Union Pacific Challenger 3985 made its first-ever venture east of the Mississippi River in November 1992 when it traveled off line onto CSX rails. This historic event was prompted by the 50th running of the Santa Claus Special, a tradition of the former Clinchfield Railroad that was being carried on by Clinchfield successor CSX. Each year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Santa and his helpers would ride the special train, tossing candy and gifts to the children of the coal mining towns that lined the route from Shelbiana, Kentucky to Kinsgport, Tennessee.