Holiday commuting in the Loop came with an unexpected sideshow when a person in a full Santa suit and an accomplice dressed as an elf climbed onto the roof of the CTA’s holiday train, strolling and waving as the car’s lights flashed underneath. The rooftop parade drew laughs and phones from stunned riders, but it has also sparked fresh concern from transit safety advocates who note that “train surfing” is both illegal and extremely dangerous.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the viral clip was posted on Instagram by a user who goes by “Ekton.” In the reel, the user boasts, “Subway surfing the Chicago holiday train . . . Been on my mind for years, I’m so happy that it finally happened . . . stay naughty!” The Sun-Times notes that audio captured on the video includes bystanders shouting “Gangsta Claus!” and “yo ho!” as the costumed duo ride the roof.
Not A One-Off
CTA records show there have been roughly two dozen rooftop train-surfing incidents since 2023, and workers say the real number is probably higher, with many cases surfacing only as social media clips. As WBEZ has reported, operators sometimes slow trains, stop at the nearest station or even cut power in an effort to avoid electrocuting anyone who has climbed onto the roof.
Federal Pressure Adds Stakes
This latest stunt arrives at a tense moment for Chicago transit. Federal officials are already scrutinizing CTA safety after a Nov. 17 attack in which a rider was doused with gasoline and set on fire, an incident that prompted the Federal Transit Administration to demand an updated safety plan and threaten the loss of key funding. Reuters reports that the FTA sent letters to Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson, and that Administrator Marc Molinaro warned, “If CTA does not take immediate action to increase its law enforcement presence, we will withhold federal funds.”
CTA Says It's Responding
In a statement to The Associated Press, the CTA confirmed it had received the FTA’s letter and said it “will respond within the requested timeline.” As detailed by the Chicago Sun-Times, the agency has also sent a response letter describing its plan to address crime on the system, although both the CTA and the FTA declined to release that correspondence to reporters.
Online Reaction And Copycat Risk
In the comments under the Instagram reel, some users cracked that the stunt gave children an unforgettable holiday moment, while others warned it was wildly irresponsible. The account that posted the Santa video also features other hair-raising clips, including footage of people walking along the edge of a Loop high-rise. Transit officials are not laughing, pointing to how social-media-fueled train-surfing has been blamed for multiple deaths and hundreds of arrests in New York, a pattern that has led agencies there to push platforms to remove content that appears to glorify the behavior, according to WBEZ.
What Riders Should Watch
Beyond the viral bragging rights, rooftop surfing can cause serious service disruptions, with trains slowed, stopped, or powered down, and it can bring riders dangerously close to high-voltage third-rail equipment. Anyone caught on top of a train can face arrest or citations under state laws and CTA rules. With the FTA’s deadline for a revised safety plan approaching and the Allstate CTA Holiday Train still scheduled to run through Dec. 22, officials are under pressure to keep the seasonal spectacle fun while making sure it does not turn into a safety nightmare.
