CIRCUS TRAIN PT 3

More from this morning's circus train...

While photographing the circus train, I found this CSX SD70MAC sitting in the yard. This was one of the last EMD SD70MAC's built before a newer, more fuel-efficient model replaced it. Finding 'foreign' power in NS' Montview Yard is nothing new. Several years ago, a Rio Grande SD50 spent several days here, moving back and forth between Montview and Kinney Yards. I have also seen a Kansas City Southern SD70Ace -the successor to the SD70MAC -here as well.

One of the farm tractors used to help set up, with a ride or concession stand behind it, and a trailer that appears to be loaded with ticket booths in front of it.

A Mack CH tractor with a trailer loaded with fencing and entrance gates.

The only truck tractor I saw that was NOT a Mack, this Crane Carrier Corporation (CCC) tractor was hooked up to a ride trailer. I wonder if the CCC truck was military surplus?

Another stowed ride on a trailer, this one with a dolly attached to the colorful trailer in front of it. In fact, it was the bright colors of the trailers which caught my eye as I was walking home from work! Also notice the fold-down ramp in front of the trailer behind the sign. There is another ramp on the rear of the flatcar, opposite corner, to allow the equipment to be driven on and off. I believe that James E Strates is the last major circus in North America to move it's equipment by train; given the size of the train, and the amount of equipment it's carrying, utilizing the rails makes sense!

CIRCUS TRAIN PT 2

More photos of this morning's circus train...

A shot of one of the rides, folded and stored for transport. The 28' pup trailers on the next flat actually were hooked together and to the tractor as they would be on the road. For those looking to build HO scale models of them, adding the roof hatches and underbelly storage boxes to a set of Herpa/Con-Cor pups should make a very close replica. The ride trailer, however may take a little more effort.

Another interesting pair of trailers, especially the one on the right. Notice that they are hooked up to each other.

I believe that this is the end car, with the ramps used to load/unload the train. The tractor would then be used to help move the heavy ramps into position. The yellow devices are probably used to support the ramps when in use.

Both of these trailers were converted from old shipping containers. Like most of the trailers, they both have dollies at the front so that several trailers can be moved at once by one tractor to save time setting up. And, like most of the trailers, they are hooked up together on the flatcar they share. As I said before, there were several of those Mack "R" tractors among the trailers.

CIRCUS TRAIN PT 1

The Circus came to town this morning! Actually, it PASSED through town this morning.

These two shots show the overall view of much of the train, which belonged to the James E. Strates Show. I missed the passenger cars on the head end.

Another shot of the train, showing the various trailers carried aboard the long flatcars, including one of the advertising trailers.

Note the pick-up on the far flatcar with it's trailer behind it. The trailer in front of it seems to be a ride, folded up for storage.

More ride trailers, with the tractors attatched. Most of the tractors were these Mack Ultra-Liner cab-overs, others were Mack "R" tractors like the one seen in the first photo. Most seemed a bit worse for wear. A bit hard to see in the photos, all of the flatcars have end drop ramps to facilitate loading and unloading the equipment. This style of loading/inloading was used at the start of intermodal railroading; now trailers are loaded/unloaded using overhead cranes, the same way as containers- like the ones on the train in the background. Driving the equipment on and off the flats was -and still is -called 'circus-style' loading/unloading!