 The Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Circus big top pole wagon, as in old pictures and in the Greatest Show on Earth movie the one used in the early 1950's where everything was loaded on it used a triple set of dual wheels in the rear. They changed the design and went to a double in the rear as I believe that it blew tires with the triple set of wheels. Does someone or a fan know did they remove the back set or the inner set of wheels???? Because the load was so heavy on the tires when it came off the runs or it was not balanced or something like that??? Any info on this would greatly appreciated and if you look real quick in the film you can see the triple set of tires, then later in the season there was just a dual set. Harry (I took this picture while visiting Smokey at Soldier Field in Chicago in 1955, it appears that the front axle was the one removed.) Buckles  |
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Question from Harry Kingston
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2 comments:
According to the Sept-Oct issue of Little Circus Wagon, which has Buckles picture on the cover with Gordon Carver; Jim Caldwell says this. Wagon #43 was all steel construction. The floor of this wagon was not planked and was ope except for a couple of steel plates. Wagon #43 always carried the center pole for the Rinling Big Top. These poles were made of Oregon Fir and each weighed nearly 2,000 pounds. Their length was 64` 8" and they were 14" at the base. Five such center pole were carried on this wagon.
This wagon was built new in 1951 and was originally equipped with three rear axles. However, this proved very unsatisfactory as all the weight was on the first set of rear axles when the wagon started down the runs during unloading. As a result it would cause the tires on this axle to blow out.
Hal,
Thank you so much for the info on this Pole wagon.
Harry
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