Ringling Bros Circus Shutting Down: CIRCUS TRAIN!

[Backshophoss]

The last move of the Blue unit thru NY Penn to Harold should be during the overnight hours of 5/10-11/17
LIRR takes over at Harold,runs on the Mainline to Queens tower,then on the Hempstead Branch to Garden,the the Circus
camps on the Garden-Mitchell Secondary till 05/21.
During the overnight hours of 5/22-23/17 the Blue unit heads home,returning the same way to Harold,then turned over to
Amtrak,and becomes the last circus train thru NY Penn.

[MBTA3247]

Anyone know where the circus train will be parked in Manchester, NH? It looks like there's a few sidings next to the Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, but for all I know they park the train well outside the city.

[Gilbert B Norman]

"Human interest" story, but the rail experience gets favorable mention within:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-hardes ... 1526918684" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fair Use:

...Circus workers lived in efficiency apartments on board a mile-long Ringling Bros. train that traveled across the country. It carried performers and their families, animals and their feed, and had a school, a day care and a 24-hour dining car....I really miss the show, my friends, and my horse, Batir. And nothing compares to a Cossack train party,” says Ubay Begmuratov, a Cossack whose only job in the U.S. was working as a horse rider performing tricks, flips and jumps for the circus for 13 years......Rhett Coates, of Hayes, Va., worked for the circus on and off since 1985, as part of the train crew, and in wardrobe, props, and concessions. “Sawdust gets in your blood,” he says, using a common refrain. “Most of us are still completely stunned about it all. None of us ever thought the show would or could close down.”

[artman]

Stumbled on this topic today and did some Googling:

NCDOT bought 9 RB&BB cars to refurbish into passenger trains. sitting unused now:

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local ... 19297.html

One sleeper car moved to Venice, Florida depot museum:

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/new ... 347802001/

20 cars bought and moved to farm in Ocala, FL:

https://www.wiscnews.com/baraboonewsrep ... 32789.html