The yearly Operation Toy Train campaign hit a new milestone, gathering 45,000 toys for kids in need during the 2024 holiday season. On Dec. 14, the trains pulled in their biggest one-day collection ever. Volunteers collected 22,000 toys as they moved through North Jersey, stopping briefly at Rochelle Park, Hawthorne, Wyckoff, Pompton Lakes, Vernon, and Sparta.

Since its launch in the late 2010s, the train initiative has expanded quickly. The trains traveled through New Jersey and nearby states over several weekends. As donations piled up, storage space became a challenge — until Port Jervis offered a solution. When they needed extra room, the Erie Turntable location was ideal. Now it houses their expanding collection while letting train enthusiasts view vintage railroad equipment.

As the biggest donor to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation in the eastern U.S., TOYX Inc. manages this huge gift collection effort. At each stop, teams of volunteers load the trains with gifts headed to local distribution centers.  TOYX, based in New York, runs as a non-profit. Their annual train operations help both Marine Corps programs and community organizations across the country.

The partnership with local officials proved valuable. An unused Erie Railroad building now stores equipment and hosts visitors, thanks to a team-up with the Dining Car Society.