Trains at NorthPark Raises Funds For Dallas Ronald McDonald House

Itโ€™s a holiday tradition that features the largest miniature train exhibit in Texas - and itโ€™s all for a good cause - to raise money to help sick kids in town for treatment and surgeries

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The trains are back at North Park Center in Dallas.

Hundreds of colorful trains hit the tracks - showcasing the country's highlights from coast to coast.  

โ€œItโ€™s a lot of the landmarks in the U.S. You get to see a little bit of everything, and of course, a lot of Dallas landmarks,โ€ said Ronald McDonald House of Dallas CEO, Jill Cumnock. 

Vasco Castaneda kicked off the festivities with a bit of help from his parents and Ronald McDonald.ย Heโ€™s this yearโ€™s honorary kid conductor.ย 

โ€œItโ€™s exciting. Itโ€™s special with us, the Ronald McDonald House,โ€ said his mom Antuane Gonzales.  

โ€œI played with Ronald and we played with trains,โ€ said Castaneda.  

He traveled from Peru and has already had many surgeries and has been coming to the Ronald McDonald House for six years.ย ย 

The first time was when he was 9 months old to deal with the webbing on his fingers.ย He was then a patient at Scottish Rite.ย 

Castaneda has had several milestones at the House - his first steps, first words, and three birthdays.ย 

โ€œThe first time the family stayed with us was for nine months, and right before that, mom and dad got married at the Ronald McDonald House,โ€ said Cumnock. 

Itโ€™s a home away from home to help kids just like Vasco.ย 

NBC5 is a proud sponsor of the Trains at NorthPark again this year.ย 

Since its launch in 1987, the trains have helped raise more than 18 million dollars for the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. 

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