Eastern Railroad Discussion > RBBB Blue Unit -- last move, empty -- May 23/24/25 to Fla.

The final (funeral train) run of the EMPTY Blue Unit Circus Train is to start some time Tues. afternoon, May 23, from out in Uniondale, NY (Long Island), we believe: some personnel are being allowed to sleep off a 12+ -hour tear-down and loading of the flatcars through Monday night, with some departing early morning Tuesday, it's said. This should be taken with a grain of skepticism, as they plan to roll the 56 cars out of Uniondale as soon as possible, dropping off a large cut of coaches in Newark before heading south (we're also told, now, that ALL the fleet's passenger cars are now spoken for -- so at least we will see them PRESERVED and NOT scrapped, which is a great relief for Circus fans and also railroad enthusiasts, particularly passenger cars historians.

A stipulation in the sales contract for all individuals and entities (museums, excursion operators and railroads) getting the cars says they are NOT to divulge to anyone, even online, where they got the cars ... so far that is how it's playing out, however OUTSIDE OBSERVERS have already reported several cuts or individual cars to their new owners. This does not break the contract, as the purchasers are not the ones saying where they're turning up. (I am certain the show executives knew that could and likely would happen.)

We PRESUME the run back to Florida with what's left after the set-off in Newark is to be CSX, but that's not confirmed. Logically, the show (like ANY railroad customer) will try to avoid as many interchange charges as possible (they're already going to have at least 2 if going by CSX: LIRR to Amtrak, Amtrak to CSX, but if they have enough cars to set off on the way back to Fla. from Norfolk Southern locations, they use NS to Florida or somewhere between NY and FL. Most of us believe it's a CSX move, since that's the RR the remaining train ends up on in Florida.

So this is it folks: you may see the Circus Train's BLUE UNIT run south one more time, but no one will be aboard; the show is paying for all personnel to get home, even those on the other side of the planet. And regarding how much the 350 people who live aboard love the train-runs, that's perhaps the saddest notion of all.

Future? Maybe some day the show might be revived somehow, but it will never be like this again without a train. But here's hoping, some day, some how................



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/17 18:50 by rbx551985.

Will he come though Fayetville,NC

Posted from iPhone

UP844 Wrote:
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> Will he come though Fayetville,NC
>
> Posted from iPhone

It will IF (--"IF"--) CSX turns out to be their chosen route back to Florida.

Thanks for all your information and posts about the circus train over the years. The circus train was something I looked forward to each year. Any information continued to be shared on this move will be appreciated. I know things can get tricky with getting the circus train ready and into the appropriate time slot for it to move onto the NEC for Amtrak to hand off to the freight roads.

rbx551985 Wrote:
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(SNIP)
> Future? Maybe some day the show might be revived
> somehow, but it will never be like this again
> without a train. But here's hoping, some day,
> some how................

Thanks for your continuing updates and reporting on the situation. The background helps make sense of a very sad outcome for so many people who love the circus, and the circus train

OCtrainguy Wrote:
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> Thanks for all your information and posts about
> the circus train over the years. The circus train
> was something I looked forward to each year. Any
> information continued to be shared on this move
> will be appreciated. I know things can get tricky
> with getting the circus train ready and into the
> appropriate time slot for it to move onto the NEC
> for Amtrak to hand off to the freight roads.

I do plan to post one more "TRIP REPORT" in another week or two.... right now, I'm far too emotional here on the show to prepare it, let along find the time: starting tomorrow, the national news media will swarm the show here in Uniondale throughout the weekend, and after the last show -- I will not sidestep this -- I'm going to have a breakdown like I have not had since my dad died more than 20 years ago, and that's the truth. This is my FAMILY now, and I will be heartbroken to see them scatter all over the planet without me, and I will also stay through Tues. to see the empty train roll out -- and I'll cry again, as our home (OUR ACTUAL HOME) for all these years also gets scattered to the winds.

In another week or two, that final TRIP REPORT will detail our final run from West Va. to New York -- with a tremendous THANK YOU to the thousands of people (YES, that many) who came trackside to see us one more time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/17 19:11 by rbx551985.

Are the cars in Florida being sold also (thinking of the stock cars, and other cars they were rebuilding)?

thegoonshow Wrote:
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> Are the cars in Florida being sold also (thinking
> of the stock cars, and other cars they were
> rebuilding)?

We heard a "rumor" today that ALL the cars are now spoken for, so we would presume all car-types are going off the roster to new owners, even the stock cars and flatcars. (We presume.)

Well at least they didn't forget about the ones that were left out of the final trip.

How many animals will be on the final train ride home?

Thanks for the post ...

Appreciate all you have posted/shared in the past year or two ... I have been very fortunate in being able to capture both the Blue and Red Trains as they have passed through the Denver area on the Moffat, Denver-Cheyenne, and Joint lines over the past two years or so ... just would like to thank also the unknown individual performers who waved with so friendly of a look on their faces as they passed by my photo locations (still and video) ... that shows the sincere connection between the circus and the common folk ... a true shame that that connection between performers and the "populace" is now lost ...

Odyssey
Evergreen, CO

I am guessing the route will be the same once it reaches philadelphia and points south.

DevalDragon Wrote:
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> How many animals will be on the final train ride
> home?

No animals; they have been sent by highway for the last several years, except for the elephants which were retired a year ago. No people, either: the train, or what's left of it after dropping off cars in Newark that are sold to whomever bought them across the Northeast, will be empty and power turned off, locked up and secured ... an empty shell of what it once was: HOME for 350 people from all over Planet Earth.

rbx551985 Wrote:
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HOME for 350 people
> from all over Planet Earth.


I have, like others, enjoyed seeing and photographing the train many times over the years but my real sadness is the lost of employment by those in both casts (Red & Blue Units).

It is more than just the end of an era, it is life changing for both cast members and support crew.

Best of luck to all.

DaleR

It was quite a sight watching the train come across Coopers Trestle in WV on the inbound trip to Charleston, the lights shining off the coaches was quite a sight to behold, lighting up the entire valley. Knowing the cars will be dark for the trip home is a sad though in itself.

If some one ever made a book or a DVD about the train, its unfortunate ending and its household members, I would bet a lot of people would buy it.

I know I would.

rbx551985 Wrote:
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> A stipulation in the sales contract for all individuals and entities
> (museums, excursion operators and railroads) getting the cars says they
> are NOT to divulge to anyone, even online, where they got the cars ...

Strange. In my opinion the heritage of the cars is a key part of their value. I can't imagine seeing the cars in a place like Baraboo WI without some mention of the history of the car.

Hopefully there will be plenty of third party observers helping to keep track of the destinations.

The contract stipulation may be to prevent the use of the circus's name in future advertising etc of the car. If it's used for charters, etc. By restricting the use, and likely including that in the title of ownership, you assure that Ringling Brothers etc won't show up in advertising outside the control of Feld Entertainment in a few years.

Same reason for painting out the name, etc on the car.

Jeremy from Texas. Please don't let it be the last time I hear from you. I know it is a busy time for you right now. I need your help.

Eagle22 Wrote:
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> Jeremy from Texas. Please don't let it be the last
> time I hear from you. I know it is a busy time for
> you right now. I need your help.

You can ALWAYS contact me; I'm still around on TO.COM -- and plan to be for as long as God has me on this planet and Todd & Co. keep the website running!