OK, I am sitting at my office at 2:07, look out my window (Indianapolis Indiana, overlooking the CSX main through town) and see two BNSF GP-60s, one in classic warbonet, the other repained. Behind are silver passenter cars at least 45 of them--probably 60--followed by approximately 30 flat cars absolutely loaded with farm tracktors, pickup trucks, wagons, busses, and the like. There is white lettering enclosed in a red box--much like the Trains Magazine logo. Is this the Circus Train?
I thought they discountinued that?
Muncie, it is heading your way. If any of you know people in the Muncie area, give them a shout, as the train looks pretty cool. It is moving fairly slow, so I estimate that it will probably take at least 45 minutes to make Muncie.
Good luck catching it.
Gabe
Tharmeni wrote:Has to be one of the circus trains.
That has to be one heck of a circus. I bet the trains was 90 cars long, and the cars themselves were very long. It just kept going and going. It was like the energizer bunny.
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Hey Gabe there are three shows that Ringling does one is a truck/bus one, the other two are trains! One is heading to my area for Aug 30. Hopefully I get to work it!
When it comes to the Quad Cities we leave the Elephant cars on the Moline Siding. then we use three tracks in IAIS yard ( actually they are BN tracks) for the coaches and then flats.Its a neat show when they unload and have a parade to the show.
Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train
Gabe:Had to have been the circus train. It is a great sight, isnt it? It always goes thru Valpo the Monday after Thanksgiving. I love watching it. Unfortunately, every time it has been cloudy or rainy, but it doesnt take away the joy of watchign it pass.
How you been? Going to any ND games this fall? If so, come on over.
ed
route_rock wrote: Hey Gabe there are three shows that Ringling does one is a truck/bus one, the other two are trains! One is heading to my area for Aug 30. Hopefully I get to work it! When it comes to the Quad Cities we leave the Elephant cars on the Moline Siding. then we use three tracks in IAIS yard ( actually they are BN tracks) for the coaches and then flats.Its a neat show when they unload and have a parade to the show.
Route Rock,
Please explain the picture next to your name, it has my interest. Is there any way you can post a larger one?
Thanks,Gabe
MP173 wrote: Gabe:Had to have been the circus train. It is a great sight, isnt it? It always goes thru Valpo the Monday after Thanksgiving. I love watching it. Unfortunately, every time it has been cloudy or rainy, but it doesnt take away the joy of watchign it pass.How you been? Going to any ND games this fall? If so, come on over. edEd,It was a pretty cool sight--especially as I never saw it before (although I have to admit, I was almost more interested in the two GP-60s pulling it). It was the circus train, as the cars were just like the pictures in the link posted by blhanel.Things haven't been too bad--although I have not got as much train time as I would otherwise like. I plan on going to the ND season openner. Are you going to be around that weekend or the Friday?Gabe
Ed,
It was a pretty cool sight--especially as I never saw it before (although I have to admit, I was almost more interested in the two GP-60s pulling it). It was the circus train, as the cars were just like the pictures in the link posted by blhanel.
Things haven't been too bad--although I have not got as much train time as I would otherwise like. I plan on going to the ND season openner. Are you going to be around that weekend or the Friday?
More than likely will be here. What weekend is it? Now that Jeff S is off to the Cubs, I really dont pay much attention to their schedule.
Let me know what the date is, perhaps we can meet over at Wellsboro or Laporte so you dont have to drive all the way over.
MP173 wrote: More than likely will be here. What weekend is it? Now that Jeff S is off to the Cubs, I really dont pay much attention to their schedule. Let me know what the date is, perhaps we can meet over at Wellsboro or Laporte so you dont have to drive all the way over. ed
I will get in town on the 31st, the game is on the 1st, so I will be around that Friday and Saturday if you are available. I am up for meeting whereever you would like, as long as there is a train track nearby.
Gabe,
That sounds like the Ringling Bro/Barnum-Bailey circus train I see come thorough here on the Indy-St. Lou tracks and they are long.
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/4309
.....Dale from Canada alerted me of the "passenger" train aka circus train observed by Gabe coming through Indy....so all folks in line to have it pass be alerted.
I read the message {from Dale}, at 2:30 eastern and rounded up my stuff and headed for over town near Bruners restaruant were the tracks pass right by paralleling rt. 32.
I have just returned from my spot waiting for it and nothing of it in sight. As I came in the house, wife Jean told me she just saw a report on Indy TV the circus was coming into {Indy}town....Believe that explains why I didn't get to see any big long circus train. I was ready with camera and all....and if it would have come this way Dale, I was ready to forward you some photos. Sorry, no dice.
Would you believe the only thing I saw {and heard on my radio}, was a hi rail truck went west by my location.....Not one other peep out of my radio in the hour plus that I was watching for it.....And is it hot...!!
93 degrees here at my instrument and of course high humidity.
I have seen that {probably the same} train from the same spot several years ago headed west. Just as we exited the restaurant it came by and it really was a very long train....Just like was described.
But thanks to all we tried......
Quentin
Hey Quentin,
Thanks for trying.
The schedule for the Blue Train says it is supposed to be in Lexington, KY, tomorrow. Shouldn't it have been on the line through Connersville ?
....That's a bit confusing....{If playing in Indy today or tomorrow}, and due in Lexington, Ky. by tomorrow.....Wonder if there may be two different units involved.
Can't say much about the route to Lexington, but it looks to me like our NS line that heads south out of Muncie {believe to the "rat hole" Div.}, I'd think that line would pass very close to that location.
Our CSX line we were expecting to see the train pass here is east and west. But there is a diamond between those two lines. Not sure if a train from one can pass over and onto the other line.
Does the Ringling circus still winter in Sarasota, FL? It's been many years since I was last down that way in the wintertime but I well remember seeing their trains parked on sidings along the former ACL branch that ran from Tampa to Sarasota. Of course that would be Seminole Gulf trackage today.
Mark
KCSfan wrote: Does the Ringling circus still winter in Sarasota, FL? It's been many years since I was last down that way in the wintertime but I well remember seeing their trains parked on sidings along the former ACL branch that ran from Tampa to Sarasota. Of course that would be Seminole Gulf trackage today.Mark
My in-laws live in Sarasota. The land where John Ringling's circus wintered has been built up with a subdivision. The last time I was there in winter, I saw the circus wintering south of Sarasota in Venice, Fla. But my RR maps show that the Seminole Gulf RR tracks no longer go anywhere south of Sarasota -- marked as abandoned.
There are a few very small circuses that set up at the county fairgrounds in Sarasota for a few weeks during the winter and put on some shows. But emphasis on VERY small.
PZ
ADDENDUM: The Seminole Gulf RR website has a system map that shows its "Sarasota Line" terminates in Venice, so it is possible they still go there. They also run dinner trains. I think the RR still serves the huge Publix regional warehouse on the south end of Sarasota.
Circus train was routed Avon Yard to Cincinnati via the CSX, ex B&O line.
....Well, that's a pretty good reason I never saw it in Muncie.
Modelcar wrote: ....Well, that's a pretty good reason I never saw it in Muncie.
Very sorry, I should have given a Connersville alert. The view of my office is just slightly too far west by about 100 yards to see the Cincinnati - Muncie split. I just assumed it was going to Muncie. Very silly of me I suppose.
Sorry again.
.....No problem, Gabe.....I suppose any excuse to go to the rail line and wait for trains is ok. But, wow.....Today sure was a hot one to be out in it.
But my RR maps show that the Seminole Gulf RR tracks no longer go anywhere south of Sarasota -- marked as abandoned.ADDENDUM: The Seminole Gulf RR website has a system map that shows its "Sarasota Line" terminates in Venice, so it is possible they still go there. They also run dinner trains. I think the RR still serves the huge Publix regional warehouse on the south end of Sarasota.
But my RR maps show that the Seminole Gulf RR tracks no longer go anywhere south of Sarasota -- marked as abandoned.
The Seminole Gulf RR terminates at the Cemex concrete plant at Wiggins Pass Road in North Naples, where I live. Southward beyond that, the tracks have been pulled-up but the right-of-way still exists. Goodlette-Frank Road was built within these right-of-way limits from Immokalee Road to US-41 (Tamiami Trail) where the old Seaboard Airline Railroad depot still stands. Although today it is known as the Naples Railroad Museum.
The dinner train departs from the station in Fort Myers and travels North from there.
Ted M.
got trains?™
See my photos at: http://tedmarshall.rrpicturearchives.net/
The Blue Train schedule says this weekend for Lexington, then Grand Rapids, MI Sept 13-16 and then Indianapolis Sept 20-23.
I believe the Red Train is out west.
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