Apparently the next Extreme Trains show, 11/18/08, will be about Ringling Bros. this triggered old memories. My first experience was in late 40’s when at the crack of dawn my dad took me down to observe the arrival of the Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus trains. I remember the steam engines pulling the freight and passenger cars into the yard. As clear to me today as back then, parking in the yard with the old coaling tower on the left and the round house on the right. Watching the off load of the trucks and wagons. The ramps at the end of the train flat car with the cable wrapped around the two steel posts. The man that would hook the cable to the ring on the back of the wagons just before the wagon went down the ramp. The squeal of the cable on the posts controlling the wagons. The impressive bull dog on the hood of the brightly painted Mac trucks with there chain drives pulling the wagons to the circus set up site. Being hired to help put up the big top. Pulling out the canvas. The men with there needles and thread repairing the rips from the last show while we lashed the sections of canvas together. Using elephants to pull the canvas up the main support posts. Receiving a free circus pass for the work. Thank god I can still line up my chromosomes to enjoy old train memories like this.
If only I had a video camera back then.
Denny
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