Winterquarters/Car Shops for circus and showtrains


Funny stuff Toot! Yeh it's no picnic. Getting into and outta bed suck the most, I'm home and didn't think to build anything to lift with before hand. This being the type of surgery where they use an arthroscopic device means I have 10 holes all over my stomach sealed with what looks to be zap-a-gap. Locals want to know if it leaks like a clown when I drink water....;)
 
Takes quite a few days before you return to something approaching normal, you learn that the best way to get out of bed is to roll out, still not easy.

I think what got to me the most though was after I came home, what should they have on TV but a medical program showing open heart surgery. I can usually watch them, but not that time, no thank you, haha!
 
Ok, so I've mended enough to work on the new elephant cars.
These are Walther's OOP models from a few years back, you can still find 'em on auction sites.

I removed the cast on end grabs and replaced with pre-formed and scratchmade wire for replacements of these items. I also cut out the fake vents on the car sides and made see thru ones using brass micro screening.

There are still afew more things I want to do to it, but thought I'd post this progress....

WalthersStockElephantcardressup002.jpg


WalthersStockElephantcardressup001.jpg
 
The in-laws had a circus trailer that used to haul elephants and/or monkeys.
I wonder if it is still rotting at the farm, cool old relic with a curved sheet metal nose.
Nice job by the way, and glad to hear you are on the mend!
 
Rico said:
The in-laws had a circus trailer that used to haul elephants and/or monkeys.
I wonder if it is still rotting at the farm, cool old relic with a curved sheet metal nose.
Nice job by the way, and glad to hear you are on the mend!
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Very cool Rico! Any chance you coulod get a photo? Would love to see it!
 
Thanks Rico! ummmm keep that 'snow' word on the down low. I'm kinda liking this winter so far, temps in the upper 50's this weekend!!:D
 
I'm trying to find a Walther's wagon for my Circus Train, they showed # 764-8 as a cage wagon back in the day, but I've never seem such a thing, thoughts anyone?
 
joe circus said:
I'm trying to find a Walther's wagon for my Circus Train, they showed # 764-8 as a cage wagon back in the day, but I've never seem such a thing, thoughts anyone?
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Not sure what you're looking for Joe. Do you have a picture of the wagon you are looking for? Is the number above the Walther's number?

I don't remember Walthers producing a cage wagon as most of their stuff was cast in solid resin as far as wagons were concerned. Prieser offered some very nicely done Hagenbeck-Wallace type 'corporation' cages, red and white I think.
Maybe this is what you are searching for?

519.jpg



Hope this helps, I see them from time to time on the auction sites....
 
Circus work is on a backburner during the Golden Spike Limited paint job.

Here is the color scheme for the 15 car train. The heavyweight combine is the only heavyweight car in the consist. I like the color so much, I'm entertaining the idea of doing a showtrain of some sort using the same scheme....

jfgslbuild3.jpg


Note: The current train I'm building(Trapino Bros. Circus) has a yellow and red paint scheme that can be seen on one of the elephant cars over the tops of the cars in foreground....

jfgslbuild1.jpg



These cars all arrived at my shops wearing various roadname dress and had to be striped before going to the paint shops.
 
Gonna look fantastic once all together. Love the look of the tri-axle trucks, obviously designed to allow indepedent movement. Would have been very smooth riding.
 
That paint scheme does have a certain period look to it. It does liven up the cars, as opposed to the olive drab color most often applied.
 
enjineerbill said:
Not sure what you're looking for Joe. Do you have a picture of the wagon you are looking for? Is the number above the Walther's number?
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Yes, it's a Walther's number. 764-6 was the Vintage Vehicles Calliope. 764-7 was the Tableau, and 764-8 was the Vintage Vehicles Cage. But, I've never seen a picture, that I can recall, and my old Walther's catalogues are packed.

I have all of the Preiser wagons.
 
Looks great Johnny! I could see that shade of blue on a show train... what happened to the American Circus Heavyweight rendering you posted a while back? Nice to see so many active posters on this thread!
 
joe circus said:
Yes, it's a Walther's number. 764-6 was the Vintage Vehicles Calliope. 764-7 was the Tableau, and 764-8 was the Vintage Vehicles Cage. But, I've never seen a picture, that I can recall, and my old Walther's catalogues are packed.

I have all of the Preiser wagons.
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Well Joe, you do have me stumped on this one. I do remember the calliope and tableau and have them, but not the cage. I'm wondering if Walthers ever actually produced them or if they got lost in the shuffle...I'm gonna look into this with Ralph Pierce, who at one time reproduced the resin kits from Walthers. He might know....stay tuned.
 
eric2448 said:
Looks great Johnny! I could see that shade of blue on a show train... what happened to the American Circus Heavyweight rendering you posted a while back? Nice to see so many active posters on this thread!
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That heavyweight was a single car I did for myself having worked for that show years ago. It resides on the shop property, in the sheds....

I too am pleased with any and everyone who partakes in the show train thread! Something of interest to even a casual model railroader....:)
 
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