In early December of each year, two specially-decorated trains cross southern Canada and the northern United States, collecting food and donations for Canadian and U.S. food banks. Since its inception, the Holiday Express program has collected over 800 tons of food and $3,000,000 (Cdn) in donations. The trains visit over 100 communities, providing holiday entertainment and raising awareness for the issue of hunger.

While the consist is updated yearly, it typically includes a late-model GE or EMD road locomotive, several freight cars, and a specially-modified "stage" car (a converted 50-foot boxcar with a stage and concert speakers for musical entertainment at scheduled stops). Two preserved heavyweight business cars from Canadian Pacific's Royal Canadian car fleet bring up the rear, to provide quarters for the train's crew and entertainers. The locomotive and all the cars are covered in thousands of multi-colored Christmas lights.

For more information about Canadian Pacific's Holiday Train program, including a gallery of images from over the years, schedules, routes and how you can get involved, visit the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train website.

The consist provided in this add-on represents the U.S. holiday train for the 2002 season.

Columbus Locomotive Works is proud to present the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train model for MSTS.