The Santa Express has become an annual tradtion around Lake Okeechobee and in the Florida heartland. [Photo by Richard Marion/Lake Okeechobee News]

U.S. Sugar’s Santa Express was back again this year making trips at towns around Lake Okeechobee. 

The company transformed their restored steam locomotive Sugar Express into the Santa Express, as Santa and Mrs. Claus traveled around the lake spreading holiday cheer.  

The annual tradition sees representatives from U.S. Sugar, the United States Marine Corps and Toys for Tots joining efforts to deliver toys at several stops aboard the Sugar Express train. The Santa Express stopped in Glades, Hendry, Highlands, and Palm Beach counties where children of all ages got to meet and speak with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. They also brought Santa letters he plans to check twice when he gets back to the North Pole. 

Volunteers pass out toys to kids who came to see Santa on the Santa Express. [Photo by Richard Marion/Lake Okeechobee News]

 “This is such a magical event and each year, so many children benefit from the generosity of U.S. Sugar and their employees,” said Margaret England, MT4T Coordinator for Hendry County. “We are grateful for this partnership and to be able to bring toys and create lifelong memories. 

The Santa Express has become a holiday tradition unique to Florida to benefit families across South Florida’s sugarcane and vegetable farming region. 

Kids wait and watch in line for their chance to meet Santa. [Photo by Richard Marion/Lake Okeechobee News]

“This is our fifth year operating Santa Express and bringing gifts to families across the Glades area,” said Scott Ogle, operations manager for Sugar Express. “Each year, it gets bigger and better and it’s truly a blessing for us to help our neighbors.” 

The locomotive that Santa rode on, Locomotive No. 148, was built in 1920 by the American Locomotive Company for use on the Florida East Coast Railway. In 1952, the locomotive was sold to U.S. Sugar to haul sugarcane trains from field-to-mill for processing raw sugar. As diesel locomotives became popular, Engine No. 148 was sold by U.S. Sugar into private ownership in the 1960s. U.S. Sugar purchased the locomotive in 2016, and finished the restoration in 2020 

The Santa Express is a community project developed by U.S. Sugar and its Sugar Express tourism train, and Ag-education train, which currently operates several times per year. For more information about future trains, please visit www.sugarexpress.com .