Deck the cars - the CTA holiday train returns

Even the CTA can barely wait until Thanksgiving is over before breaking out the holiday decorations.

The CTA holiday train returned Friday afternoon, bringing thousands of lights and Santa’s sleigh with it across the city’s Green and Orange Line tracks.

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Inside, CTA employees dressed up as elves passed out candy canes while holiday hits played through the speakers between stop announcements.

Amber Jessup, a lifelong Chicagoan, caught the decked out train with her 9-year-old daughter Leilynn Miller on its first run of the season.

The two had been on their way to a movie, so they decided to plan the trip around the holiday train’s arrival, though Jessup said there is a little magic in stumbling onto the decked-out train accidentally.

“It’s always a great surprise when you catch it not on schedule,” Jessup said.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

This was Leilynn’s inaugural ride on the holiday train, which she declared “definitely better” than the regular train.

Jessup said she, too, was 9 years old on her first holiday train ride, and she enjoyed reliving that part of her childhood memories through her daughter’s eyes.

“It definitely brought back a lot of memories for me,” Jessup said before the two headed off to catch a plain Green Line train for the less exciting home.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Later in the day, Jasmine and Matt Robinson stood under the heat lamps at the Washington/Wabash L stop with their two daughters, Alex, 9, and Sydney, 5.

The Robinson family has made an annual tradition out of catching the holiday train since Alex was just a few months old.

“It’s just something nice to do to get out of the house and get in the spirit,” Jasmine said.

While Alex didn’t remember her family’s first attempt to ride the holiday train — they couldn’t even fit on the packed train, thanks to Alex’s stroller — her mom said they’ve learned a few things after nearly a decade, and have been able to get on the train every year since.

“We travel light,” Jasmine said, and “we get in while everyone’s out shopping.”

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

The train’s decorated bus counterpart will make its annual appearance starting Tuesday, taking over the No. 56 Milwaukee route, starting at 11:50 a.m.

And for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa will be taking pictures with riders of the holiday buses and trains on select dates.

CTA riders looking to get pictures with Santa on the holiday train can do so Saturday at the Harlem Avenue station of the Green Line, starting at 1 p.m. until the train’s scheduled departure of 2:11 p.m. Photos with Santa also can be taken at the Ashland/63rd station from 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m., and at the Cottage Grove station from 4:40 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. A CTA employee will be available at those stops to take a picture with your device.

Santa’s first bus-based photo op will be Wednesday at the Jefferson Park stop starting at 4 p.m.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times