CP Holiday Train stops in Plummer December 13th

“The CP Holiday Train is a program that our 13,000-strong CP family has immense pride in bringing to communities every year. Access to nutritious food is a basic necessity, and food bank usage is on the rise across North America. The CP Holiday Train program is our way to help in the fight against hunger by growing awareness of this issue and providing a fun and engaging way for the public to show their support.” - Keith Creel, CP's President and Chief Executive Officer.

The Holiday Train has now raised more than C$15.8 million and collected 4.5 million pounds of food since its inaugural journey back in 1999.

CP operates in over 1,100 communities, and our 12,000 employees are very proud of the Holiday Train program. We know that hunger is an issue that can, and does, impact our neighbors. Over the years the program has gained a tremendous following, and we are proud to continue this tradition for our family and yours.  

The U.S. train departed Montreal on November 25 and has been been traveling through the United States. When it left Chicago Meghan Patrick, Tanika Charles and Kelly Prescott joined the tour in Chicago and will finish the train’s journey back to Canada with the final show in Gleichen, Alberta on December 18.

Meghan Patrick

In addition to her two year reign as the CCMA Female Artist of the Year, Meghan has been nominated for 8 CCMA awards including Album of the Year nominations for both of her studio albums.  She recently received Juno Award nominations for Country Album of the Year and Breakthrough Artist.

Meghan also recently made history by becoming the first solo female artist to take home the Fans’ Choice Award at the Country Music of Ontario Awards. With her debut album, Grace and Grit generating four Top 20 singles and a Top 10 hit with Still Loving You, Meghan Patrick released her sophomore album Country Music Made Me Do It in 2018 to great fanfare. The first single from the album, also titled “Country Music Made Me Do It” reached the Top 5, while the most recent single “Wall Come Down” rocketed to the #1 spot on the country radio charts and “The Bad Guy” was a Top 15 hit.

Tanika Charles

Since emerging on the international scene in 2017 with her debut Soul Run, Tanika Charles has revealed herself to be one of the best kept secrets in soul music. Both on stage and off, Toronto-based Charles presents an immutable charm, at times endearingly abrasive and honest in her vulnerabilities.

 Tanika returns in 2019 battle tested and ready to reveal the latest chapters of her life since graduating from local favorite to international success.

Kelly Prescott comes by her music in the most honest way possible, as a third generation singer/songwriter on both sides of her family. 

She grew up between a tour bus & a world class recording studio. Kelly and her family recently made their Grand Ole Opry debut as guests of Terri Clark.

What's a Holiday Train event like?

A typical Holiday Train event goes something like this: the train arrives and pulls to a safe stop in front of the crowd. The stage door lowers and the band opens with its first song. After that, a brief presentation takes place with local food bank officials and other dignitaries. Once complete, the band resumes performing a mix of traditional and modern holiday-themed songs.  The whole event lasts about 30 minutes. Once the band plays its farewell song, the stage door closes, and the train heads off to the next stop. 

It's important to keep a safe distance away from the train so we can safely continue our journey.

What is the schedule at the Plummer stop?

See schedule on page 2 of the Oklee Herald. Lots of activities are planned.

What should I bring?

We encourage donations that support healthy food options, and suggest that you check with your local food bank to find out what their wish list includes. 

Are Holiday Train events free?

Yes. We only ask that you bring food or a monetary donation for your local food bank. Food Bank representatives will be onsite collecting donations.

Food and monetary donations are collected by your local Food Bank, and stay in the community where they were collected. We work in conjunction with local food banks, and they organize the collection and distribution of all donations for their region. All donations raised in the community stay in the community for local distribution.

What type of locomotive pulls the Holiday Trains?

Built originally in 1957, two GP20C 2200 series were rebuilt in 2013 to pull CP's two Holiday Trains. Each locomotive has 2000hp, is 56.02 feet in length and weighs 275,000 pounds.

Drone use near the railway

CP does not allow any drone flight over our private property, including at Holiday Train events. Our employees work in an environment where distractions, such as unexpected overflights, can increase safety risks to employees, the public and our operations.