'Operation Toy Train' departs Warwick to deliver toys to needy families

WARWICK — On Saturday evening, Dec. 6, a diesel locomotive pulling a train of railroad cars including sleeping compartments, an observation and a dining car made an overnight stop in Warwick.

The train parked on the tracks across from Kuiken Bros. Lumber near the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce "caboose" office and next to the Chase Bank parking lot.

It was the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots Special Train and the following Sunday morning, Dec. 7, members of the Warwick Fire Department and volunteers from Warwick helped load the train with gifts that had been collected locally during the holiday season.

The train then departed for other Orange County communities to deliver those boxes of gifts to needy children. Along the route, it stopped at five locations where those residents and volunteers could drop off toys, learn about working railroad equipment, and meet members of a Marine Corps detachment from Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh.

Santa and his elves were also on board and happy to pose for photos with children and even adults.

In Warwick, visitors enjoyed free refreshments at a table provided by Kuiken Brothers and Santa had an opportunity to make an impressive arrival via fire truck with siren sounding courtesy of the Warwick Fire Department.

This was the Middletown & New Jersey Railroad's third annual "Operation Toy Train" in the Hudson Valley Area.

Its mission was to collect donated toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation.

Last year more than 10,000 toys were collected on the train.