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  • Circus train!

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England

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 #1221252  by migs7585
 
Good day everyone, I am a newbie here and also new to the railroad game. My son is turning 4 and is what I call a 'trainiac'. He doesn't just love Thomas & Friends but sits and watches documentaries on all kinds of trains for hours! Anyways, we both have turned into 'trainiacs' and I was wondering if anyone knew which way the Barnum & Bailey Circus train comes into town here in Boston. I know that they are in Worcester till the 14th and first show at the Garden is the 16th. I am assuming to 15th is their travel day and from what I have researched and know from my short railroad life is they might possibly travel the Grand Junction through my hometown of East Cambridge!

Can anyone confirm this for me? Also, does anyone know when we could catch the train somewhere or most of all.... Where does it park??

My son and I are very excited to see this train and hoping some can help, thank you.
 #1221402  by GP40MC1118
 
The Circus Train puts up on the Grand Jct Running Track between Mass Ave and Memorial Drive
and will leave both the Fort Washington and Pacific St pedestrian crossings open. As in recent
practice the circus train will likely be placed on the mainline, with all other rail traffic going
around it via the passing siding (Amtrak, MBTA and CSX moves). Some of the circus train -
the flats and containers - will use whatever in available and/or in service at Beacon Park Yard
due to height restrictions.

D
 #1221702  by migs7585
 
That is awesome! My 3 year old son and I thank you very much. We will be taking a stroll through Cambridge to see if we can catch some of that.
 #1221703  by migs7585
 
That is awesome! thank you so much, this is great information. My son is going to be excited.
 #1221747  by railman616
 
The crew has been called for an on duty time of 22:00 at Worcester with a 3:30 departure time. No idea what the plan is for Beacon Park as far as weather the other TV tracks will be used. They could just place the passenger car will be placed on TV 1 and the flats on TV 2. B721 would have to come in at CP 3 if they do it that way but it only a couple of days. The Grand Junction setoff in Cambridge is a problem with the new Ped. crossing at MIT near Mass Ave. They don't like to split the train twice. My last trip out of Beacon Park last Spring they still had the ramp for the flats down by the fuel tanks at the loop.
 #1221753  by fl9m2004
 
I saw it 3 years ago in Cedar Hill Yard North Haven, Connecticut
Didn't see the engines on train
It was while Circus was in Bridgeport, Connecticut
 #1222877  by runningwithscalpels
 
fl9m2004 wrote:I saw it 3 years ago in Cedar Hill Yard North Haven, Connecticut
Didn't see the engines on train
It was while Circus was in Bridgeport, Connecticut
What does that have to do with Boston?
 #1222910  by migs7585
 
My son and I went by MIT and the coaches are all lined up along the Junction from Mass ave down just like stated above. Thank you again. We searched for the containers and more but didn't see anything else on the Junction or at Beacon Park.
 #1222940  by Teamdriver
 
Boston Garden Ramp 1940.jpg
migs7585 wrote:That is awesome! thank you so much, this is great information. My son is going to be excited.
Dude , here is a pic of the elephants walking up the ramp into the old Boston garden in 1940. You can see trackage as well !
 #1223306  by Lincoln78
 
RRBB Circus train was stopped/parked at the Springfield, MA station as of around 1100 AM Monday 21 Oct. The west end was pretty much at the station, couldn't see engines from my vantage point about a third of the train's length east of the station.
 #1224059  by CVRA7
 
It went through Berlin CT around 3:30pm Monday, after being delayed at Springfield for some reason.
Consist was NECR 417, CSOR 3398, CSXT 6237, CSXT 6224 and 61 cars.
 #1225109  by CVRA7
 
Headed north through Berlin CT today, clearing at 11:47am.