The town of Katherine in the Northern Territory empties out around Christmas time, as many make a run for the coast to escape the brutal wet season heat. For those who stay, a group of determined local tinkerers have come up with a unique public transport solution for families to see the town's Christmas lights.
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TVTranscript
00:00 A Christmas train for Santa's subtropical route.
00:07 We fired it up, the thing blows smoke out the chimney, it is just an absolute beast
00:12 and when it comes down the street it was something else.
00:15 Catherine locals have closed the main streets of this territory town so their train can
00:20 roam.
00:21 We have a conditional registration for the car so technically it is street legal.
00:24 Trent DeWitt and a group of volunteer mechanics have spent weeks converting an ancient, rusted
00:29 out Suzuki Stockman as the engine and refurbishing some old carriages.
00:34 How's it running?
00:35 Beautiful, like a dream mate.
00:38 It's a dream that was almost derailed.
00:44 Just a few days earlier the train was back in the garage with an engine failure.
00:48 The new age fuel really dries out the rubber gaskets and things like that.
00:53 But mechanic John and his apprentice Matty cracked it just in time.
00:57 So let it snow, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
01:01 It's still in the mid-30s as night falls and Catherine locals turn on their lights.
01:06 The town loves it, I mean this is a very hot time of year and a lot of people don't go
01:12 away for Christmas so this is just something special for our town.
01:16 And it's not just the kids who are enjoying the ride.
01:18 One that came off tonight and there was a group and they were all adults, I don't think
01:21 there were any kids on it so all ages are enjoying it.
01:24 It feels really old school community vibe and we love that.
01:28 A train with a big engine and a big heart.
01:31 [BLANK_AUDIO]