Eastern Railroad Discussion > Circus train to Richmond

If anyone can post any updates on the move it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Gary

mully Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If anyone can post any updates on the move it
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks
> Gary

Hi again, Gary. I heard the road-crew went on duty at Greensboro at 1am (not confirmed, but it fits), and I plan to follow them in from as far out as Greenbay (about half way from Burkeville to Keysville on Rt. 360). I, too, hope to find out SOON what time they were out of GB, and when they make their crew-change at Lynchburg.

From CTY Group
NS 048 by Edna, NC 08:30 hours which is MP 260.4(80 miles south of Lynchburg)
with NS 2765 SD70M-2 and NS 1630(highnose SD40-2)

LOCATION NOTE: Ruffin is, between MP 248 and 247, and Swann, NC

Good Luck! Nathan
Edited for added NOTE at 11:00 AM EST

Thanks Nathan - bcd9 ∑:=)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/12 08:00 by blackcatd9.

From CTY Group Member:
Train is currently changing Crews in Lynchburg as we speak at 11:55 AM EST.
Nathan
Time of this Post 12:06 PM EST.
bdc9 ∑:=)

blackcatd9 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From CTY Group Member:
> Train is currently changing Crews in Lynchburg as
> we speak at 11:55 AM EST.
> Nathan
> Time of this Post 12:06 PM EST.
> bdc9 ∑:=)

The Blue Unit is to follow an intermodal train around the wye from "the Southern side" of NS onto "the N&W side" of NS; departure should be AS SOON AS the intermodal is clear of the connection track between the old SOU and N&W mainlines. Look for the Circus Train at Burkeville, Va. around 1:30pm, or 2pm at the latest (at least THE SHOW HOPES SO), and into Richmond about an hour after that. No other stops are currently planned, other than the NS Burkeville crew-change.

EDIT: I'm at Burkeville today, and will follow the train on into Richmond; LEGEND BREWERY* is where the Animal Walk should begin this evening, as soon as the animal barn is readied behind the scenes at Richmond Coliseum. Yesterday and Saturday, we offered public viewings (with permission of the late videographer, Lane Vernardos, before his recent passing) of the 2-hour DVD "Circus Train Adventure" on the big-screen at Legend Brewery; it was well-received by those who were there long enough to view the majority of it. Lane Vernardos was a retired CBS News producer, and avid railfan/Circus fan from the Alton, Illinois area. His son, Kevin, was the Blue Unit's singing Ringmaster for 5 years, and now resides in the New York City area. Lane will be missed by all who knew him, including myself.

*Legend Brewery is located about a block south of the Manchester Bridge (over the James River). Upon unloading the 4 stock cars at the NS Yard Office, behind the Reynolds Metals building (which is being raised this and next week), the procession moves at walking speed over the James River and uphill through downtown Richmond, by the state capital, and over Broad St. Then it's just a couple of blocks over to the Richmond Coliseum where the show is to play this week, Wednesday through Sunday. Sunday night after the last show, this proceedure is reversed, and the show loads up to move north to Philadelphia, Pa. OH --- the Animal Walk is always followed up by a large STREET SWEEPER, however some of the [stuff] may be missed, so get those bags and shovels ready -- that [stuff] works GREAT on one's lawn and/or garden! (Ahem.)



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/12 10:11 by rbx551985.

CTY Group: Pulling from Lynchburg for Burkeville at 1 PM. Nathan
bcd9 ∑:=)

Incoming data from rbx551985 (Rhett)
Arriving Burkeville, VA, 1515 (03:15 PM EST) 02/13/12.
Crew Change ASAP with departure to Richmond, VA.
Scheduled arrival around 4 to 5 PM EST.
All for now. bcd9 ∑:=)

Incoming data from rbx551985 (Rhett)
BU CT To depart Burkeville, VA at approximate 1615 (04:15 PM EST)
Revised arrival scheduled at Richmond, VA 5 to 6 PM EST.
bcd9 ∑:=)

Incoming Data from rbx551985 (Rhett)
BU CT by Amelia, Va., should be in vicinity of RBIs Street Crossing around 05:45 PM EST.
BU CT traveling a restricted speed due to MOW work at crossing.
Estimated time of arrival in the vicinity of Reedy Creek canoe access road (Norfolk Southern Riverside Drive Outer Yard Facility, Railroad Avenue area) 06:00 PM EST to 06:30 PM EST.
All for now. bcd9 ∑:=)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/12 14:24 by blackcatd9.

Incoming Data form rbx551985 (Rhett)- 1844 (06:44 PM EST, 02/13/12)
BU CT has arrived in Richmond. Coaches are now being spotted in the vicinity of Reedy Creek canoe access road (Norfolk Southern Riverside Drive Outer Yard Facility, Railroad Avenue area). Stocks will be moved to W 6 th Street (Yard Office) in the vicinity of Perry Street (Legend Brewery).
Flats to be positioned later for unloading beneath the Triple Level Crossing. Rhett will have more on the Chase later, so stay tuned.
REFERENCE: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,2687086
All for now. bcd9 ∑:=)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/12 15:59 by blackcatd9.

SHORT Trip Report (I only followed/paced from Green Bay, Va. to Richmond, Va.):

FYI, for those not knowledgable about the southside Virginia rail scene, "Green Bay" is a quaint, small village about half-way between Burkeville and Keysville, Va. on Highway 360. NS's former N&W line parallels the former Southern Railway (now run by Buckingham Branch RR, from Burkeville to Keysville and south from there) through Green Bay, and there is a color-position signal at the west end of a siding beside the grade crossing. This is where I picked up the 2012 Blue Unit en route from Greensboro NC to Richmond VA....

POWER FOR THIS MOVE (both facing forward):
NS 2765
NS 6619

3:00pm -- Green Bay, Va. Standing on top of a ballast pile near the [former N&W] crossing, with the old Southern Railway's line (BBRR) behind me, I took a few photos as the Circus Train blew by me at about 55mph -- including one of the two locomotive and first Ringling' car at the N&W color-position signal; the quiet Circus cars barely "whooshed" by the grade crossing as if whispering to the adjacent trees at the bottom of the hill from the old antique store along Highway 360. Then, the chase was on.

3:15pm -- Train stops at West Burkeville on a STOP SIGNAL. According to scanner chat, a trash train was on the Richmond mainline about 10 or so miles ahead putting their train away at the huge DUMP there served by NS; the cars of the freight were in the process of being spotted off the mainline onto the facility's loop tracks and other sidings. Ringling would wait.... Soon enough, they pulled forward into town for the NS crew-change, with the Richmond/West Point crew taking over from the Lynchburg/Crewe crew. (Crewe crew? LOL!) After about 20 minutes of crew-change and job-briefing, the Circus Train pulls out of downtown Burkeville, while dozens of locals, as well as railfans from the region, look on. Many locals have heard the Circus Train would be coming through, and have come down to photograph the cars; some state they'll see the show this week in Richmond.... the train STOPS just as the rear clears the downtown grade crossing, waiting for the dispatcher to let them know the trash train is out of the way at the Amelia trash dump.

4:20pm -- DEPT. BURKEVILLE (disp. has alerted them that the trash train is IN THE CLEAR at Amelia). They drag out of Yard Limits, and as the last flat clears the limit board a mile east of town, they accelerate to Richmond line-speed: 35mph.

4:45pm -- the RR bridge above Highway 360 offers a dramatic sight as the train rolls gracefully overhead; railfans and locals stop to see it and film its progress above Hwy. 360.

4:45pm -- The Blue Unit traverses the line through Jetersville, and local residents run outdoors (even in the afternoon chill) to see them and wave to those visible riding within the coach windows.

4:49pm -- with horn blaring for the grade crossing, the Circus Train's NS crew alerts drivers at the Amelia Trash Dump that they're approaching the street crossing. The trash train's NS crew pauses to give the Circus Train the standard roll-by, and the CT's engineer toots to them from the passing Ringling train. Across the street, a woman comes to her front door to see the train, smiling and waving through the glass door front. All along the route, motorists on parallel 360 slow down, many of them risking their lives to raise camera-phones toward their windows to take pics of the Circus Train.

5:03pm -- AMELIA, VA. Downtown, about 20 people have congregated along the RR line at the first grade crossing and watch the mile-long Blue Unit Circus Train progress through their fair village at 35mph, a good speed to see 'most everything one wants to see concerning a moving Circus Train. Many other motorists in passing vehicles pause, pull over, or slow down to see the train as well. (A Ringling Bros. trains isn't something one sees every day!)

5:15pm -- It's been about a two minutes since the RR line left parallel Hwy. 360, and the train rolls downhill through Chula....

....5:50pm -- Now nearly 3/4 of an hour later, the liesurely pace of the Blue Unit takes the show underneath Highway 60 at Midlothian, Va., and now begins the long downhill into Richmond's James River basin.

6:00pm -- ROBIUS RD. GRADE CROSSING (intersection with Heugenot Rd.); 12 lanes of traffic (!!) are stopped now, as these two major highways intersect IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RR CROSSING. Also, this morning the RR crossing gates were malfunctioning, so NS has a 15mph speed restriction on trains approaching the major intersection. Thus, HUNDREDS of motorists (and lots of locals who have been waiting to see the CT pass this point) witness a slow-pass of the mile-long Ringling Blue Unit over twelve lanes of stopped highway traffic (in a 4 directions; the single RR track passes through the intersection between the stop lights).

EDIT: Noticed this year: LOTS AND LOTS OF CAMERA-PHONES taking photos from inside nearly ALL of the stopped vehicles at this location....!

6:15pm -- Forest Hill Ave. grade crossing: the slowing train, with dynamic brakes in FULL on the final part of the long down-grade from Midlothian, Va., blocks 4 lanes of Richmond rush hour traffic; motorists on the Powhite Expressway below also notice the coach lights passing by above them (it's dark now), and honk their horns as the Blue Unit's red coach banners ("RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY") are still visible.

6:22pm -- ARRIVAL, REEDY CREEK GRADE CROSSING. The train stops as the last coach reaches the switch about 10 car-lengths before the crossing; NS cuts the flats off and moves the coaches over the crossing: THIS is where the coaches will be spotted all week while the show plays Richmond: South James River Park, along River Road. (Public access is on the opposite side of a low chain-link fence along THE ENTIRE LENGTH of the coach storage area.)

6:45pm -- Coaches are officially "SPOTTED" and the NS crew takes the 4 animal cars beyond, into town for spotting at the Yard Office, and behind Legend Brewery. About an hour and a half later, with NS continuing their carefull handling of the Circus Train, the show's nineteen 89-foot flats full of show equipment roll across the James River to the famed Triple Crossing: this where they will unload tonight, as they always do these days. (Or, NIGHTS, as it were....!)

12-MIDNIGHT -- the animal crew has finished setting up "the barn" backstage at Richmond Coliseum, and arrive at the stocks to unload the animals for the WALK into town. This late at night, not that many people are out and about to see, but there are about 50 or 60 (usually there are hundreds) along the streets around Legend Brewery and the NS Yard Office to see the elephants and horses. (One large, black horse actually resembles the Norfolk Southern thoroughbred!) The Animal Walk begins at 12:15am, Tuesday, Feb. 14, and in the meantime, the show's Train Maintenance crew continues unloading the flatcars under the famous Triple Crossing (on the West Point line, in downtown Richmond -- across the James River from where the stocks and coaches are), until around 3am....



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/12 08:46 by rbx551985.

EN ROUTE from Greensboro NC to Richmond VA, the Blue Unit Circus Train stopped to change NS crews at Lynchburg. While there, Amtrak's Lynchburg station agent, GARLAND HARPER, took these awesome photos of the mile-long Circus Train:
http://throbbingunits.rrpicturearchives.net/archivethumbs.aspx?id=76645