Eastern Railroad Discussion > RBBB Blue Trip Report, Mon. 3/16/15

BLUE UNIT CIRCUS TRAIN – TRIP REPORT, Monday, March 16, 2015
Richmond, Va. to Washington D.C.
Route: NS to Alexandria via Lynchburg; CSXT to Benning

Well, they made it safe and sound to Washington, D.C., if a bit late. (A bit!!??) I do not know why it took so long to get the show out of the Richmond Coliseum and then load the flats, but WOW it sure took a lot longer than even I expected. Yet even with the delay everyone was safe and there were no incidents or injuries – and even the elephants got to “go exploring” suburban Richmond just before the train got under way. Even I have never seen THAT before, ever since I first joined out with the show in early 1985! Here’s what transpired Monday, March 16, 2015 in Virginia’s capital city:

The NS freight train from West Point, Va. consisting of three engines, 50 cars and a caboose (NS train V24) had already been brought into town the previous afternoon and staged next to the Blue Unit Circus Train’s coaches at Reedy Creek on Richmond’s south side. This would become NS outbound train V08 – and they would depart in the very early morning hours of March 16 to get to Crewe, Va. long before the scheduled Ringling’ departure. That was good logistical thinking on the railroad’s part and, as it would turn out, prudent with the unforeseen delay of the Circus’s departure.

It was dawn, and only about half of the Blue Unit’s flatcars had been loaded. Everything was there (from the building where the show played), and while proceedings were slow, they were proceeding. Safely. The flatcars were being loaded, as usual, on the NS West Point, Va. mainline underneath the I-95 overpass in downtown Richmond, a couple of railcar-lengths geographically east of the Triple Crossing. While the loading continued, various other trains passed above them on the two CSX lines: many coal trains, grain trains, Amtrak trains and local freights. (Richmond is a busy town for trains.) Finally, the Circus crews completed their task and the NS Richmond yard crew – already standing by to couple up with locomotives 3406 and 5157 – moved in to switch the flats into the proper [Washington, D.C.] unloading order.

This was at 11:30am. The last flat was finally loaded, the one with the bus and the runs (ramps), and was shoved over onto a siding. Then several other flats with materials needed first in D.C. were uncoupled from the long line of cars and shoved against the single car with the runs. Finally, the last cut – still on the mainline – was placed on the opposite end of the flatcar section from the ‘run’ car, and they departed the Triple Crossing to head across the James River.

While this was going on, the show’s Animal Care Dept. was UNLOADING THE ELEPHANTS beside their cars, which had already been coupled to the coaches at the Reedy Creek grade crossing. (Reedy Creek is a popular James River park public access point, and every time a Ringling’ train is here, there is a lot of public scrutiny of the rail cars, as the access bikeway/hiking trail goes right between the train and the James River.) A lot of people from town stopped to film the huge animals having a feast outside the train: none of the animals were chained, being allowed to roam about between the stock cars and the fence separating the NS mainline from the hiking trail while the show’s Animal Dept. personnel maintained a “safety net” of protection around them. Even a member of the New York Times was on hand to film/document the site – and everyone was amazed at how quiet and calm the animals were: proof of their well-being, despite what some protesters who seem to congregate around the arenas the show plays might suggest.

Yes, those on the show know better – and interestingly enough, everyone there from the public was in agreement, without exception: there is growing awareness that “political correctness” is damning America to the point of no return. (Witness what’s happening with railfan photographers all over the nation.) That is expected to soon create a major backlash, and it is also hoped that that same backlash will convince Ringling’s management to KEEP the elephants on the show beyond their self-imposed 2018 timeline for removing them from the tours. Time will tell.

It was good to see old friends I’d worked with on both RBBB tours before (currently I’m working at the large paper mill in West Point, Va. that the NS crews out of Richmond serve daily): one of those Ringling’ veterans is Mr. Roman Garcia, formerly the Blue Unit’s Concessions Department Manager, but who is now the General Manager of the entire Blue Unit. (Roman has been with the show for almost 3 decades, and he “knows the ropes!”) He was on hand to safely escort the New York Times personnel around the lot while the elephants were out and about, walking around the Norfolk Southern Railroad property. Anyway, there we were at Reedy Creek as LIVE ELEPHANTS “explored” this part of suburban Richmond! That’s something you don’t see every day. (--such as seeing a real Circus Train, I guess.) I wonder what the elephants would do if they found a local Walmart or Target store, or any grocery store for that matter!?

NS crews were already there, and were allowed to step right up to the animals (with proper supervision: this was just like the show’s “Animal Open House” events in many cities; see their website http:/www.Ringling.com for that), and everyone remained safe and sound during the event. Ringling’ does it right! And then the loading resumed.

By now, the flatcars were being shoved up against the other end of the passenger cars, and the train was ready to roll. NS crews re-coupled the train, and got their Track Warrant from the Dispatcher to enter the mainline to Burkeville. (This is a former Southern Railway, dark territory route.) And now, on to the usual timeline:

1:50pm: A Track Warrant was issued by the NS Dispatcher for Train 047, the Blue Unit, with locomotives 2581 and 9348. As about 30 local Richmonders observed the goings-on (including at least one local policeman who was utterly fascinated by the train), as the air horn was blown and the bell began to ring….. and the train was off to ‘D.C.!

1:58PM – Depart Richmond (Reedy Creek crossing). With show personnel beginning to fill the vestibules, the locals got plenty to see and many to wave to, as the mile-long Ringling’ train rolled out of town. Hikers and bikers on the parallel trail also witnessed the late departure: most Richmonder’s had no idea they were slated to leave just after dawn.

2:05pm – Circus Train rolled across Forest Hill Ave. and above the Powhite Expressway: motorists were honking their horns up to the vestibule riders; these were only some of those watching. A city maintenance crew, working on an pipeline across the Expressway from the RR crossing, had been on a late lunch break and all of them immediately took to the fence line to watch the Circus Train roll by. This time of day traffic was VERY heavy, so many more Richmonders found the happy site of being caught by the Circus Train: you can always tell by seeing their frowns of seeing crossing gates coming down turn to smiles when they see RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY CIRCUS on the sides of all the railroad cars!

2:20pm – SCHOOL IS OUT! I was caught in VERY heavy traffic getting from Forest Hill Ave. crossing up to Robious Rd. crossing and thought I might miss the train getting by me in between – but I did get there, just about 2 minutes before the train. (That was close!) School Buses by the DOZENS suddenly stopped in all four directions at the massive intersection as the stoplights suddenly went to ALL RED and the RR crossing signals began to flash (and the gates started coming down). This is where Robious Rd. crosses Huguenot Rd. and the Norfolk Southern rail line dissects the junction as it cuts diagonally across the site between the stoplights. It’s no bet that those on the school buses, or the hundreds of other people in their cars, trucks and other assorted delivery vehicles, had expected to see a Circus Train this afternoon – but that’s what they got to see! As many as twenty or more yellow school busses full of students on their way home waited as the 61-car, MILE LONG, Ringling Bros.’ Blue Unit Circus Train rolled by.

(…This had been a dream of mine for a long time: having literally HUNDREDS of people see either Ringling Bros.’ train, all of them at once, rolling by from a single location – especially many who have likely never known the show travels by rail, let along on a passenger/mixed train OVER A MILE LONG. I’ve seen this before here, but with a far more limited number of vehicles: with perhaps only a single bus and a few dozen other vehicles during previous years’ train-runs into or out of Richmond. This time, the local schools had just let out all over town, and with the afternoon commuter rush beginning, this huge intersection of two major 4-lane highways and the railroad dissecting them at one location played host to a most unusual, and amazingly fun, railfan afternoon Circus Train Spectacle! I wonder how many of the kids ran home to tell their parents what train they saw on the way home! But then, their parents would have only to break out that same day’s local Richmond newspaper , the Times-Dispatch, to show them a newly published story about the Circus Train’s PIE CAR. Here’s the LINK to that story – complete with a VIDEO interview and a collection of official photos from the train’s Pie Car as taken earlier this week:

http://www.richmond.com/life/bill-lohmann/article_1ae2882e-6d83-50d1-a705-c758c6e7a8bf.html

….)

HERE IS A PHOTO from 2010 of this same train passing over Robious Rd. grade crossing (note there's still snow on the ground in this shot; there was NO snow left from the area's recent snowfall during THIS March 2015 day). There were photos and videos take of this NEW train-run (March 16, 2015) but unfortunately they were not to become availble in time for adding to this report:

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3:16pm – Farther along the line the train was entering and passing through rural Amelia, Va. where many people returning home or out shopping also witnessed their roll-through. Many motorists actually turned off Rt. 360 to take the older business route, to follow the train along the 2-lane street and wave to people who were riding the vestibules in the warm weather. As the train entered the east end of town (about 2 miles out, where Rt. 360 begins to parallel the rail line), a husband and wife, on their front porch facing the RR across the track from the highway, walked toward the RR and stood trackside, hand in hand, to watch the Circus Train roll by. At the same time, a family in a black van, travelling the same direction as the Blue Unit, pulled alongside the moving train, and it was easy to see their amazement that were actually seeing a Ringling’ Circus Train. They slowed down their progress to pace the train and stare, with the dad trying to stay in his lane while the wife and daughter waved excitedly to those who were riding outside in the train’s opened vestibules. The love of this show abounds everywhere! A mile beyond, at a rural grade crossing off Business 360, the same van stopped at a gated RR crossing, and the couple’s young daughter was seen perched in the opened sunroof door to have a closer, panoramic view of the passing train. Now, THAT’S railfanning, and I doubt they were actual railfans! The little girl waved at every car of the train, even those with no vestibule riders: the look on her face was one of those priceless “Hallmark Card” or Norman Rockwell moments, but seen in real life.

WOW, does this show do something NICE for Children Of All Ages – even without the actual show! It’s obviously that name again: RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY.

Throughout downtown Amelia, many people shopping at various hardware stores, gas stations and more, paused to see the Circus Train, and it appeared they were suddenly engaged in various impromptu discussion topics about the train and the show it carried: their animated reactions indicated exactly that … and they each waved to those riding the train’s vestibules.

At the west end of Amelia [township], a woman and child (and apparently the grandmother) were seen outside their home, gathered together to watch the Circus Train pass by: with school out, whole families were able to see the rare passing train at this later-than-normal time of day for a Ringling’ move through the rural Virginia village. A mile west of Amelia there had recently been much forest cutting, making the rail line visible from the highway, unlike in previous years when the forest obscured the line which runs about a quarter mile south of Rt. 360. But this time the silver Circus Train was clearly seen all the way from the highway.

3:28pm – Rt. 360 and NS are in parallel again as they enter and pass Maplewood (former pulpwood loading yard for NS’s predecessor Southern Railway). I diverted off the main road to take the “old road” next to the track and train, past the wood yard and then the Amelia County trash dump (which is served by NS) around the following curve. Another family of about 7 people, living in a trailer next to the trash facility’s grade crossing, heard and saw “a train” coming and rose to watch it pass. Then, they saw RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY on the car-sides – and their whole demeanor changed: with astonished excitement, the kids all pointed to it, as did their mother (to others along the trailer), and in seconds all of them lined the fence around their property, also standing hand in hand (and the little ones being held up on the fence by mom and dad) to see The Greatest Show On Earth rolling by in all its glory. With all of them gathered as a family to see, it’s was as if the Circus was performing its show for them at their own home. Nice! (And, we can thank Ringling’s Routing and Tours Dept. and their Transportation Department as well for having Norfolk Southern host this move. On that topic, since NS has such a direct route to the next town, Washington, D.C., NS got the task of taking the show as far as Alexandria, Va. via Lynchburg, and at Alexandria CSXT was to take over for the rest of the move, over the Potomac River, to the D.C. engagement’s storage site: Benning Yard.)

3:33pm – Jetersville, Va. was graced by the passing through of the Blue Unit Circus Train. Over on highway 360, many motorists slowed down to see the train. A state police patrol car passed the rear of the train (going the other way), and in seconds was seen coming back into Jetersville to see them as well. That’s such a hoot: the police officer wanted to see the Circus Train, too! Remember that Amtrak commercial, “There’s something about a train that’s magic!” ….it was brought to mind instantly upon seeing that quick turnaround – and with a deserving, heart-felt smile.

3:37pm – The train had slowed down just a bit to around 25 or so miles per hour to roll over the RR bridge above Highway 360. At this time of day traffic was actually quite heavy, and a lot of people at the highway intersection adjacent to the bridge (with many motorists coming east from the Farmville area) paused to see this train – as did yet another family at another home just up the road, and in sight of, the RR bridge. Then, a mile beyond….

….3:40pm – workers at the Perdue (formerly “Holly Farms”) chicken farm grain elevators all came outside to see the Circus Train rolling by. By now the engineer was keeping the train’s speed to a leisurely pace where Highway 360 directly parallels the rail line’s left side (in this direction), and dozens of people driving along side slowed down to see and pace the train, and to wave to people riding the vestibules (many more train-riders had ventured outside as the weather had turned rather warm today, as compared to the previous several weeks). Also, locals who live near the line were seen coming outdoors as well to see the Circus Train rolling through the county.

3:46pm – The train was beginning to slow down now as the Burkeville, Va. YARD LIMIT board was just ahead, and the RR-imposed speed limit within its boundaries is 10 to 15 mph.

4:00pm – The Blue Unit came to a stop in downtown Burkeville, while dozens of locals emerged from gas stations and local shops to see, many of them driving to a stop at the RR crossing where the crew-change is to take place. Two young women with small children were walking home, one with baby-in-stroller, and also waited to see this rare event – and the full train’s imminent departure. Many railfans were there as well as Circus fans, and the talk here was mainly about the show’s decision to eliminate the elephant acts by Year-2018, and how a new ground-swell of appreciation of the show and its animals might lead to a huge outcry for a reversal of that decision. This went on while the NS crews changed out: the Richmond District crew handed over the train to the Crewe-to-Lynchburg Division crew. Then word came from NS that someone there determined that engine 9348, coupled to the lead stock car, is “not allowed to be coupled to it” for safety reasons (it’s feared that the engine’s snow plow may “lift” the car off its wheels during train-movement), and the crew was directed to TURN THE ENGINES so that current lead unit 2581 could be put into trailing position (it has no such snow plow). The catch to that demand is that the nearest places to turn a locomotive are far away: either back 12 miles up the Richmond line to the Amelia trash-dump facility (with a loop track), or the N&W-to-Southern connection wye in Lynchburg, far west up the line. The Amelia facility is closest to Burkeville, but would require a backup move of THE ENTIRE TRAIN that full 12 miles-distance to accomplish it. In minutes, however, that fear was diminished by someone (--just “who” is never revealed to us, even among those listening in over radio scanners--) who approved of continuing train-movement westbound onto the mainline without turning the power. (Whew!)

4:33pm – DEPART Burkeville, heading west toward their next crew-change: Lynchburg, Virginia. This is where I turned back to home, while the Circus Train headed off into the sunset without me aboard (some of you may have little inkling of that feeling, unless you “grew up” in the show as I did, from 1985 to 1991 over on the Red Unit, and in subsequent years here on the Blue Unit (and also going back and forth, year after year, between both shows).

Oh, do you remember the NS freight train, V08, which was mentioned departing Richmond early this morning before the Circus Train’s flats were even finished being loaded? Well, its RETURN crew and train were sitting on the NS mainline right there in Burkeville waiting for the Blue Unit to clear off the Richmond District line. As soon as the Circus was gone, they got their light to shove backwards (they have an old N&W caboose for the 4-mile reverse move from nearby Crewe Yard) past the signal, then proceed Timetable North to Richmond. That’s railroad efficiency at its best: crews on the ball and trains on the move, making profit for a large transportation carrier that is one of the best in the business.

By the next morning, despite the various delays (---thanks to NS – and to CSXT in the D.C. area for expediting this move in spite of those delays!---), the Blue Unit Circus Train would be safely spotted up at Benning Yard, across the Anacostia River from downtown Washington, D.C., and this Circus Train Adventure would be a part of history, just like the rest which have occurred since the show started way back in 1871 and then took to the rails in its second year: 1872. And the rest of 2015 and beyond will see many more, both with the Blue Unit and its sister show, the Red Unit. As the years unfold and railfans and Circus fans witness these two huge passenger/mixed trains traveling across North America, their travels will harken to the child in all of us who yearn to see live animals working side by side with humans, and a pair of mile-long trains of this type which are the two longest such trains in world history (even Amtrak’s pair of “Auto Trains” are about 20 or so cars shorter than either Ringling’ train) plying the rails we all love. To all those who witness these rare train-runs, a well-wished sentiment spoken at the end of each performance comes forth from The Greatest Show On Earth is especially worthy of being repeated here: “May All Your Days Be Circus Days!”

(A SPECIAL NOTE TO EVERYONE: I STRONGLY URGE YOU ALL TO PLEASE COME AND SEE THE RINGLING’ SHOWS NOW, while we still have those amazing elephants to see: especially in towns where the show has the room to hold, 90 minutes before certain showings, what is called “ANIMAL OPEN HOUSE.” The elephants will still be there at least through 2017. And if you feel the urge, perhaps some of you may choose to write to the show and ask them to seriously reconsider their decision of removing the elephants from the tours if there is any practical way of doing so. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is one of the few ways children in rural America will ever see live animals of this type, and The Greatest Show On Earth is one rare place that is truly equipped to bring them to us. For the love of these amazing animals and for the education of the world of their well-being in humanity’s ongoing adventure on planet Earth, may they all live long and prosper – on the Circus Trains and on the shows the two Circus Trains carry.)

Great report both on the trip and the elephants. Thanks for posting
RichS

IMAGES are now coming in from this move! Here's one from railfan photographer JOE GARNETT, of Fredericksburg, Va. It's from when the show had the elephants outside the train "exploring" the site not long before they departed Richmond.. His Railpictures.net caption for the image reads: "With the Ringling Brothers Circus train already 6 hours late, they figured they would bring the Elephants out for a stretch. This provided a rather unique opportunity for photos as this may be the last time this train ever sees Elephants here as Ringling is phasing them out after this year. The sole locomotive seen here is hooked up to the train keeping the brakes applied, while the other was used to run a couple cars to the other end. This train would finally depart Richmond, Virginia at 14:00, approximately 7 hours after his scheduled departure at 07:00."

~~~THIS PHOTO IS SHOWN HERE WITH JOE'S PERMISSION~~~



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/15 08:16 by rbx551985.

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WOW!! What a great write up.........Thank You.

Man if i had written this i would had to proof read this a couple of times or make a change in wording here or there until i was happy.

When they play Hartford or Bridgeport i always try to catch them somewhere. Had the Meriden cops with me one night once i told them why i was hanging by the tracks around Holts Hill.

They got a kick out of watching the mile long train go by us.

Very good, thank you again!!

Fred

railnuts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WOW!! What a great write up.........Thank You.
>
> Man if i had written this i would had to proof
> read this a couple of times or make a change in
> wording here or there until i was happy.
>
> When they play Hartford or Bridgeport i always try
> to catch them somewhere. Had the Meriden cops with
> me one night once i told them why i was hanging by
> the tracks around Holts Hill.
>
> They got a kick out of watching the mile long
> train go by us.
>
> Very good, thank you again!!
>
> Fred

You're welcome; and to everyone. TOMORROW, Friday, 3/20/15, I plan to post a "photo essay" of the time this train spent in Richmond this past Monday morning, including the ELEPHANTS outside the stocks at the coach storage site - with photos graciously sent for use by Joe Garnett of Fredericksburg, Virginia, who was on hand to film the train's departure. Stay tuned....

UPDATE:  the two emails I received with the PHOTOS are in a ZIP file which is "blocked" by all public libraries in my region from being transferrable to websites such as Trainorders.com or any others.  I will try to get them added here later through other means.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/15 09:31 by rbx551985.