Ringling-Barnum 1941 #1

Scan000010101, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. As we know, RBBB in 1941 was the largest circus ever to travel the country. This is the third year the train was loaded and unloaded by elephants since baggage horses had been eliminated following the 1938 season. The show carried a total of 47 elephants, hauled in four cars and in the picture above we see one of the cars attached to the 1st Section (the show train moved in four sections) these elephants did nothing but work in harness. Here they are being fed while waiting for the cars to be spotted. The men sitting on the wagons might be members of the train crew who will set up the runs on this "run car" when it arrives at the proper crossing. When the flat cars were all unloaded these elephants would be taken to the lot and join the rest of the herd already picketed in the menagerie. They would rest all day and when the crowd started to arrive for the evening performance, they would head back to the crossing where the cook house, blacksmith, commissary etc. wagons were ready to be reloaded.