The Polar Express rolls through NT collecting food

NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Winding its way through North Tonawanda was the Xmas Trailer. It’s a holiday tradition consisting of a couple dozen people dressed as characters from famous Christmas stories, picking up anything they could for the local food pantry.

“We've collected 150,000 items total so far, over eight years, which is just unbelievable,” said Jacob Brosius, with the North Tonawanda Xmas Trailer.

The trailer is much more than a trailer. Behind a pickup crawling down suburban streets were two trailers, one designed like Polar Express passenger car, the other like a caboose.

"Trying to do bigger and better this year,” said Brosius.

This group of 20 friends started collecting food for the holidays eight years ago, and now it’s morphed into a major Christmas tradition for the North Tonawanda community.