The History of Flatcar # 59
This flatcar is of a Warren design. Upon it’s acquisition by the Circus World Museum on September 21, 1964 by way of a purchase from World of Mirth Shows by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. this flatcar was used in most parades over the years.
While its origin is unclear, it was numbered 66 while on the World of Mirth Shows. World of Mirth Shows bought some of the Sparks Circus flatcars through Sam Gumpertz in February of 1937.
This is documented in the Joseph Bradbury article about the Downie Bros. Circus under the ownership of Charlie Sparks in the Bandwagon, page 22 of the July / August 1976 issue.
The Bob Goldsack book about the World of Mirth claims that World of Mirth bought additional rail equipment from the Clyde Beatty Circus and the Sells-Floto Circus in 1938 as well as two stock cars from the defunct Tim McCoy Show.
Once restored for the Circus World Museum train, this car was painted silver. On one side in Green letters was the show title “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Pawnee Bill’s Great Far East Show”. On the other side was the show title of “The Great Adam Forepaugh and Sells Bros. United Shows” painted in Blue letters with a White shadow and a light blue outline. This paint scheme existed from 1965 until at least 1986.
At some point in time, that I have not been able to document yet, this car was repainted a silver color with a red band inside the steel structural framework and lettered in Yellow, “Adam Forepaugh and Sells Bros. Circus” on both sides of the car. This color scheme was used from a questioned year of 1987 (???) to definitely 1996.
In 1997 the car was repainted again. This time the car was painted an off orange color. It was lettered in Red Letters with a Green shadow with the show title “Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Circus”. This color scheme was used through 2003, the last Great Circus Parade to Milwaukee.
This flatcar is of a Warren design. Upon it’s acquisition by the Circus World Museum on September 21, 1964 by way of a purchase from World of Mirth Shows by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. this flatcar was used in most parades over the years.
While its origin is unclear, it was numbered 66 while on the World of Mirth Shows. World of Mirth Shows bought some of the Sparks Circus flatcars through Sam Gumpertz in February of 1937.
This is documented in the Joseph Bradbury article about the Downie Bros. Circus under the ownership of Charlie Sparks in the Bandwagon, page 22 of the July / August 1976 issue.
The Bob Goldsack book about the World of Mirth claims that World of Mirth bought additional rail equipment from the Clyde Beatty Circus and the Sells-Floto Circus in 1938 as well as two stock cars from the defunct Tim McCoy Show.
Once restored for the Circus World Museum train, this car was painted silver. On one side in Green letters was the show title “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Pawnee Bill’s Great Far East Show”. On the other side was the show title of “The Great Adam Forepaugh and Sells Bros. United Shows” painted in Blue letters with a White shadow and a light blue outline. This paint scheme existed from 1965 until at least 1986.
At some point in time, that I have not been able to document yet, this car was repainted a silver color with a red band inside the steel structural framework and lettered in Yellow, “Adam Forepaugh and Sells Bros. Circus” on both sides of the car. This color scheme was used from a questioned year of 1987 (???) to definitely 1996.
In 1997 the car was repainted again. This time the car was painted an off orange color. It was lettered in Red Letters with a Green shadow with the show title “Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Circus”. This color scheme was used through 2003, the last Great Circus Parade to Milwaukee.
The car now rests on a track near the CWM car barns.
No comments:
Post a Comment