Something a Little Different...

Okay, I am stepping away from my layout idea descriptions to show something else today. On Monday, the Ringling Brothers Barnum Bailey Circus train made its final trip through upstate South Carolina. A number of people from the Central Model Railroad and Historical Association set out to document the final trip. Originally, the train was expected to come through early in the morning, but it was running late and due to track maintenance in nearby Clemson, it got held a few miles out of Clemson near central. That allowed for a few pictures to be taken as the train waited.

 NS9231 (GE D9-44CW) and NS2584 (EMD SD70M) led the train.

 The train stretched down the line for almost a mile.

But before the train could depart, the track crew and equipment had to be moved out of the way. What followed was a parade of work equipment past the waiting cameras.

The work train pulled off on the spur in Central where a fuel truck waited to refuel them. They had been out spreading ballast according to reports.

Still waiting for a Green.

Finally, with the work equipment out of the way, a northbound train was released to make a meet in Central. Only after that train cleared was the circus train allowed to continue southbound. Rod Seel shared this video with the club. Thanks Rod!

I could not make it to see the train come through Clemson, but fortunately, my wife got this video of the train crossing Lake Hartwell outside of Clemson.

It is quite the train - and the end of an era. Thank you Ringling Brothers for all of the fun over the years.