Eastern Railroad Discussion > New 2-hr RBBB Circus DVD---taken from ABOARD Blue Unit

The 60-car BLUE UNIT Circus Train will be coming into Lexington KY from Ft. Worth TX on a 3-day jump Aug. 20/21/22, for performances there (see http://ringling.com/schedule/schedule.aspx?id=95569). But before the train achieved its current 60-car length, they had 58 cars. And during that time, approximately FIVE YEARS worth of DVD footage was taken FROM ON BOARD that train, from coast-to-coast. NOW, it is being offered through PENTREX Video, and here's the scoop:

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WHO WANTS TO ACTUALLY RIDE THE Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey ("RBBB") CIRCUS TRAIN? Usually, the ONLY way you can do that is to work for the show, out on tour. Well, GUESS WHAT? "Thanks to modern technology," there is now another, new way to ride.....and you don't even have to leave your own home!

PENTREX VIDEO of Pasadena, California is offering a special, new DVD taken from aboard the mile-long Blue Unit Circus Train, and is being offered for a limited time at a discount: $19.95 is the price of the DVD (not including shipping). This amazing video was taken by Lane Venardos, father of the 33rd Ringmaster of RBBB, Kevin Venardos---from Kevin's home aboard Blue Unit coach 197, otherwise known to the AAR as RBBX 42009. This DVD, which lasts for 1 hour and 52 minutes, TELLS AND SHOWS ALL! After viewing this DVD, you may have all your questions about what it is like to RIDE the Circus Train(s) answered, or perhaps you will be inspired to think of even more.

I highly recommend this DVD! I am personally aquainted with Michael Clayton of PENTREX, whom I met way back in 1985 when they were filming the Red Unit's [then 42-car] train entering California---my first year on the tour (we stopped at Barstow to feed/water the animals enroute to San Diego). The (1985) 115th Edition's "Living Unicorn" was shown briefly in the Pentrex video "[The] Best of 1985," while the creature was riding inside the bilevel flatcar's lower tier during that jump between cities. That video had some really good chasing sequence, and the bilevel's cat cages were seen at speed from a parallel highway with the tigers pacing inside. (Now, in the 21st century, the Big Cats don't ride in the bilevel anymore.)

The [video] photographers of this new, 2007-release DVD were Lane Venardos (a retired CBS News executive and model railroader; a native of Alton, Ill., now living in Maui, Hawaii), and his son, Kevin (33rd Ringmaster of The Greatest Show On Earth). Kevin's Circus Train home, RBBX 42009, was "197-Car," and was built by Pullman in 1950 as Union Pacific coach number 5418. It went to Amtrak for a brief time before going into Detroit commuter service as GTW 4808, then was aquired by RBBB in 1994. It was completely rebuilt by the show's Palmetto FL railcar recycling center---with a vestibule added in the CENTER of the car---and has been part of the BLUE UNIT Circus Train ever since the late 1990s.

THIS IS THE ONE TO PURCHASE, folks! It will serve as a companion piece to RBBB's own DVD which features the their own, official "behind-the-scenes" Bonus Feature on their two, mile-long trains. Lane and Kevin's DVD, offered through PENTREX, shows a WHOLE LOT MORE, and lasts for nearly TWO HOURS. That's a LOT of material to take in. For your information on what this DVD shows, here is PENTREX's own text on the product, augemented with just a little bit more text, added by myself:
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"CIRCUS TRAIN ADVENTURE"

NEW DVD! --- ON SALE for a limited time at only $19.95!

- Ride aboard the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Blue Unit
Circus Train!
- Travel coast-to-coast and border-to-border over a 5-year period!
- Experience the passing world from the vestibule of the Ringmaster's
car!
- See elephants being off-loaded for water breaks and tour the
Ringmaster's private quarters!
- Learn what it's like to be a passenger on this traveling city!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to ride aboard a Circus Train?
Here is your chance to find out!

From 2001 to 2005, while Kevin Venardos was Ringmaster for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, his father would join him aboard the Circus Train at every opportunity, riding from coast-to-coast and recording his journeys from a totally unique vantage point---the vestibule of the Ringmaster's car! The resulting footage allows you to discover what it's like to travel aboard the Blue Unit Circus Train and view the passing countryside just as if you were a member of the crew!

Your journey begins at Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania on the trek to Wichita Falls, Texas. From there you continue west to Tucson and Southern California. After visiting the San Diego area, you'll head toward the Pacific Northwest, traveling along the Surf Line, enjoying gorgeous scenery through the Feather River Canyon, on Puget Sound, and along the Deschutes and Columbia Rivers. Returning east, you'll visit Albany, Charleston, Worcester, Cambridge, Nashua, North Haven, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Granite City, and more.

Along the way, you'll learn about how the Blue Unit Circus Train operates. Its 58 cars (--which would increase to 60 cars for the 2007 tour--) haul personnel, animals, equipment and supplies. Everything the Circus uses, shows, or sells must be carried aboard the mile-long train. You'll see elephants being off-loaded for water breaks, tour the Ringmaster's private quarters, and learn what its like to be a passenger on this traveling city, the "...City without a zipcode."

Although Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey runs the two largest privately-owned trains in North America, the locomotives used to power the trains are provided by the host railroads over which the trains travel, such as CP Rail, Norfolk Southern, CSX, BNSF, and Union Pacific. There's some exotic motive power to be seen here too, including Wisconsin Central and Conrail.

Most of the scenes are taken from the vestibule, but there are a few fascinating run-bys that show the Blue and Red Unit trains at interesting locations such as on Tehachapi Loop and street running in Anaheim, California. You'll also see many of the yards where the train sections are placed during performances and watch speeding freights whip past your nose while your train is waiting in the siding. Every minute is filled with some new experience in this entertaining view of America by rail from aboard the Circus Train!

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ORDERING INFORMATION IS HERE:

"CIRCUS TRAIN ADVENTURE"
Produced by Maui High End Video Productions.
1 Hour 52 Minutes. Product Code: #CIRCUSAD.
Regular Price: $29.95. Limited-Time Special $19.95!
http://www.pentrex.com/circusad.html

The Fine Print:

The $19.95 price for #CIRCUSAD is a Limited-Time Special Offer.
This offer applies only to new orders for the product specified.
Orders may be placed by phone, fax, mail, or online.
If ordering by phone, fax, or mail please refer to this special
code: CIRCUSAD.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO ORDER THIS "CIRCUS TRAIN ADVENTURE" DVD:

Please add appropriate shipping and handling fees as follows:
US: $5 for the first item plus $1 for each additional item.
Canada: $14 for the first item plus $1 for each additional item.
All Other Countries: $17 for the first item plus $4 for each
additional item.
California residents please add 8.25% sales tax.

PENTREX
PO Box 94911
Pasadena, CA 91109-4911
Tel: (800) 950-9333
Fax: (626) 793-3797
http://www.pentrex.com

Thanks for the heads up.
I just put my order in, I'll let you know how I like it and it's always a added bonus when you got some body to ask questions about stuuff!
Art in DC

cota1992 Wrote:
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> Thanks for the heads up.
> I just put my order in, I'll let you know how I
> like it and it's always a added bonus when you got
> some body to ask questions about stuuff!
> Art in DC

You're welcome. And, tell them that you heard about it on the BEST railfan website on Earth: TRAINORDERS.COM ...!

Youll see Horseshoe Curve too! Look on Youtube and find Pentrexvideos and they have a video preview!