You ever have a rough day where you just get grumpier, the longer you have to wait for the train to get home.

It's cold and dark.

The train is taking its sweet old time.

And my God, what is that awful smell?

Just when you think you've had enough, something unexpected happens, maybe even magical.

You hear some faint holiday music and see twinkling colorful lights off in the distance,

getting brighter and brighter. Then you see him. It's Santa Claus, riding on the CTA

holiday train.

Christina Bidorf says years ago, this was her first encounter with the CTA holiday train.

Completely unexpected, totally delightful.

You know, we'd like to complain about the CTA.

And the one thing that I know for sure where we're like, all right, let bygones be bygones is when they roll out these drains and buses, I'm like, the CTA can do no harm. And like,

that's a great mentality to go into in the new year. Christina originally came from the Philippines,

and Christmas is heavily celebrated in her family. So she was totally

on board with this holiday tradition in the city. It made me feel right at home, and it makes me

really look forward to the holidays here in Chicago. Now with two kids, Christina and her family

seek out the holiday train every year. They've seen Santa riding in the open air on a flatbed car, wind whipping his face.

But he always seems to have a smile once he pulls into the station. It got her wondering about

Santa and the elves. It was like bringing all this cheer and joy to everyone in the city.

I'm Curious City editor, Susie On. Today we're going to answer Christina's question and a few others we've gotten about the holiday

train over the years.

Like, what's its history?

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