Circus train

The logistics of operating a railroad circus in the mid-19th century were complex and difficult: track gauges differed across the country, financing had to be secured to pay train crews up front, and loading and unloading railcars was a time-consuming, laborious process.

[4]: 37 [5] Castello partnered with P. T. Barnum and fellow Wisconsin showman William C. Coup, and the trio launched a wagon show in 1871.

[5][6] This system was a key predecessor of modern intermodal freight transport, which began in the early 20th century.

"[10] Buffalo Bill's Wild West toured by train,[9]: 21  and the rapid development of American railroads in the late 19th century shaped the geography and business practices of vaudeville performers and their circuits.

At least 38 of the 98 circuses in operation that year traveled by train, some touring the entire country via the transcontinental railroad.

Circus, switched to trucks permanently, using the newly constructed Interstate Highway System to their advantage.

[8] The contemporary RBB&B trains carried approximately 250 performers and staff, and were nicknamed the "city without a ZIP code.

"[15] The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus closed its doors in May 2017, and its train cars were either auctioned off or scrapped.

The North Carolina cars were moved to a siding in Nash County, with the intention of refurbishing them for the Piedmont train service.

[20][21] Famous cinematic portrayals of circus trains include 1941's Dumbo by Ben Sharpsteen, 1947's Fun and Fancy Free by Jack Kinney, Bill Roberts and Hamilton Luske, 1952's The Greatest Show on Earth by Cecil B. DeMille, the 1983 James Bond movie Octopussy, 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas and 2011's Water for Elephants based on Sara Gruen's 2006 novel of the same name, by Francis Lawrence.