The Last Great Circus Train - Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey 2017

Roster of the RBBB Trains in the WWI Hospital Car Years 1923-1947

*	*	24 SURPLUS WWI US ARMY HOSPITAL CARS
		Following World War I, the war to end all wars, the US Army had surplus hospital cars to sell. Ringling purchased 24 of them for circus train use. They served the circus from 1923 to 1947. Cars for performers and management were generally given the names of cities. Cars for general laborers were generally given the names of states. Sadly, it took the surplus of another World War to supplant these cars. This list is a work-in-progress -- and probably always will be. Any additions or corrections, please email.
#	CAR	RINGLING'S FORMER WWI US ARMY HOSPITAL CARS
70		Coach Car 70 CONNECTICUT was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. Renamed MONTANA in 1947 when one of the new WWII Hospital Cars was given the name CONNECTICUT (eventually).
71	Photo Needed	Coach Car 71 INDIANA was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. It lost its name, but retained its number, in 1947 when a new WWII Hospital Car took the name (eventually).
72	Photo Needed	Coach Car 72 MINNESOTA was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. It lost its name, but retained its number, in 1947.
73	Photo Needed	Coach Car 73 MICHIGAN was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. It lost its name, but retained its number, in 1947.
74	Photo Needed	Coach Car 74 ILLINOIS was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. It lost its name, but retained its number, in 1947 when a new WWII Hospital Car took the name.
75	Photo Needed	Coach Car 75 FLORIDA was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. It lost its name, but retained its number, in 1947 when a new WWII Hospital Car took the name.
76	Photo Needed	Coach Car 76 WISCONSIN was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. It lost its name, but retained its number, in 1947 when a new WWII Hospital Car took the name.
77		Coach Car 77 NEBRASKA was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. It lost its name, but retained its number, in 1947 when a new WWII Hospital Car took the name.
78	Photo Needed	Coach Car 78 MARYLAND was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. It lost its name, but retained its number, in 1947 when a new WWII Hospital Car took the name.
79	Photo Needed	Coach Car 79 ALABAMA was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. Renamed NEW JERSEY in 1947 (its last year) when one of the new WWII Hospital Cars was given the name ALABAMA.
81	Photo Needed	Coach Car 81 LOUISVILLE was a former PRR combine car. Renamed ARIZONA in 1947 (its last year) when one of the new WWII Hospital Cars was given the name LOUISVILLE.
82		Coach Car 82 DES MOINES was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI.
83	Photo Needed	Coach Car 83 ST LOUIS was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI.
84	Photo Needed	Coach Car 84 CLEVELAND (first)? was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI.
85	Photo Needed	Coach Car 85 NEW YORK was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI.
86		Coach Car 86 WORCESTER was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. Later 86 BOSTON(?)
87		Coach Car 87 SARASOTA was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. Became Executive Car 99 SARASOTA(?). See below.
88	Photo Needed	Coach Car 88 LOS ANGELES was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI.
89	Photo Needed	Coach Car 89 SEATTLE was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. Renamed MAINE in 1947 (its last year) when one of the new WWII Hospital cars was given the name SEATTLE.
90	Photo Needed	Coach Car 90 WASHINGTON was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI.
91		Coach Car 91 SAN ANTONIO was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI. Renamed OREGON in 1947 (its last year) when one of the new WWII Hospital cars was given the name SAN ANTONIO.
92	Photo Needed	Combo(?) Car 92 was a heavyweight combo car that may have become Advertising Car #2 (see below). JOMAR may have taken its place as the new #92 (see below).
93	Photo Needed	Coach Car 93 CHEYENNE was a heavyweight observation car.
94	Photo Needed	Coach Car 94 ATLANTA was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI.
95	Photo Needed	Coach Car 95 NEW ORLEANS was heavyweight parlor car.
96	Photo Needed	Coach Car 96 PORTLAND was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI.
97	Photo Needed	Coach Car 97 PITTSBURGH was a former US Army Hospital Car built during WWI.
#	CAR	CIRCUS HOSPITAL CAR OF THE SAME ERA
99	Photo Needed	Hospital Car 99 FLORENCE NIGHTENGALE was converted from a Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus coach car and joined the Ringling train in 1936. It provided a place for injured performers and workers to recuperate on the train rather than staying behind in a brick-and-mortar hospital. It only lasted one season.
#	CAR	ADVERTISING CARS OF THE SAME ERA
1		Advertising Car No. 1/Laundry Car 124 TEXAS was a 6-axle heavyweight car acquired from Al G Barnes-Sells Combined Circus where it had been an advertising car from 1926 to 1938. It served as Advertising Car No. 1 for Ringling from 1939 to 1947. When it became laundry-coach 124 TEXAS in 1948, it was painted like the other passenger-type cars -- silver with red stripe until retired in 1955 before heading to the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI in 1959. By 1953 it was the only "old-time" car on the train..
2		Advertising Car No. 2 was originally ? The combo car #2 served as the circus' second advertising car following WWI. The car may have formerly been #92.
#	CAR	RINGLING EXECUTIVE CARS OF THE SAME ERA
84		Private Car 84 CALEDONIA (later 84 EVANSTON) was Charles Ringling's second heavyweight private car. It was purchased new in 1923 to replace his first private car, the first Ringling #84. The car remained #84 CALEDONIA until Charles died in 1946. It was renamed 84 EVANSTON for Charles' hometown when Robert Ringling began using it as his private car in 1947 - and ran that way for a single year before being retired.
100		Private Car 100/92/32 JOMAR was John Ringling's heavyweight private car. Built by Pullman in 1917. Its name was a contraction of the first names of John and Mable Ringling. It replaced their first private car WISCONSIN. By 1940 the car was numbered 100. Initially, it looked like any other business car. Later it was refurbished to blend in with the new WWII Hospital Cars. For years it would run on excursions and with the circus train, painted silver and with louvers over the windows, much like the former hospital cars. Its dining salon featured a series of circus murals by Charles Baskerville. Later, it served as home of John Ringling North and his family at the winter quarters in Sarasota. Still later it served as employee housing at the winter quarters. By 1973 it was in storage at Port Tampa.
99	Photo Needed	Private Car 99 SARASOTA was a heavyweight private car. By 1940 the car was numbered 99, taking the number previously used by 99 FLORENCE NIGHTENGALE (see above). Former 87 SARASOTA?
#	CAR	STOCK CARS
10-30	Photos Needed	Twenty One Stock Cars for transporting circus animals.
#	CAR	BAGGAGE-STOCK CARS
32-33	Photos Needed	Two Baggage-Stock Cars for transporting materials.
#	CAR	FLAT CARS
101-140	Photos Needed	Forty Flat Cars for transporting circus wagons and equipment.
*	*	Acknowledgments
*	*	Research resources include: Circus Fans Association of America, Tom Parkinson & Charles Philip Fox authors of The Circus Moves by Rail, Joeseph J. Kaspar, Robert Cline. Many thanks to all who have contributed to keeping track of the histories of the equipment of the RBBB circus trains!

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