[BL][T-94] THE LAST GREAT CIRCUS TRAIN ADVENTURE: The End of the Ringling Bros. Circus

The end of the Ringling Bros. circus was a sad and historical event.. The last circus train came through the area in May 2017....

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

This is a real shame but a fact of life today. The same thing is happening with our county fairs these days. As an old farm kid, we waited for the fair every year. It was our chance to show what we had done as well as have fun for a week with other kids like us. If these animals were truly being mistreated, there are ways to fix that...and it should be fixed! With that said, have we, as Americans, become so obsessed with video games, social media etc. that we can't even interact personally and actually appreciate going to events such as this anymore? In the words of the immortal Earl Pitts..."Wake up America!" I remember watching the circus train roll past the farm headed to the city about 30 miles away. My wife and I even got to see the circus once with our kids and it's a lifetime memory for all of us. Unfortunately, we won't get to take our twin grandsons or any that come in the future. At least we still have the county and state fair...for now.

[@Trains21]

Well said

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

Trains21 Here's hoping that maybe someday we can take the grands on a steam excursion from here in Northwest Ohio to parts unknown. I'd love to take them on a trip behind the NnW 611! My dad was always a railfan and that was his favorite engine. He instilled that love into me and my kids too. My daughter (mom of the twins) designed a full color tattoo with 611 and his name in memory her grandpa.

[@Trains21]

@@MikeBrown-ii3pt Very touching.. Indeed that will be grand excursion.. Give my best to your family as well.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

Trains21 will do. We're only about 20 miles from the Mad River NKP Society museum in Bellevue Oh. I can't wait til the weather breaks so that we can take the twins to see the trains up close. They already love "choo choos"!

[@Trains21]

@@MikeBrown-ii3pt That's great.. I wish you and yours all the fun in the world!!

[@riprincejr]

I worked on the red unit when I was 17 years old. I lied about my age to get the job. It was the most fantastic adventure of my life. This event will be missed by all who ever witnessed it. To those of you who are happy it ended because you think the animals were abused, all I can say is you are wrong. I was there, I lived it and they were some of the best cared for animals on the planet. I guarantee you don't provide for your pets as well as these animals were cared for.

[@TheNomadicRailfan]

Excellent video. AC. Watched the whole thing. It's a shame that the circus and the trains are a thing of the past. I went to the circus once when I was little. As far as the train goes, at least we have videos like this to keep it alive. Filming both trains in NJ on the same day was certainly something I'll always remember.

[@Trains21]

Thanks Scott. Yeah, It will be missed but whaddaya gonna do

[@iusetano]

I've only been to the circus once. To me greatest show on earth would have been at a Union Station in the late 1940's and early 1950's and watch all the switching of passenger trains from all the different railroads. Great presentation. Excellent video AC. I've never had much respect for PETA either. A true message at the end.

[@Trains21]

I know what you mean.. PETA has had their moments.. Some good, others not so much.

[@dmkays]

Now all those people who dream of running away to the circus will just have to dream of running away.

[@steveprice638]

As ever, the whiners win. They win because they NEVER stop whining. 10 minutes after the last show closed, they will have chosen a new target and will proceed to hound it into extinction. It's all they know and we are all guilty for letting them get away with it.

[@Trains21]

Yep. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[@wilfred8326]

Sad but true. I loved the Circus 🎪. My Kids loved the Circus. My philosophy is if there is REAL ABUSE stop THAT but Don't find EVERYONE GUILTY OF IT because of "Your Evidence" or "Self-righteous Indignation" (re: PETA). For some of the other "PETA TARGETS" they "manufactured Evidence" or "presented Evidence such as dog track kennels in Eastern Europe to ban dog racing in Massachusetts."

[@donstor1]

Incredible! What a fantastic story. I have seen many clips about the end of the Circus but this is the bast by far. It must have been a lot of work to put all of this together and it was done so well. You are the best at what you do and I can only hope you will keep doing it. Just fantastic.

[@Trains21]

Thanks, Don.. I do as much as I can as often as I can but it's getting tougher.

[@jim874]

life goes on... just a little emptier

[@Trains21]

Indeed.. I saw a video on when it left Cincy for the last time.. Sad. Very sad.

[@WaitingFortheTSEMass]

Wow! Channel 12! It was a sad day when the circus train rolled through that last time.

[@Trains21]

Yeah, I figured you'd pick up on that!

[@bluesmike100]

I worked at a plastic manufacturer in Anaheim California in the 80s and 90s. We had a twin rail spur right next to the plant and the train was split in two right there and they would start unloading. They would walk the elephants and all that stuff right by us. They did it every summer in August and the procession would march to the Anaheim Convention Center. Then years later the Pond, they would March them down Cerritos to the backs back side of the pond. We would blow off work and just watch them for hours, and the rail men would talk to us it was really cool. When the Elephant Car went by you got hit right in the face by the smell.

[@leeannthomas8992]

i went to one of there last shows and i just watched the greatest showman

[@Trains21]

Indeed.

[@leeannthomas8992]

Thank you I have never gotten a heart before you have officially made my day!❤️

[@Trains21]

@@leeannthomas8992 Thank you for the kind words.. Allow me to make it again.. Have a great day today and a better one tomorrow..

[@3StepTDC]

Amazing video! Keep up the good work my friend!

[@Trains21]

Thanks Tyler!

[@UrMomsChauffer]

I used to love the circus train when it came to town. It wasn't Ringling, but I didn't care. It was neat to watch them unload all those flat cars.

[@DruSteel69]

Great video, AC. - Drew

[@Trains21]

Thanks Drew

[@DruSteel69]

😎👍🏼

[@railroadwolf]

It's a damn shame. That all of those old circus train passenger cars will be sitting abandoned in a rail yard or shoved on a old abandoned railroad track and be rusting and rotting away to mother nature. Unless they all got rescued and got put into a train museum.

[@amandabeadle-miller2125]

The Ringling Museum is restoring many of the older ones

[@railroadwolf]

That's good to know

[@rudolffabrie3233]

Great video, sad moment.

[@Trains21]

Yeah.

[@nicolag1883]

completly agree, complètement d'accord, tute konsentite

[@catycat28meow]

This video made history.

[@texastrainfan56]

The Circus is said to be coming back in 2023 (with out animals) but I don't really see it staying long with out animals.

[@dillonohlemiller401]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: humans on their own doing tricks doesn’t impress me. The reason you go to the circus is to see animals do things you’ve never seen before. The animal rights groups are to blame. They should have minded their own fucking buisness

[@jbrat4313]

Times have surely has changed as you mentioned. Life is too complex and families did more things together too many distractions.

[@Trains21]

Unfortunately you're right.

[@tom-and-mom]

56:18 what year was this footage of Ringling Brothers shot?

[@CarolynTainter1]

Makes me sick that something like this had to happen, I wounder what happened to all the performers after the final show

[@Trains21]

Unemployed

[@amandabeadle-miller2125]

They joined smaller circuses or retired to Venice area

[@ivanabcdefg9375]

Mass sucide

[@ernestinewhite907]

If there were still circuses all those people that are home less living in tent's be on the show as roadies, concession, performers. Or working in the pie car the restraint car. It is sad there know circus.to run away to.

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

*Casey Junior plays incredibly slow*

[@agwrr71productions79]

Watch the Penn & Teller episode about PETA, and learn the truth! May all your days be circus days!

[@Trains21]

Thanks for the info Dan

[@mikebeatstsb7030]

Over two centuries..?!?

[@tom-and-mom]

1:02:23 Where they sit to this day on the Washington Avenue overpass. 1:02:22

[@tom-and-mom]

1:02:29 In 2015, the CP D&H left the Keystone State for all time. In 2016, the 30T and 31T trains stopped moving between Canada and Enola, and were cut back to Binghamton, New York. The trains still come through town, although now they’re part of the makeup of the train 11Z.

[@a-totally-random-person]

This show could've survived with new leadership and vision.

[@chriscomoglio7806]

😭😩

[@BlackDiamondProductions]

Feld sucks lol but there is still one around here somewhere

[@alonzosmith7795]

She is performer

[@tom-and-mom]

1:02:24

[@lowkeyaaliyah2233]

Why should I care when they abused they animals.

[@riprincejr]

Unless you were actually there as I was to witness the love and care that was given them you have no idea what your talking about.

[@gandjz]

I loved the circus ,but, yes I witnessed elephant abuse. I saw a keeper swinging a bull hook baseball bat style striking an elephant in the legs

[@amandabeadle-miller2125]

research elephant skin

[@ivanabcdefg9375]

One bad apple. They only use elephants born captive, as these don't require negative reinforcement training as do elephants poached from the wild.

[@ericlakota6512]

Loved the circus but they needed to do away with elophents they arent happy same as the orcas its just not right no matter how you look at it theas anamals shoulent be in jail for are sick entertainments a elephent needs to live Horable life in circus when you know they want to be out grazzing on grass not being asked to perform tricks for food.

[@wilfred8326]

Maybe if you could spell, use proper arguments and grammar, I would agree, but I don't. It isn't perfect but the Circus allowed many of these species to SURVIVE.