choochooloco
Clowning Around
For those of you who have viewed my first Ringling Brothers shot, you understand the Eleanor reference. Now that the train is no more, the circus train will truly be my Eleanor.
After a day of switching and spotting intermodal cars (on the left side of the photo), the yardmaster gave us one final move. Our crew was tasked with clearing up 2 tracks for the inbound circus train.
Had the train been on schedule, I would have missed this shot as I would have still been running a locomotive. Lucky for me, the circus train was running behind, most likely due to loading issues or problems doubling up the consist.
Believe it or not, I have never been to the circus. My wife and I took in a perfomance for the first time the following evening after this photo was taken. It was incredibly fun.
As it turns out, this would be my last look at Ringling Brothers Circus Train. Within two years, the last Show to travel by rail would be no more. The equipment was scattered to the winds or met by the scrapper's torch.
And not much longer than that, the engine that pulled this train would be gone as well. Lead SD60M 6798 was sold to Progress Rail, most likely for scrapping. The trailing unit, a standard cab Dash 9, still survives and is running as a DC/AC rebuild.
Just Clowning Around!
October 26, 2015.
Clowning Around
For those of you who have viewed my first Ringling Brothers shot, you understand the Eleanor reference. Now that the train is no more, the circus train will truly be my Eleanor.
After a day of switching and spotting intermodal cars (on the left side of the photo), the yardmaster gave us one final move. Our crew was tasked with clearing up 2 tracks for the inbound circus train.
Had the train been on schedule, I would have missed this shot as I would have still been running a locomotive. Lucky for me, the circus train was running behind, most likely due to loading issues or problems doubling up the consist.
Believe it or not, I have never been to the circus. My wife and I took in a perfomance for the first time the following evening after this photo was taken. It was incredibly fun.
As it turns out, this would be my last look at Ringling Brothers Circus Train. Within two years, the last Show to travel by rail would be no more. The equipment was scattered to the winds or met by the scrapper's torch.
And not much longer than that, the engine that pulled this train would be gone as well. Lead SD60M 6798 was sold to Progress Rail, most likely for scrapping. The trailing unit, a standard cab Dash 9, still survives and is running as a DC/AC rebuild.
Just Clowning Around!
October 26, 2015.