For the 18th holiday season in a row, Operation Toy Train will roll along the rails to collect toy donations for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation and other local civic organizations that benefit underprivileged children. This year’s schedule includes a stop in Swedesboro on Nov. 21.
Between Nov.14 and Dec.13, Operation Toy Train aims to collect over 50,000 donated toys at 69 cities and towns across five states. To achieve this, collection trains will operate over 480 miles on 10 different railroads that generously donate their railcars, personnel, and time to operate the trains.
Woodstown Central Railroad will be taking part in the toy drive and will have stops in
Salem, Woodstown, and Swedesboro.
The full 2026 train schedule, with the dates, times, and locations for each stop, is now available at www.OperationToyTrain.org/schedule.
Members of the public are encouraged to visit the train at any of its stops to donate new toys in their original packaging (no gift wrapping, please). Attendees at each stop can also participate in on-site activities sponsored by the towns and local businesses, meet Santa Claus, view a variety of historic railroad equipment, and meet members of the Operation Toy Train program.
All of the donated toys are loaded aboard the train and delivered to the local Marine Toys for Tots Foundation campaign or another local civic organization, where the toys are redistributed as holiday gifts to underprivileged and less-fortunate children in the same communities where the collection campaign is conducted.
