Eastern Railroad Discussion > First & Last Time to Circus

I'm planning to go to the RBBB circus for the first and last time in May at Charleston WV. Do any TOs have the latest skinny on 1) when the train will arrive in CWV, 2) where it will unload and 3) where it will show relative to the Amtrak Station or another landmark? I will probably arrive on the Cardinal from DC and get a rental car--much cheaper than fly to CHI from LAX and take the Cardinal east--oddly enough. Are there any decent economy hotels/motels nearby? I'm not a perfectionist, but a a nice location for an arrival shot of the train, if in daytime, would also be appreciated. Will the performers be traveling on the train at that time? Any other thoughts, advice, etc? Thanks in advance!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/17 12:38 by railwaybaron.

Enjoy the circus! I decided to buy tickets for my daughter and I a couple years ago after they announced they were putting the elephants out to pasture. I knew at the time that I was witnessing the end of a piece of Americana and wanted my daughter to have that experience and memory. It was was our first and last time to see the circus.

Posted from Android

Without the elephants, it became "all crap now."
And elephant crap ain't nothing to sneeze at. I recall
many years ago taking my daughters to the Buffalo zoo,
where people were tossing peanuts to the elephants. The
pachyderms were showing their appreciation by throwing
back the peanut exhaust.

I am not sure what you are trying to tell me other than to be glad I won't be seeing any elephants.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/17 18:21 by railwaybaron.

railwaybaron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am not sure what you are trying to tell me other
> than to be glad I won't be seeing any elephants.

OK, here is hopefully some useful information. The Amtrak station in Charleston is on the south side of the Kanawha River but right at or basically under the South Side bridge. From there it is a twenty minute walk to the Charleston Civic Center where the circus will perform. I've not yet stayed in Charleston in a hotel but there are hotel options in East Charleston where I-64 crosses the Kanawha and MacCorkle Ave. As far as rental cars go I have no idea but perhaps the Kanawha Valley Regional Transit (KRT) http://rideonkrt.com/ could be of assistance in getting to a rental car place if you can't find one downtown. The circus train will be on the Norfolk Southern, former, Conrail, Penn Central, NYC, Kanawha and Michigan (which was part of or owned by the Toledo and Ohio Central). This line runs on the north side of the Kanawha River, same side as the Civic Center and downtown. The line is relatively easy to chase as it is near US 60 much of the way from Deepwater where the Virginian connects from across the river. The passenger cars, which will be occupied, will be stored at Dickinson Yard which is a little east of Belle West Virginia on US 60. The flats are stored right in downtown Charleston in a lightly used yard. This is based off of what used to happen, I have not been down there since WATCO took over so although I wouldn't expect change, you never know. Oh yes that line is now WATCO, not NS.

Jim