Tuesday, November 05, 2013

Toys for Tots Middletown & New Jersey Railroad 2013 - Hudson Valley & NJ

Received the following via email.

*Middletown & New Jersey Operation Toy Train 2013 Montgomery, NY*

*NEWS RELEASE*
*Frank Eichenlaub*
*_feichenlaub@mnjrr.com_ mailto:feichenlaub@mnjrr.com*
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

*ACTUAL RAILROAD TRAIN TO COLLECT TOYS FOR TOTS*
*IN HUDSON VALLEY AREA DECEMBER 8, NJ ON DECEMBER 7 & 14 *



The Middletown & New Jersey Railroad is proud to announce that on December 8, 2013 we will operate our Second Annual "Operation Toy Train" in the Hudson Valley Area. Our mission is to collect donated toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation. "Operation Toy Train" has been a program since 2009 in NJ. In 2012, more than 10,000 toys were collected on the train. All toys collected will be distributed to needy families in the area. Along the route, the train will stop at 5 locations in NY where members of the public can drop off toys, see Santa Claus, experience a variety of working railroad equipment, and meet members of the Marine Corps.

Five railroads are loaning engines, rolling stock, and use of their tracks to "Operation Toy Train". They are the Morristown & Erie, New York, Susquehanna & Western, Norfolk Southern, Middletown & New Jersey, and New Jersey Transit. In addition to the Marines Corps Reserve, volunteers from the Military Transport Association of Northern NJ and the Volunteer Railroaders Association will help run the event.

Members of the public are encouraged to drop off new, unwrapped toys at various collection points along the route in the first two weeks of December. At each stop, one or more businesses or organizations has a large collection box. All information will be posted to _www.facebook.com/OperationToyTrain_ .

On Saturday, December 7th, the train will stop in Rochelle Park, Hawthorne, Wortendyke, Wyckoff, Oakland, Pompton Lakes, and Butler along the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway. Sunday, December 8th the train will start off in Warwick, and continue on to Sugar Loaf , Campbell Hall, Montgomery, and Walden along the Middletown & New Jersey Railroad. On Saturday, December 14th , the train will stop in Flanders, Ledgewood, Kenvil, Dover, and Rockaway along the Morristown & Erie Railway.

The schedule for December 8^th is as follows:

Train will be parked in Warwick overnight December 8, and the collection of toys will begin in Warwick at 9am. We will depart Warwick at 10am and arrive in Sugarloaf at 10:20am. The train will depart Sugarloaf at 11:15am and arrive in Campbell Hall at 12:05pm. It will depart at 12:50pm and head to Montgomery and arrive at 1:15pm. It will then arrive for its last stop in Walden at 2:35. The train will depart Walden at 3:20.

The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November, and December each year and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community where the campaign is conducted.