The Blue unit and Red unit were two different shows so not interchangeable. Normally the shows would get revamped during the winter break, either every year or every other year. With the circus closing didn't happen this past winter. There was talk of combining the shows into one and try and keep it going. I think at some point Feld just got pissed about it. Said the heck with it, animal rights wackos win, and decided to shut the whole thing down.

I'm kind of surprised they didn't finish out the whole year. Once word got out they were closing, they started selling out the shows. Possibly it had to do with reservation/cancellation fees at the venues. They only kept it going long enough to avoid any fees, otherwise might have shut it down sooner. I'm sure the performers/crew would have liked to continue on longer.

How they decided which show and hence train unit would go where, I don't know. But since it was decided some time last year, it had nothing to do with the cars selling.

Back in February when it was here in Atlanta and a group of us went to see it, I was looking into how to buy a car or two. And some were talking with the trainmaster about where they might store the train sets until they sold, and even maybe getting the trainmaster a job at a local shortline. Next thing I knew, they already had the first auction. After I found out what the requirements had been (basically sight unseen and deposit up front), and you couldn't keep the logos, I kind of lost interest. Here we are two months later and most of the cars have sold. Unless you saw something you wanted and aggressively went after it, you missed out.

The four passenger cars delivered to Uceta/Yoeman Yards, Tampa Florida for further RBBX disposal:

RBBX 60012 (Pie Car)
RBBX 63013 (Generator Car)
RBBX 40003 Coach
RBBX 42022 Coach

The other Red Unit cars are reported as still in Oak Island, NJ (ex-Lehigh Valley yard).

I thought I saw a post that the red pie car had already been sold. Is it still for sale? At least I've seen that car. Do the cars in FL still have the logos on them? Probably always come up with your own logo. Fred's Flying Circus, or some such. With a little thought, probably come up with something better.

If anyone hears of the disposition of RBBB 41304 the former PRR "Elmira Inn," please message me as I'm curious as to where this car ends up.

Good article on the end of the Ringling Brothers Circus, plus some interesting facts about the circus train.

http://www.wvalways.com/story/35449484/ ... ros-circus

Cars were intact when they traveled south. How long this will remain is anyone's guess.

Update:

As per the train's "resident railfan," two rumors:

1) ALL rolling stock has reportedly been spoken for in one fashion or another;

2) a confidentiality clause is in effect upon successful bidders/recipients as to publicizing where the equipment came from.

Now, this is like expecting to keep the long-ago-proposed "MX Minuteman missile trains" secret. Ain't..... gonna..... happen, between railfans, circus train enthusiasts, rail equipment historians/roster-keepers, and the like. But what it DOES most likely mean is that we're not going to hear "publicity announcements" from preservationists or future operators, aside from the two regarding five cars already leaked. We're simply going to have to start tracking movements out of Oak Island, NJ come Tuesday and later. I'm certain we're going to have some comical routine where we have a car or several being switched into the lead for a well-known museum or excursion operation, and the spokesperson, officials, etc. are going to stand there with the car(s) rolling in fifty feet behind them saying "We have no idea what you're talking about......" with a farcical grin.

More from https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/ ... ?2,4297318

Just passed the blue unit being Assembled by the LIRR for the last time just a few mins ago. Im assuming the train will be heading out post rush hour

I live alongside the LIRR Garden City "Secondary" siding where the train parks during its NY stay. It departed for New Jersey around 4:30 PM EDT. Most of the occupants left yesterday (May 22) via personal or rented vehicles, or charter buses lined-up at the Selfridge Ave crossing. Crews then went through the cars, dumping whatever was left behind through the vestibules, into company pickup trucks. "Fire" hoses connected to local hydrants to water the train, plus flexible "inter-car" water lines, were dismantled, and discarded by crews into dumpsters positioned along the entire line of cars. Quite the scene!

So-called "Purple Unit" or "Ghost Train" (rolling empty, no passengers save for maybe one escort or two, cars from both previous trains) reported on the roll south this AM via CSX from Newark, NJ bound for Florida; the railfan grapevine postulates that cars will be cut out of the train at Rocky Mount, NC; Baldwin Yard in Jacksonville; and possibly Acca Yard in Richmond for furthe forwarding to new homes.

According to (former) RBBB rail sources, the following cars were set off at Rocky Mount, NC at 4 AM today:

43012 Blue, 43007 Blue, 43001 Red, 43006 Red, 43008 Red, 43004 Red, 43002 Red, 43005 Red, 43010 Red

A different source is now saying that these cars were set off at Nash County RR Facility, south of the Amtrak station at Rocky Mount:
RBBX 43012 (originally car 192), RBBX 43001 (36), RBBX 43006 (52), RBBX 43008 (49), RBBX 43004 (46), RBBX 43002 (42), RBBX 43005 (55), RBBX 43010 (51), RBBX 60001 (165) Machine/Shop Car.

Someone speculated online about the chance these cars were headed to North Carolina DOT for conversion to NCDOT/Amtrak trainset cars. That's not completely a crazy idea......

Steve Barry posted a video on the RAILFAN & RAILROAD Facebook page showing the final southbound circus train crossing the Susquehanna River.
https://www.facebook.com/railfanmag/?hc_ref=SEARCH

According to a 2013 article about NCDOT tubing and rebuilding rail cars:

http://ccrail.com/wp-content/uploads/20 ... _Story.pdf

“We expect to buy new equipment in 2018 for the fifth Piedmont,
McDowell said. That move will come because NCDOT has pretty much
exhausted the supply of 1960s cars eligible for tubing out and rebuilding"

Looks like NCDOT may have found an unexpected source of 1960s cars to tube and rebuild.

Paul

No surprise if they are. Look at the hospital cars that they have turned into Bike - snack bar cars... some really nice conversions. And then there's the Executive Sleepers that they acquired from Union Pacific during the Chicago & North Western "fire sale"... again some really nice conversions.

Other cars have also been rebuilt for RNCX with the former leg-rest coaches that they acquired having seating changed and windows added/subtracted for the new interior. A number of the RBBX cars would be perfect for such a conversion, with windows being altered to better suit the need. Given the age of the 43000-series cars it makes them perfect for further rebuilding and use, being contemporaries of some other cars on the roster.

To see what RNCX has done, visit their page at the Passenger Car Photo Index... just Click Here.

The latest announcements:

The Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society in Scranton is getting two former sleepers (40006, 42010) and a stock car (60017):

https://www.facebook.com/ELDCPS/photos/ ... =3&theater

Cincinnati Dinner Train is supposedly getting a car for conversion to a coach.

Vermont Railway reportedly getting two cars, including the Blue Unit's "pie car".