Growing up, I heard the stories of my grandfather, Emary “Jitney” Blankenbecler, and others from Kingsport riding a train throughout the Appalachian Mountains handing out gifts and candies. He missed the first year of train because he was in World War II. He did this until 1995. He passed in 1998 at the age of 91.
The tradition of the Santa Train continues today.
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