Morris Holidays: Operation Toy Train Celebrates 10 Years of Toys for Tots Trains

Published on December 06, 2018

Visit a Train This Weekend (Dec. 8-9), See Santa, and Bring a Gift

For the 10th consecutive year, a Toys for Tots collection train is operating over the during the first two weekends of December throughout northern New Jersey and southern New York State, with a goal of bringing holiday cheer and gathering holiday gifts for less-fortunate needy kids.(JPG, 401KB)

The train has five stops in Morris County on Saturday (Dec. 8) in Rockaway Borough, Dover, Ledgewood, Kenvil and Flanders. It will make a long stop in Succasunna on Sunday (Dec. 9). The train stopped in Butler and Pompton Lakes last weekend.

Organized by non-profit organization Operation Toy Train, the train makes 19 stops over the course of four days, with a goal of collecting more than 25,000 toys during its journey.

All toys are donated to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Company G, Second Battalion, 25^th Marines, 4^th Marine Division unit at Picatinny Arsenal and the 105th Airlift Wing at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, N.Y. The toys are distributed to underprivileged children within the collection area and to the Children of Disabled American Vets.

(JPG, 461KB)Since beginning the collection trains in 2009, Operation Toy Train has collected more than 250,000 toys.

The train is made possible by a collaborative effort of Norfolk Southern Corp., NJ Transit, the New York Susquehanna & Western Railway, the Middletown & New Jersey Railroad, and the Dover and Rockaway River Railroad. The railroads and their personnel donate their time, equipment and usage of their tracks to operate the trains. Additional railroad equipment, funds, and volunteer staff come from a number of additional nonprofit and for-profit organizations.

Residents are encouraged to drop off new toys in their original packaging (no gift wrapping, please!) at any of the train's stops. Visitors will also be able to see Santa Claus, view a variety of railroad equipment, and meet members of the Air National Guard, Marine Corps and the Operation Toy Train program.

For more information, please visit: www.OperationToyTrain.org or https://www.facebook.com/OperationToyTrain/

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Hosted by the Dover and Rockaway River Railroad

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Hosted by the Dover and Rockaway River Railroad

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