by Pensyfan19
Somewhat related, but I'm posting this here since they were related to the Piedmont.
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... -carolina/
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... -carolina/
SPRING HOPE, N.C. — Several former Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus railcars now owned by the state of North Carolina have been badly damaged or destroyed in a fire.
WRAL-TV reports the cars, stored on an isolated rail line just outside the city limits of the community of Spring Hope, caught fire this morning (Thursday, March 10), with at least four of the cars on fire and badly damaged as of 8 a.m. EST.
The state’s Department of Transportation bought nine of the Ringling cars after the circus shut down in 2017, intending to rebuild them to expand the car fleet for the state-supported Piedmont passenger service between Raleigh and Charlotte, which uses state-owned equipment. But the state subsequently ordered new equipment for the Piedmonts, and placed the Ringling Bros. cars and several others in an auction for surplus equipment
"Look down, step over, and watch the gap!" - Dr. John Clarke, The Gap Rap (2010)