Western Railroad Discussion > RBBB Blue--May 1/2--Baltimore MD to Charleston WV

~~~~NEXT-TO-LAST RUN FOR THE BLUE UNIT CIRCUS TRAIN~~~~

RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY CIRCUS
http://www.ringling.com/
151.625 is the Circus Train Operations radio frequency.

Circus Train Yahoo Group:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/CircusTrain/
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May 1/2 BLUE UNIT Train-run from Baltimore MD to Charleston WV. Most likely route would be CSX south to D.C., then on NS to Lynchburg, west to Roanoke, Bluefield and the ex-Virginian up the Guyandotte River (via Mullens) and to the Watco shortline [Kanawha River] at Deepwater. DEPARTURE/Baltimore may be around mid-day, Monday, May 1. ARRIVAL/Charleston may be some time late Tuesday night, May 2 or very early Wed. morning, May 3, depending on how CSX, NS and Watco get the show there through opposing RR traffic.

Tear-downs for this Edition (which is partially performed on an ICE FLOOR) takes anywhere from 10 to 12 hours; with a late show I don't expect the tear-down to be completed at Baltimore's "Royal Farms" arena until close to sunrise, after which the flatcars are still loading .... the flatcar loading could be done not long after sunrise, and then CSX must "build" the train and do the standard FRA brake test before departing. SCANNERS will be handing to know when this train departs Baltimore for THE LAST TIME with people aboard.

GET YOUR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS WHILE YOU CAN: there is ONLY ONE remaining Blue Unit train-run (WITH PEOPLE ABOARD)* ... which is to occur on May 8/9 ... likely on a reverse move of the run to W.Va., but via the Shenandoah Valley line north from Roanoke, and another with an empty coach-set with all electrical power cut off -- and with some cars removed that are already purchased by new owners. That Florida "home-run" will basically be a "funeral train" or "ghost train" from Uniondale, NY to [somewhere in] Florida. After that, the entire Ringling' show, and its (Inter-) National Legacy, will nothing by a memory.

2017 Blue Unit Circus Train:
---56 Cars (36 conventional passenger-type cars; 19 TTX-[type] piggyback flats behind them; one 5-part articulated flat).
---4,010 Tons (when fully loaded)
---5,142 Feet (WITHOUT host RR's power attached; 1 mile = 5,280 feet)

BLUE UNIT -- 146th Edition -- "OUT OF THIS WORLD" -- extended tour.
SEE: https://www.ringling.com/shows/out-of-this-world/
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Current RBBB rail-tour Edition Numbers for the two railroad shows, Blue and Red, are measured from the show's first year, 1871. Train-run ["jump"] dates presume each train departs the morning [or day] after the closing performance date. *RBBB Circus Trains can change scheduled routing and departure time without notice.

2017 PLAY DATES for the 146th Edition ("OUT OF THIS WORLD"), from the official RBBB website:

ALREADY PLAYED:
Miami, FL: Jan. 6 - 15
Birmingham, AL: Jan. 19 - 22
Columbia, SC: Jan. 26 - 29
Charlotte, NC: Feb. 1 - 5
Raleigh, NC: Feb. 9 - 12
Philadelphia, PA: Feb. 16 - 20
Brooklyn, NY: Feb. 23 - Mar. 3
Newark, NJ: Mar. 8 - 12
Trenton, NJ: Mar. 17 - 19
Richmond, VA: Mar. 23 - 26
Washington, DC: Mar. 30 - Apr. 2
Fairfax, VA: Apr. 7 - 16

PLAYING NOW:
Baltimore, MD: Apr. 20 - 30

PLAYING NEXT:
Charleston, WV: May 3 - 7
Uniondale, NY: May 12 - 21

May 22/23/24--FINAL "HOME-RUN" to Florida (--a re-disposition of some of the RBBB railcar fleet to new owners may occur here; NO train residents will be on the run to Florida; this will be a "ghost train" move).

Normally I would not post an EASTERN move of a train on the Western discussion board, however I already know a few people are planning to come east from as far as California and other states to see this run, and perhaps the one after OUT of Charleston WV -- which will be the final RBBB run of all with people aboard, en route to Uniondale, NY (Long Island). I'm currently working on the Blue Unit, and came back to help fill posts made open due to personnel already leaving for other jobs off the tour. The final night in N.Y. is undoubtedly going to be emotional for everyone there, and the last week in Uniondale is already sold out (tickets went fast). Those out west I have met over the years while on the Red Unit, the other tour ending 2 weeks before the Blue show, should know YOUR friendships have meant a LOT over the years -- and I learned a lot about Western railroading from all of you -- and to everyone here on Trainorders.com. I'll still be around, even after the show closes. And there's STILL 3 more weeks left to the show's life: one more on Red after this Sunday, and 3 more for Blue after this Sunday. So let's hold our heads up and BE SAFE OUT THERE railfanning; I hope to see a lot of you (even from the west!) on the last 2 runs, this coming Mon/Tues and also the following Mon/Tues when the Blue Unit makes its final run from West Virginia to New York's Long Island. BTW, for those who will be out and about, we are scheduled to pick up Red Unit's generator car when we get to New Jersey (on the way to Long Island) for extra electrical power while in New York.....

Very Sad.

Too bad some kind of West Coast farrwell tour could not have been arranged.

I have my own very personal story of the circus when it was at Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim one year in the 90's. It involves me being an audiance participant called down during the clown act. If any one wants to read it, let me know.