Notice the electrical outlets that were placed for the lights when loading at night on these old shows. The silver plaque was placed there by the CWM honoring the purchase of this car by the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Mt. Vernon Flatcar # 64
If you enlarge this by double clicking it, you'll see the lettering "Illinois G USA" under this orange box of paint. I am only assuming that this is the steel that was used in the manufacture of these Mt. Vernon flatcars.
Mt. Vernon Flatcar # 64
This is the paint scheme on the other side. This photo was taken in 1970 by my Dad.
Mt. Vernon Flatcar # 64
The History of Flatcar # 64
This flatcar is 70’ long and was built by the Mt. Vernon Car Manufacturing Co. sometime between 1921 and 1927. The original owners are unknown. Speculation could be that they were from the Sparks Circus that bought Mt. Vernons in 1921 and 1923 and that they were bought from Ringling in 1936 or 1937 after Ringling had bought the American Circus Corporation that included the Sparks Circus. The Cole Bros. Circus had Mt. Vernons also. Their train was a compilation of former show equipment including the 1925 Robbins Bros. Circus, the 1924 to 1926 Christy Bros. Circus and / or the 1925 to 1927 Miller Bros. 101 Ranch Wild West show.
It is also uncertain as to just when the World of Mirth Shows acquired this car and from whom. While it was on the World of Mirth Shows it was # 61.
This car was purchased by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co from the World of Mirth Shows for the Circus World Museum on Sept. 21, 1964. It was used as a run car.
Once in the possession of the Circus World Museum, the car was refurbished and repainted a Red body with White lettering and a Gold Outline titled Howe’s Great London Circus with Van Amburg’s Trained Wild Animals on one side of the car and painted Maroon with Yellow Letters and an Orange Outline being titled the Greater Norris and Rowe Show on the other side.
This car was used from 1965 through 1973 then when the parade train was resurrected again in 1985 through 1991. It was never used after that.
As of Sept. 2007, this car was resting on a spur track by the Train Sheds located just west of the Circus World Museum.
This flatcar is 70’ long and was built by the Mt. Vernon Car Manufacturing Co. sometime between 1921 and 1927. The original owners are unknown. Speculation could be that they were from the Sparks Circus that bought Mt. Vernons in 1921 and 1923 and that they were bought from Ringling in 1936 or 1937 after Ringling had bought the American Circus Corporation that included the Sparks Circus. The Cole Bros. Circus had Mt. Vernons also. Their train was a compilation of former show equipment including the 1925 Robbins Bros. Circus, the 1924 to 1926 Christy Bros. Circus and / or the 1925 to 1927 Miller Bros. 101 Ranch Wild West show.
It is also uncertain as to just when the World of Mirth Shows acquired this car and from whom. While it was on the World of Mirth Shows it was # 61.
This car was purchased by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co from the World of Mirth Shows for the Circus World Museum on Sept. 21, 1964. It was used as a run car.
Once in the possession of the Circus World Museum, the car was refurbished and repainted a Red body with White lettering and a Gold Outline titled Howe’s Great London Circus with Van Amburg’s Trained Wild Animals on one side of the car and painted Maroon with Yellow Letters and an Orange Outline being titled the Greater Norris and Rowe Show on the other side.
This car was used from 1965 through 1973 then when the parade train was resurrected again in 1985 through 1991. It was never used after that.
As of Sept. 2007, this car was resting on a spur track by the Train Sheds located just west of the Circus World Museum.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Thrall Flatcars
The Circus World Museum bought 6 of the Thrall flats from Royal American Shows. Four were never touched. Two were repaired and re-painted with # 231 seeing the most service. # 234 was repainted and ready to go again but never re-decked. # 234 was used from 1992 through 1999. # 231 saw the parade from 1992 through the last train ride to Milwaukee in 2003. I may be wrong, and I hope someone can straighten this out, but to the best of my knowledge, these are the only 6 Thrall flatcars still in existance and all of them are at the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin.
Thrall Flatcar # 231
The History of Flatcar # 231
This flatcar is a 72 ft. Thrall design flat. It was purchased from the Royal American Shows on January 28, 1987 by the Circus World Museum for $ 2000.00. While on the Royal American Shows it was numbered # 35.
The origin of the car is from the Thrall Car Manufacturing Company. It was built in 1949 for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. It was intended for use by two of the steel seat wagons designed by Art Concello but it was discovered the seat wagons were too heavy for these flats.
After Ringling closed under canvas in 1956, they were put up for sale in 1959. Royal American Shows bought a couple. In 1961, Ringling sold all remaining flatcars to Royal American Shows, so it us unknown for sure whether this was purchased from Ringling in 1959 or 1961.
Royal American Shows used this flat on their train until they stopped train travel. It was offered for sale and six of them were purchased by the Circus World Museum for $ 2000.00 each.
They were not used for the first 5 years. In 1992, the first Thrall flat car was used in the Parade train. It was painted silver with the Bright Red Letters and White Outline with the traditional lettering of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows. The flat car was used in every parade through 2003.
As of September 2007, this car was resting inside the Train sheds located just west of the Circus World Museum.
This flatcar is a 72 ft. Thrall design flat. It was purchased from the Royal American Shows on January 28, 1987 by the Circus World Museum for $ 2000.00. While on the Royal American Shows it was numbered # 35.
The origin of the car is from the Thrall Car Manufacturing Company. It was built in 1949 for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. It was intended for use by two of the steel seat wagons designed by Art Concello but it was discovered the seat wagons were too heavy for these flats.
After Ringling closed under canvas in 1956, they were put up for sale in 1959. Royal American Shows bought a couple. In 1961, Ringling sold all remaining flatcars to Royal American Shows, so it us unknown for sure whether this was purchased from Ringling in 1959 or 1961.
Royal American Shows used this flat on their train until they stopped train travel. It was offered for sale and six of them were purchased by the Circus World Museum for $ 2000.00 each.
They were not used for the first 5 years. In 1992, the first Thrall flat car was used in the Parade train. It was painted silver with the Bright Red Letters and White Outline with the traditional lettering of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows. The flat car was used in every parade through 2003.
As of September 2007, this car was resting inside the Train sheds located just west of the Circus World Museum.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Flatcar # 8
A few of you know that I have been working on a documentation of the Circus World Museum train for a couple years now. This documentation was about every train car used over the years they had the parades. Every time I think I'm not going to find anything else, another photo appears that adds to the documentation and at times has changed the order of the train consist.
A few Days ago Dick Dykes ran a few pictures of the Cetlin & Wilson Carnival and I commented on this car. This straight sided Flatcar is currently outside of the train sheds at the Circus World Museum. It is considered to be the oldest flatcar still in existance in Show business. The Historical information at the end is in part due to the work Mr. Fred Dahlinger Jr. did while at the CWM. I have greatly expanded it and brought it up to date.
I will ask all of you, if you have a Schlitz or Great Parade poster would you mind emailing me a digital photo of it to add to the complete history? I have many but I'm missing some. You can reach me at my website address; tigeract@thecircusworld.com
Thanks,
Bob
A few Days ago Dick Dykes ran a few pictures of the Cetlin & Wilson Carnival and I commented on this car. This straight sided Flatcar is currently outside of the train sheds at the Circus World Museum. It is considered to be the oldest flatcar still in existance in Show business. The Historical information at the end is in part due to the work Mr. Fred Dahlinger Jr. did while at the CWM. I have greatly expanded it and brought it up to date.
I will ask all of you, if you have a Schlitz or Great Parade poster would you mind emailing me a digital photo of it to add to the complete history? I have many but I'm missing some. You can reach me at my website address; tigeract@thecircusworld.com
Thanks,
Bob
Flatcar # 8
This is a Xerox copy of a Wm. Jones photo at the Circus World Museum taken in 1939. You can see it is numbered 44. The Mighty Sheesley Shows was a carnival. They had this flatcar from at least 1930 to 1944 when they sold the show. The original owner after manufacture of the car is unknown. If anyone has any more information, please feel free to let us know.Flatcar # 8
This is a Bill Hall Photo. Once this car was bought by Cetlin and Wilson, it was number 44 for its entire 23 year stay.
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