| "This picture taken during that brief period of time 1957-59 when the Ringling Show had come full circle and moved overland. The exception being the animals that were transported in system baggage cars. |
Monday, January 05, 2009
Ringling Trucks
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3 comments:
Coming full circle again, the Ringling show now moves the Gold Show with about the same amount of trailers.
Many thanks for posting. I have never seen photos of the RBBB truck show.
Art Concello gave Charlie Smith the responsibility of moving the 12-truck fleet in Spring 1957 after Charlie had helped Eddie Bolletti build the new indoor/outdoor at winter quarters. Charlie had the job for the next 3 1/2 years. RBBB also leased four rail cars from the Pennsy RR--three baggage cars which housed the animals and a coach (not a Pullman) which transported workers between cities. In mid-season 1960, after playing Mexico City, the show returned to winter quarters, where a new 15-car train (mostly tunnel cars) was waiting to once again cart the Greatest Show on Earth around the nation on rails. Charlie said Deacon Blanchard was the trainmaster for that new unit; Smith became transportation boss responsible for moving wagons between the train and various arena sites. In 1964 Charlie was named trainmaster, succeeding his mentor, Lloyd Morgan, who headed up the RBBB European unit. Charlie remained in that capacity (becoming the first trainmaster on the newly constituted Red unit after the Feld takeover) until1981, He continued working in semiretirement in the recycling yards in Venice and Palmetto until 1995.
Lane Talburt
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