Jewel-Osco’s CTA Holiday Train Celebrates 25th Year

Jewel-Osco’s tradition of decorating a CTA Holiday Train to deliver food baskets to various charities throughout the city of Chicago has reached its 25th year.  

The Holiday Train tradition began on the Blue Line in 1992 when a “Season’s Greetings from the CTA” sign was placed on the front of an out-of-service train that was used to deliver food to charities. Over the years, this holiday tradition has evolved from its modest and beginnings to the holiday spectacle it is today.

Each year, Jewel-Osco employees donate their time and money to purchase groceries and assemble food baskets for delivery to community organizations across the city. This year, they will donate hundreds of food baskets to local community organizations.

Each food basket contains all the ingredients for a complete meal including a canned ham, potatoes, mixed vegetables, muffin mix, macaroni and cheese, fruit cocktail, green beans, corn and dessert.

As the train pulls into each station, Santa waves to the boarding riders from his sleigh on an open-air flatcar carrying his reindeer and decorated holiday trees.

Both the Jewel-Osco CTA Holiday Train and the Jewel-Osco CTA Elves’ Workshop Train are wrapped with holiday and seasonal images. Outside, thousands of twinkling lights outline the shape of the train and windows, with even more lights running across the tops of the cars.

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Strands of multi-colored lights are also strung inside the two trains along with red bows, garland, red and green overhead lighting and hand poles wrapped to look like candy canes. Riders will be greeted by Santa’s elves bearing candy canes.

The Jewel-Osco CTA Holiday Train will travel all 'L' lines in late November and December as part of regular rail service.