1905 Pullman Business Car "Wisconsin"

The business car "Wisconsin" was built by the Pullman company in 1905, for John Ringling of the famous Ringling Bros. Circus, at a cost of $11,325.23.  The car was used by the Ringling family for travel with the circus until 1916.  At that time it was acquired by the Norfolk Southern Railroad, where it was renamed "Virginian" and used as a business car.

Photos from the Pullman archive, courtesy of the John & Mabel Ringlng Museum.

After leaving the NS in the late 1930s, the car was used on the Atlantic & East Carolina Railway, and was again renamed, this time as the "Carolina." It was parked on a siding in Morehead City, N.C. and used as a hunting lodge by the railroad executives.  (An interesting side note- the founder of the Edwards Rail Car Co. used the car when he was the General Manager of the A&EC, from 1942 through mid 1950s.)

The "Wisconsin" at the North Carolina Transportation Museum.  Photo by Steven Torrico.

Eventually, some time in the 1980s, the car was donated to the North Carolina Transportation Museum, located in the former Spencer Shops, where it currently remains.  However, in 2004 the ownership of the car changed again, this time to the John & Mabel Ringlng Museum in Sarasota, Florida.

 

Pictured above, Rick Hansen, Edwards' Manager of Operations, is removing the upper sashes. The upper sashes are the original leaded art glass, which Ringling wanted removed prior to moving the car.  Photos by Steven Torrico.

Late in 2004 the Edwards Rail Car Co. was awarded a contract to restore the car. The car body will be loaded onto a 80' NS flat car, sans trucks, and travel to the Edwards facility via NS, CSX, and the Florida Central Railroad. The trucks will be transported to Edwards via highway truck. It is planned to restore the car inside and out to its original 1905 configuration.

Upon completion of the restoration, the car will travel to its final resting place inside the Ringling Circus Museum in Sarasota, Fl.

(Steven Torrico)