Today starts the last move of the ringling bros circus train. First move to start after lunch from long island to Newark. Nj. Not sure when the second leg starts or if csx or ns will do the honors. This leaves the James E Straits show as the last large rail hauled circus train.
Shane
Their time was gone a long time ago but now the smaller ones (which I always liked better) will thrive. Things seem to be going back to the ways they used to be entertainment wise with bands having to do live shows for their money and circus being one ring and up front an personal, etc,
How was RBBB different than the smaller circuses other than size?
Anyway, for those of us who grew up in the 60’s and 70’s, it’s a passing of an era. I can only remember being to a circus a couple of times; 1) as a kid in Indiana I went to one in Indianapolis - it may have been an earlier iteration of the RBBB but I simply don’t remember as it was probably around 1966 or 67 so and I was in the 1st or 2nd grade. The second I took my daughter to see when a smaller circus to down in Syracuse in the 1990’s.
According to reports I have seen, most of the cars have been sold off. When the empty Red Unit train arrived in Newark 2 weeks ago, 30 passenger cars were left at Oak Island. They were getting shipped from there to there new owners all around the country. The Blue unit today will probably do the same thing. If you don’t catch it between Long Island and Newark today, you will probably never see the complete train again. Only unsold equipment will go back to Florida. By the way, The Strates Show is a carnival. Their train only carries equipment. It hasn’t carried people for many years.
I found a You tube, “Chasing NS HO8, James E Strates Carnival train”
Mike.
The real difference is that at the big shows, most of the seating was at a distance, real inpersonal, some of the smaller shows get you right up to the ring almost and by being one ring, you miss nothing. A show horse is a lot more impressive from 20’ than what the more modern venues had. Even when they were still in tents (largest being 425’x180’ or so), you could be pretty far from the action.
Some of the red cars were added to the blue train. With some of the blue cars left in newark. Have not heard if it has left nj yet
The combined trains were reported in NC this morning (5/25/2017)