Showcase Line Christmas Cars

Starting in 1998, S Helper Service has been doing a yearly Christmas Car. We had some questions this year about how many cars have been done, and what each year's car was, so we thought it was time for a Christmas Car page!

The first Showcase Line Christmas Car was a Maine Central caboose in 1998. MEC has a paint scheme with a pine tree motif, so it fit perfectly with the holiday season. The car featured Santa and Mrs Claus on the rear platfom. What a great start!

Here's a side view of the car. Santa and Mrs Claus are easily removeable, so the car can be used as a normal caboose during the rest of the year.

A Cedar Heights Clay 2 bay PS-2 was the second year car, in 1999. Again, the prototype car had a pine tree painted on the side, so it was an easy choice.

The 2000 car was a Pacific Great Eastern wooden reefer with a snowman looking out the ice hatch. The snowman's face is visable in the picture of the 2004 car below.

Here's a picture of the 2001 car, sent in by Bill Porter. It was a Northern Pacific Double Sheathed wooden boxcar with Santa's helper and a present. Thanks, Bill!

In 2002, the Christmas Car was a beautiful Jack Frost 3 bay PS-2.

For 2003 we had a Great Northern stock car with Rudolph inside. Rudolph's nose blinked a bright red!

And finally, this year's entry! The 2004 Christmas Car is a locomotive! The pine tree paint scheme makes Maine Central a natural for a Christmas Car, and coupled with the 1998 MEC caboose makes a complete train! Seasonal decorations are the wreath on the front, and Santa's Helpers as an engine crew. An MEC caboose with a different paint scheme than the 1998 car, but with Santa and Mrs Claus on the platform, was offered as an option for anyone who didn't have the 1998 car.