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Timeline for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Trains |
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This
timeline is very much a work-in-progress. Any additions or
corrections, please email. |
DATE |
NOTES |
1871 |
The first performance of P. T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome, just six years after the American Civil War. In 1871 the show as contained to the Northeastern US - NY, CT, NJ, PA, MA, VT, NH and ME. But Barnum wanted to go farther - and faster. |
April 18, 1872 |
The P. T. Barnum show takes to the rails for the first time, loading up in New Brunswick, NJ. The loading was supervised by P.T. Barnum and W.C. Coop. It took 12 hours. The railroads would provide the locomotives, cabooses, crews and track the train needed. The year 1872 saw performances in NY, NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, MO, KS, IA, MN, MI, DE, MD, WI, and KY with 146 stops over the course of 7000 miles. The show grossed over $1,000,000. |
1891 |
The first performance of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. |
1897-1902 |
Barnum & Bailey take their show to Europe, where they again move by rail. Eight sleeping cars were among 67 cars built in England for the five-year tour. Fifty cars from Barnum's European train eventually became the train for Buffalo Bill's Wild West show when it toured Europe. |
March 30, 1919 |
The first performance of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows - held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. |
May 1952 |
Cecil B. DeMille's Oscar-winning film The Greatest Show on Earth debuts in wide release. James Stewart, Charlton Heston and Betty Hutton star. Decades later this VHS/DVD movie is supposedly not allowed on board the RBBB trains. The film depicts the wreck of a circus train. |
July 16, 1956 |
The last RBBB traveling tent show. Hereafter the circus performed only in air-conditioned arenas. This was the last RBBB movement by rail until February 1960. |
1957-1959 |
RBBB takes a break from the rails and converts, temporarily, to tractor-trailers. Elephants and horses are still transported by rail in RBBB stock cars. |
1979 |
The first and last year for the RBBB Gold Unit Train. |
September 28, 2010 |
The ultimate circus train runs from Speers, WY to Denver, CO -- the RBBB Blue Unit Train with 65 cars, over 6000 tons, over 6000 feet, elephants on board, and pulled by the world's largest operating steam locomotive. |
Oct 25, 2015 |
The last RBBB Built to Amaze performance with Asian elephants. Blue Unit in Cedar Rapids, IA. |
May 1, 2016 |
The last RBBB Circus Xtreme performance with Asian elephants. Red Unit in Wilkes-Barre, PA |
March 10, 2017 |
RBBX circus train car auction. 120 rail cars auctioned. |
May 7, 2017 |
Providence, RI. The last Red Unit/Circus Xtreme circus performance. |
May 21, 2017 |
Uniondale, NY. The last Blue Unit/Out of This World circus performance, bringing the RBBB circus to a close after 146 years. |
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