Sunday, October 23, 2011

Flatcar # 63

The History of Flatcar # 63

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 being titled The Mighty Haag Shows on one side and a Red body with White lettering being titled W.W. Cole’s great New York and New Orleans Zoological and Equestrienne Exposition. This car was used from 1965 until 1973. It was never used again.
As of Sept. 2007, it was still sitting on a spur track at the Train Sheds located just west of the Circus World Museum.

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