Santa rode out of town on a rail Saturday and Sunday, as did about 2,300 kids and parents, on Gardner's passenger train. 

Gardner, president and CEO of the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad, leased out the train for a Madison Boy Scout fund-raiser. 

Along for the ride Sunday was Rodney Kreunen, state railroad commissioner. Kreunen would like to see commuter rail put on a faster track, and saw the eight car Santa Train as good public relations for that as well as a chance for family fun . 

Ticket prices for rides to Black Earth or Spring Green and back ranged from $15 to $45. depending on the destination and whether seating was coach or "first class" in a dome car. 

Even though the gleaming silver and red cars were pulled by two 2,400-horsepower diesels, Rudolph still helped lead the way. 

Steve Rudolph, that is. 

He is a representative of Troop 102, sponsored by St. Maria Goretti Parish. Troop 420, sponsored by Glenn Stephens School, was the other Scout group participating in the ride. 

"We wanted to institute a family-oriented and quality community event as was done years ago when there was a Santa Train every year," Rudolph said. 

The Madison Chamber of Commerce and the Milwaukee Road ran one to Stoughton from the mid-1950s to 1969, and yes, Rudolph has been very aware of his famous namesake ever since Gene Autry sang about the red-nosed wonder in 1949. 

"I got in more fights by the time I was in second grade than you can imagine," Rudolph said. "Then I learned to sing along and I kept my nose a lot cleaner." 

About 100 volunteers participated. Companies helping included M&I Bank, which handled ticketing, Pizza Hut, Equifax, the United Transportation Union and Wisconsin & Southern. 

It's not cheap to rent a train for two days, Rudolph said, but he declined to say how much besides "It's a bunch." That kept ticket prices up, although Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Dame County and a Kwaanza group got free rides. 

Santa and Mrs. Claus and their elves made their way down the aisles, dispensing good cheer and gift bags to all who had been good. (According to an unconfirmed report, that was every child on board.) 

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"Choo-choo train, a big choo-choo train," answered Zizi, before amending her wish to "No, a little choo-choo train." 

In the Northern Nites sleeper, Cindy and Dean Kalscheur of Cross Plains sat with daughters Morgan, 3, and Abby, 2. 

After a very brief, scary try on St. Nick's lap at West Towne Mall, the family signed up for the train "to see Santa without standing in line. Santa comes to us instead of we go to Santa," Dean Kalscheur said. 

Johnson Oimoen, 6, Sun Prairie, said he was excited but not nervous about meeting the red-suited one. Johnson's big wish? "A Green Bay Packers sleeping bag." 

Bill Vancil of Verona sat with his daughter Tori Lou in the Northern View club car amidst polished brass and Honduran mahogany. 

"This was part of her birthday present to come on the train," said Vancil, general manager of WMGN Radio. Tori Lou turned 7 Saturday and couldn't decide what to ask for, maybe because she still had a couple of presents left to open. 

The rail cars were built in 1956 for the Union Pacific Railroad, Gardner explained. Some were later used on Amtrak routes before he bought them in 1989, a year after acquiring the Wisconsin & Southern. A subsidiary, the Northern Rail Car Corp., refurbished them completely. 

The train, minus Santa, has been from sea to shining sea and usually transports employees and corporate and political bigwigs to events like Super Bowls. 

Kreunen, who also works with Troop 420, said Gardner bent over backwards to accommodate the Scouts, even with the use of his private car, which the railroad commissioner teasingly described as "sort of like Onassis' yacht.'' 

"We have an ulterior motive here," Kreunen added, "to expose a whole new generation to the railroad."