Friday, October 21, 2011

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.

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