Circus train red unit 2013

DaveBarraza wrote:RRBX in LIC today.

By about 3, all of the 85' flats are on the "wash track", and there are about 5 cars in LIC yard.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1145721180 ... 8491339074

I'm hearing the flatcars will be staying at LIC. I guess they'll be pulled out after the Brooklyn showings?

The circus departed today in 2 sections.
The first departed after LIRR 731. It passed Garden City Station around 10:30 - coaches heading to Harold to be handed off to Amtrak and taken to NJ.
A bit different this time, the chase engine followed this section.
The second section with the flats and containers passed Garden City (it followed LIRR 733) around 11:30. They went to the wash track at Hunterspoint Ave.
Ray

Why'd they have the chase engine follow the 1st half, and not the 2nd?

The animals were transported by truck to Brooklyn.

I'm guessing the performers and circus crew stayed on the train.

Unless they went by bus.

R36 #9346 wrote:The animals were transported by truck to Brooklyn.

I'm guessing the performers and circus crew stayed on the train.

Unless they went by bus.

I heard they were bussed from Jersey. How did the stuff on the flatcars get to Brooklyn?

The animals were bussed from the Colesium straight to the Barclay's Center, the passenger cars went to New Jersey, and the empty freight cars went to LIC. Read this post for more information.

It's unfortunate that for an arena that sits in the middle of a railyard, they had to play games with trucks and buses to get the show there.

They couldn't use VD yard anyways... It's used by the LIRR for the storage of trains during the week.

Any idea what the game plan is for getting the animals and supplies back to the train at Hunters Point Ave after the Barclay's shows are complete? As per Google Maps, it's a 5.5 mile walk from the Barclay's Center to the wash track at HPA. Who knows if they would actually follow this route...but still, any other routes would be about the same distance. Are they going to walk the animals back the almost six miles, or are they going to truck them back to the train?

lirr42 wrote:They couldn't use VD yard anyways... It's used by the LIRR for the storage of trains during the week.

I wasn't stating that the circus train should necessarily have been stored there. Only that it would have made sense to get it over there to provide direct transport for the circus people and the animals and equipment.

I see, but something like that would have to take place overnight. Would they be able to get the train from Garden City to VD yard, unload everything, get the train all the way back to Jamaica, then get the train back west to HAROLD to hand the train off to be dragged through NYP and get to their storage location all before the morning rush? My guess is no. I've personally never unloaded a circus train before, but my guess is that it is a lengthy process. When their on the Garden-Mitchell Secondary they can leve the train their and the crews can unload the train as they please. Getting everything in and out pretty quickly could be pretty difficult...especially at night.

Plus their is another obstacle that hasn't been considered...tunnels. The circus train would have to be hauled by MP-15's through two tunnels to get to VD yard. Are the Atlantic Avenue/Flatbush Avenue tunnels properly ventilated enough to handle three MP-15's belching fumes for a decent amount of time (for they're not moving at the quickest pace)? The Dual Modes couldn't be used because they don't fit (which also begs the question would all of the circus cars fit in the first place?)

So while it would be nice to use the yard right across the street, the logistics just aren't there to make something like that happen.

Pretty sure the 15s wouldn't fit in there either.

Yes, the E15s are prohibited west of Dunton, and E10s are restricted to 10 mph, so the circus train will never go to Brooklyn period.

Definitely, there's some logistical issues. I do see everyone's points who posted, and I also see the contrast to the onetime use of VD for significant freight.

VD was used for freight in an era without 60 foot and longer cars, without 286000 pound axle ratings. I don't even know if a plate B car will fit in there.