Santa Claus Special — Wilmington & Western Railroad

The Wilmington & Western Railroad, owned and operated by the non-profit Historic Red Clay Valley, runs the Santa Claus Special from Greenbank Station in Wilmington, Delaware. The operator's pitch: why stand in line at the mall to see Santa when you can ride the train and have Santa come to you. Santa rides the train, greets everyone on board and gives all children a special treat, and the operator suggests bringing a camera because Santa poses for pictures during the 60-minute round trip.

The train is pulled either by the railroad's historic first-generation diesel locomotive or by one of its antique steam locomotives, and the railroad reserves the right to substitute coaches and motive power as operating conditions demand. The operator sells coach seating, a parlor car and a caboose rental for this event; in coach it asks families to select four adjacent seats to make a family pod.

The Wilmington & Western describes itself as one of Delaware's leading tourist attractions, running historic trains through the Red Clay Valley, and offers a separate evening train covered in holiday lights (the Holiday Lights Express, which has no Santa visit).

A round trip of 60 to 65 minutes on which Santa rides the train, greets everyone on board, poses for pictures and gives every child a special treat. The train is pulled by a historic diesel or an antique steam locomotive. Bring a camera.

Boards at Greenbank Station, 2201 Newport Gap Pike (Delaware Route 41 North), Wilmington, Delaware, 1,000 feet north of Route 2 (Kirkwood Highway); the operator says there is plenty of free parking and asks guests to arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Tickets are printed and held at the Greenbank Station ticket counter under the last name on the booking (they are neither mailed nor emailed); reserved tickets must be picked up at least 15 minutes before departure, and unclaimed no-show tickets are non-refundable. Trains operate rain or shine, and the railroad reserves the right to substitute coaches and motive power and to change the schedule without prior notice. Accessibility is limited: there is a wheelchair lift to board at Greenbank Station, train doorways are 24 inches wide and space for wheelchair storage is limited. Toddlers under 2 are free. Phone: (302) 998-1930.