Model Railroading > Ringling Bros

Did anyone ever make Ringling Bros HO scale rolling stock?

Microtrains in N scale has some. This might be a good time to start...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Walthers did something some years ago (1970s?) including decals, IIRC.  But it's my understanding the circus people weren't keen on the idea or Walthers had to fork over some dollars them so the kits and declas weren't available very long.  I don;t know how accurate they were and for what time period. Some of you folks might know the details better than I. I was a very young man back them with no money but thought the models looked pretty awesome in their catalog.

Victor A. Baird
​http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

You know the RBB&B circus train would be a great next passenger train model for Walthers. Think about it. Depending on the era one train that could run on just about everyones railroad. The Walthers cars have seperate sides so the cars should not be hard to do. It would also be a source of some income for the company that now owns RBB&B . ----------- Ken 

wabash2800 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Walthers did something some years ago
> (1970s?) including decals, IIRC.  But it's my
> understanding the circus people weren't keen on
> the idea or Walthers had to fork over some dollars
> them so the kits and declas weren't available
> very long.  I don;t know how accurate they were
> and for what time period. Some of you folks
> might know the details better than I. I was a very
> young man back them with no money but thought the
> models looked pretty awesome in their catalog.

Walthers released The Great Circus Train 1989. The cars were modeled after much older circus cars than the modern RB&BB train, more like the Circus World Museum train that used to run from Baraboo, WI to Milwaukee, WI each year..

As I recall, there was someone offering decals for the modern cars but they ran into licensing issues.

I probably wouldn't purchase it, not because I'm against someone producing it, just not interested in it, but for those who would want it, I hope someone like Walthers make it for you. They could also make two complete trains, the red
train and blue train.

Jeff

For a number of the basic cars look at Walthers' UP "Cities" train in HO.  RBBB picked up a number of UP baggage cars, coaches, etc after the demise of UP intercity passenger service.  The circus wasn't shy about modifying the cars, but some can still be recognized.  For the N-scalers the Kato UP cars would offer a starting point.

Gary B.
Waverly, NE

Back in the old days Walters made tin side models of the RB&BB cars.
They had a nice one of the Ex U.S.Army hospital cars converted.

Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.

I created a version of the circus train in HO. I used standard passenger cars for the coaches.  Riverossi bagaage cars for the animal cars and power car (altough the length is not right the door openings are right on). For the wagons, I used 20' containers and two 40' containers back to back on a flat car for the consessions cars. There was a series of articles in the old Model Railroading Magazine about the circus train.

For the decals, I took a picture of the blue globe and using photo software removed the background. For the banners on the side of the cars, I created the script using Corel draw. These were printed on white decal paper.

I will post pictures of my version later in the week.

David Correia