In Search of the Circus Train.


grande man

grande man

Bonafied Grande Nut
Hi all. LGM and I went to see the circus train this afternoon. Rumor is, last year the train was pulled by two GP30's in L&N paint! Now that would have been a sight! Problem was, we couldn't find it. :rolleyes: Last year, it was spotted in the old Seaboard yard in downtown Birmingham, not so this year. In looking for it, we ran across a few other trains. ;) The following is a pictorial documentary of our search for the circus train...

BNSF intermodal. Note Sloss Furnaces in the background.
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Hi Nose NS SD40 headed for the 27th street interlocking. We were told by a NS engineer (in a GP59 nearby) that the track crews were replacing a broken rail. He also mentioned that the Circus train would be moved by the NS on Monday. He was baffled as to it's where abouts though, since it wasn't in the Seaboard yard.
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While checking the downtown area by the passenger station, we ran across this on the site of the future Railroad Reservation the city has planned. It's the remains of a wooden caboose. :( If I had to guess, it's probably ex Southern RR.
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A couple of other trains we saw along the way...
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Well, after checking all the logical places, there was only one more that I could think of, Boyle's yard. Boyles is a ways from the Civic Center where the show is at, but guess what we found? A loooong circus train! I counted 24 cars, but couldn't see all of them in the distance!
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That must be quite a show. we'd never see anything like that in these parts our circus is a few trucks and some camper vans. Nice photo's Eric.

Ken.
 
Eric, nice shots! One thing about that caboose though. I doubt it is ex-SRR. The handrail framework at the ends tell me L&N.
 
We had a fun time today (always do ;) ). I'd love for us to get to see the circus train leave Monday. I wonder when it's scheduled out...
 
I watched the Circus train in its last 1/2 a mile here in SD, odd to see that much get crammed into San Diego's yards here... There were outhouses and circus cars everywhere!
 
I saw that circus train in Buffalo back in late october or early november.
It was pretty cool to see.
Thanks for the photos grande man. :)
 
We get the same train here in Peoria every year. I have yet to see it on the move, but it is impressive to see all those cars. I have quite a few pictures, from way back, all in BW, but still impressive.
 
Evening Gang. I can answer the question of the caboose down at the site of the Railroad project. It is an old Seaboard Airline Railroad Caboose. It used to belong to the Heart of Dixie Railway. Sadly,it was burned by vagrants,and I don't know what the future is for it. In fact,Eric,that site used to be where the Heart of Dixie was. Everything was moved to Calera,to keep all the stuff from being damaged further.William.:)
 
Hey Eric. I forgot to tell you,those were some mighty fine photos there boss. I had wondered whwere the Circus train was. Did you try to get any photos of the train when it came into town? The reason I ask is,that one day last week,the local news media and several other people were gathered at the entrance to Boyles yard,waiting for the train.I didn't know if got by there or not.William.
 
L&N Castle said:
Hey Eric. I forgot to tell you,those were some mighty fine photos there boss...
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Oops I shoulda mentioned that in my first reply too :eek: , those are some excellent shots Eric!
 
I'm glad ya'll enjoyed the pics.

William, unfortunately we didn't see the train arrive. It's going out Monday, but I don't know what time. :(

As for the origins of the caboose, thanks for the input. I had heard that a couple of the local crack heads had burned it and some heavyweight passenger cars a while back but hadn't been over to check things out. What a shame.
 
Evening Eric. This morning 7:40am,to be exact,I spotted the circus train near Amtrak Station. On the head-end were the following two locos, A GE dash-9-40,and a Dash-9-40CW.The numbers were 9111,and 9235.Both were NS GE-s. I think the train pulled out some time around 9:00am,or 9:15am. Eric,you weren't kidding when you said it was a long train.Whoa.:D William.
 
L&N Castle said:
Evening Eric. This morning 7:40am,to be exact,I spotted the circus train near Amtrak Station. On the head-end were the following two locos, A GE dash-9-40,and a Dash-9-40CW.The numbers were 9111,and 9235.Both were NS GE-s. I think the train pulled out some time around 9:00am,or 9:15am. Eric,you weren't kidding when you said it was a long train.Whoa.:D William.
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I saw it under the Interstate downtown about 9:30. I wish I'd have had LGM with me today.
 
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