On a cold, drizzly morning last October, a school teacher and a small group of parents and kids waited beside the train tracks in Mapleton, an unincorporated community of about 500 people just east of Florence.

They listened for the distant sound of steel wheels clattering down the old tracks.

The tracks belong to the Port of Coos Bay and have historically been the primary rail line connecting the central Oregon Coast to the city of Eugene and the Willamette Valley. But on this day, the train cars coming down the line were not hauling lumber or heavy freight, but teddy bears and toys.

As the clickity clack of the wheels and putter of engines neared, a parade of rail speeder cars decorated in holiday ribbons, tinsel and trim appeared. Two cars pulled handmade wooden boxes decorated like presents. In the lead car was none other than Santa and Mrs. Claus, followed by a purple railcar driven by two elves.

This special arrival was the Teddy Bear Toy Express, an annual charity drive that stops in small towns along the route, collecting toys for children in need during the holidays. This year’s run wrapped up in October.

What used to be utilitarian machines for track inspectors and maintenance crews have been repurposed into rolling transports of nostalgia, adventure, and, in this case, community service.

Ralph Burks, a retired Eugene police detective with a bushy white beard and striking resemblance to old St. Nick, wore a velvet red suit with white trim. His wife, Crystal, dressed the part of Mrs. Claus.

Dorothy Roberts and her husband Steve were drafted into elf duty by event organizer Nancy Andrews.

“Nancy asked my husband if we’d be elves,” she laughed, causing the tiny bells on her elf cap to jingle. “So, we’re Santa’s elves. And it’s for the kids!”

The riverside town of Mapleton was their first stop.

Santa climbed out of his rail speeder with a hearty “ho, ho, ho!” to the delight of children waiting with donations.

The annual Teddy Bear Toy Express brings motorcar operators from across the country to participate in Oregon’s largest and longest rail speeder runs.

The run depends on close collaboration with the Port of Coos Bay, which owns the tracks. Club leaders coordinate with the Coos Bay Rail Line, following strict safety protocol, and are escorted by a railroad employee in a hi-rail — a full-size truck modified to ride the rails.

“It’s a relationship built on trust, respect, and a shared love of railroading heritage,” said Nancy Andrews, who helped launch the run with her husband Bill in 2017. “We couldn’t do this run without them.”

These rail cars look like metal boxes on metal wheels — no bigger than a golf cart — with seats for two or four. They were originally used by railway workers for inspecting tracks, transporting crews and carrying tools or equipment.

When the speeder cars were phased out in the 1980s in favor of modified pickup trucks known as “hi-rails,” collectors and railroad aficionados gave them a second life. They formed groups, such as the North American Railcar Operators Association, to create a national hobby for organized excursions on scenic or historic rail lines.

Today, speeder runs take place across the U.S. and Canada. But among aficionados, there’s something about this Oregon run that sets it apart.

“This run has everything,” said Nancy Andrews.

“For me, it’s definitely the top,” said Nick Kelley of Veneta, Oregon. “It’s number one by far.”

The 250-mile route passes over 100-year-old trestles and plunges through several tunnels, skirts rivers and lakes far from the sight of any roads, and glides past sawmills and small towns — all from a perspective that feels, in every sense, like seeing a quintessential slice of Oregon.

“These are not passenger rails; these are freight rails. We get to see country you can see no other way,” said Ralph Burks, who took on leading the expedition in 2025 after Bill and Nancy Andrews.

But the ride isn’t just scenic; it’s also deeply purposeful.

As the journey continued south, the rail cars rolled into Reedsport and then Lakeside, where locals greeted the speeders with waves, smiles, and armloads of toys.

“That’s really touching to get the young kids involved in it,” said Bill Andrews. “Seeing kids donate toys for other kids, that’s what it’s all about.”

“This is the real essence of giving,” said Nancy Andrews.

The final stop is the Coos Bay Boardwalk, where an envoy of speeders was welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd of Rotarians, City of Coos Bay staff and representatives from the Port of Coos Bay and the Coos Bay Rail Line.

The rail operators passed the toys in a “bucket brigade style,” handing them off to the Coos Bay Fire Department, where they were loaded into a pickup and later distributed to local kids in need.

“Their dedication embodies the true spirit of our community — neighbors helping neighbors and making sure every child on the South Coast experiences the joy of the holidays,” said Joe Benetti, mayor of Coos Bay, in an online post about this year’s event.

“I like having all the motorcar operators and passengers involved,” said Nancy Andrews. “They brought many toys with them, and we all just worked together. It’s good to give back.”

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/20/rail-speeder-toy-drive-spreads-holiday-spirit-along-scenic-track-oregon-coast/