciting adventure every time. Even when life seems to unfairly interfere in my photographic journey – a foot injury in 2023, COVID-19 that shut down the train run in 2020 and in 2021 – I’ve still found a way to enjoy the experience.

I’m already looking at the schedule, trying to figure out can I get from Point A to Point B before the train passes Point C … trying to figure out if I’ll get the train with performers X and Y, or performers G and H …

Yeah. Trust me, this is the equivalent of that person you know who decorates their house with 50 inflatables and synchronizes his Christmas lights to flash to the beat of a Trans-Siberian Orchestra soundtrack. It’s that kind of preparation for me.

Now I should note that after Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern merged in 2023, there are actually FOUR different holiday-themed trains criss-crossing North America. The two former Canadian Pacific Holiday Train units travel from the East Coast to the West Coast – one staying predominantly in Canada, the other in the United States – are the ones that are within my driving range. There’s also a “Holiday Express” train that visits 13 communities in the Texas-Mississippi-Louisiana area, and a “Tren Navideño” train that visits 22 communities in Mexico, and someday I may photograph those as well.

But for now … I need to check this schedule over. Let’s see who’s performing in my area.

And when I say “performing,” here’s what I mean. The train will pull up to a depot or to a station, one of the boxcars will open up into a performance stage, and attendees will get a 30-minute holiday concert. And during the concert, train officials will present a donation check to the local food bank. Then the train chugs off to its next location.

Yeah. This is fun. With a capital FUN.

So it looks like the first performers on the Canadian version of the CPKC Holiday Train will be American Authors …

And performing with American Authors will be KT Tunstall. Yes, the singer who had that hit “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.”

At the same time, the American version of the Holiday Train will start its shows with the James Barker Band …

And joining the James Barker Band will be singer Clerel.

And as the trains travel across the continent, different artists will join the run for a few days here and there. All the concerts and shows are free to attend, but people are encouraged to bring food bank donations to help the local community.

Okay, let me check over this schedule. Looks like the trains will start in Saint John, New Brunswick on November 21st, and will arrive within my reasonable driving window by November 22nd in Montreal. New York will receive their first shows on November 25th and 26th.

So this could be a five-day personal Holiday Train chase in 2024.

Oh, trust me. You know I’ve been waiting for this. Because as far as I’m concerned, Santa Claus doesn’t run from rooftop to rooftop on a sleigh with magical reindeer. No sirree.

Santa arrives on a locomotive that hauls 14 boxcars that are lit up like your neighbor’s house.

And I am so ready for this.

Now if you’ll excuse me … that travel itinerary of mine isn’t going to prepare itself.

Let’s go.