A magical train is carrying a cargo of great joy and the Christmas spirit to thousands of children, thanks to a Richardson retiree.
Joel Occhiuzzo's special project started as a simple way to entertain his grandchildren. Now it’s become a 9-year-old grand attraction for thousands of other kids and their families.
The train is open for everyone, and he usually runs it every night during the holiday season. But on Friday, Occhiuzzo gave a special daylight ride to four generations of a neighborhood family.
He came up with the idea after taking his grandkids to a holiday display in Tyler.
“And when I retired, this is what I started to do," he said, "and each year it got bigger and bigger and bigger, until what it is today."
What it is today is a train ride surrounded by a colorful array of 30,000 lights, decorations, music and sound effects.
Jorja Sparks, who’s been riding the train since she was a teenager, says her neighbor has created something magical.
“He does everything from the heart,” she said. "Everything."
Her grandmother, who also rode the train, couldn’t agree more.
“He’s out here every night, no matter what the temperature is, with these kids," Debe Paine said.
Occhiuzzo has spent more than $200,000 on it, money he said has been well worth it.
“When we go around, they're either singing 'Jingle Bells' or 'Here Comes Santa Claus' or whatever tunes they know," he said. "It sort of gets everybody in the spirit."
Occhiuzzo said he knows he has created something magical. He sees it in the riders’ faces -- and in an e-mail he just received from a soldier's wife at Fort Hood.
“Her husband's in Iraq. And she said, 'Would you please tell me if you still have the train? My son is really down and I want to bring him to ride the train.'
"So they will be here tonight to ride the train," he said. "That's a hell of a trip. That chokes me up. That means I'm doing something good.”
The trains run every night until New Year's Day. Occhiuzzo vows to continue the tradition he's created “as long as the good Lord lets me live.”
