Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Flatcar # 69

The History of Flatcar # 69

This flatcar is a 70 ft. Warren design flat. The car design uses the under belly truss design of the very early Warren Tank Car Co. manufacturing. It was placed on loan to the Circus World Museum from the Royal American Shows on April 27, 1971.
The actual origin of the car is only speculation. Built by the Warren Tank Car Co. sometime between 1920 and 1927, this flatcar was one of many that Royal American Shows bought from the defunct Cetlin and Wilson Shows in 1968 when the show went broke in Savannah, Ga. Royal American’s loan to the Circus World Museum stated these cars had a Ringling background.
On Jan. 15, 1952, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, Inc. daily ledgers now housed at the Circus World Museum Research Library detail the sale of three flatcars numbered 125, 132, & 137 to Cetlin & Wilson Shows. The Billboard reported in the February 2, 1952 issue that Cetlin & Wilson had bought five RBBB flats and they had already been shipped to Petersburg, Va. winter quarters for Cetlin and Wilson. It is also known that Ringling did indeed have 70’ Warrens as a couple exist at the Circus World Museum now.
Upon it’s acquisition for the Circus Train, the car was refurbished and repainted Silver with Orange letters and a Blue Outline. It was titled Hagenbeck Wallace Circus and lettered the same on both sides of the car for the 1972 and 1973 runs to Milwaukee.
When the parade train was resurrected again in 1985, the flatcar had been repainted as a Silver car with Red Letters, a Green Outline and a Dark Red for a shadow on the lettering. It was titled Yankee Robinson Circus. This paint scheme was on both sides of the car through 1995.
The flatcar was NOT used for 1996, 1997, or 1998. It was then repainted and re-lettered again. This time it is a light blue car with Yellow Lettering, a Burgandy Shadow, and a White Accent on the letters. It was titled “Great Circus Parade”.
As of Sept. 2007, it was still parked beside the Train sheds located west of the Museum.

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