A cash donation from a fireplace manufacturer has kept the lights on for the Vancouver Bright Nights Christmas train in Stanley Park.

The theft of electrical equipment worth about $7,000 had threatened to delay the opening of the attraction.

According to park board vice-chair Sarah Kirby-Yung, Valor Fireplaces stepped in to the rescue.

“That allowed us to replace the equipment, and keep the event on track,” Kirby-Yung told the Straight in a phone interview.

“It does create challenges when you have a theft like that,” Kirby-Yung also said.

Stanley Park’s miniature train is pulling out of the station on Thursday (November 26) for its 18th Christmas run in Vancouver.

The popular seasonal attraction will be carrying its passengers through the woods until January 2, 2016. It will be closed on December 25.

Three million lights will shine during the annual Bright Nights event.

Front gate donations and a portion of ticket sales go to the BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund.

In 2014, the city marked the 50th anniversary of the miniature train and railway. It was built to commemorate the arrival of Canada’s first transcontinental train in Vancouver in the 1880s. Then park commissioner Sarah Blyth hammered a golden spike on the tracks to celebrate the golden anniversary.

The seasonal draw also offers Easter and Halloween rides. 

During Bright Nights, four engines and three sets of cars will travel the equivalent of the distance across Canada, which is more than 5,000 kilometres.

Trains depart every 4.5 minutes during peak periods. The ride takes travellers for a 15-minute journey through the forest.