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Originally Posted by: IndianaTED 

These types that you mentioned Thunderbolt, are the kind the Portemonts had on two of their power plants with All-American Shows. They kind of looked Eiffel Tower shaped to me.



Yep, that's right about the look.
I remember when Reithoffers had their own honeywagon. Was friends with the ride guy who got paid extra for driving/using it. He and the show got a fairly serious beef up in ........ was it Nassau Colosseum? .... for dumping it into the street sewers one year.

I broke in on Murphy Bros back in 1980 and that year at least they had their own machine/maintenance shop.

Reithoffers (again) had their own school for at least one season, maybe two so the show kids could stay out with their parents.

Can remember some big forklifts but can't really place them on a particular show , sorry. Doesn't/didn't N.A.M.E. have one? Big A?


An end, even with terror, is better than terror without end. F.Neitzsche
Originally Posted by: IndianaTED 

These types that you mentioned Thunderbolt, are the kind the Portemonts had on two of their power plants with All-American Shows. They kind of looked Eiffel Tower shaped to me.



Yep, you are exactly right, you know I didn't mind climbing up on the 16 or 12 seat nittany wheels to handle the rim irons, and other climbing as well, but on those light towers just seemed to be hanging out there.
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

Jeez, we had three plants with build up light towers, you had to fold up the base, then four more sections completed the final level and then you had to haul the round top piece up the stairs on the light tower (or have it handed to you by someone else), and the lights were each handed up.



These types that you mentioned Thunderbolt, are the kind the Portemonts had on two of their power plants with All-American Shows. They kind of looked Eiffel Tower shaped to me.

I've never been "with it", just been an interested observer of carnivals for more than 50 years.
Johnny's United Shows..."A Family Tradition" and "All for Fun, Fun for All".
The carnival of my youth, which had roots that originated in my hometown.
Jeez, we had three plants with build up light towers, you had to fold up the base, then four more sections completed the final level and then you had to haul the round top piece up the stairs on the light tower (or have it handed to you by someone else), and the lights were each handed up.
As I remember, all Strates' plants had crank up light towers. The "tower" folded down into a recess in the roof of the wagon. You laid a two-by across the recess and laid the it down, took the light off and handed it into the wagon, then removed the block and laid it the rest of the way down. Three guy-wires held it up, two stayed attached and one was removed. They were configured to crank up as well, but I never saw them actually cranked up.

Also had a gas powered, trailer mounted tower to use (mostly) for loading and unloading the train.
Ride the Zipper?
Originally Posted by: JustinJames 

We had a Myers plant that had an old build up light tower. We now have portable towers from Galaxy.




how many do you load to one trailer? Do you just forklift them to where you want them or do they roll?
Originally Posted by: IndianaTED 

Johnny’s United Shows had light towers all mounted on one trailer that would roll off and elevate. They also had a maintenance shop, a wrecker, and a garbage truck all painted in the Shows colors and logo. Maybe not all at the same time, but over the years. Of course they also had forklifts, kind of thought all Shows of decent size had those. Under Arthur Lampkin, There was also a helicopter he used to travel between the two units.



We had a Myers plant that had an old build up light tower. We now have portable towers from Galaxy.
Thunderbolt, your inbox is full again...you must be the man to go to!
I've never been "with it", just been an interested observer of carnivals for more than 50 years.
Johnny's United Shows..."A Family Tradition" and "All for Fun, Fun for All".
The carnival of my youth, which had roots that originated in my hometown.
Johnny’s United Shows had light towers all mounted on one trailer that would roll off and elevate. They also had a maintenance shop, a wrecker, and a garbage truck all painted in the Shows colors and logo. Maybe not all at the same time, but over the years. Of course they also had forklifts, kind of thought all Shows of decent size had those. Under Arthur Lampkin, There was also a helicopter he used to travel between the two units.
I've never been "with it", just been an interested observer of carnivals for more than 50 years.
Johnny's United Shows..."A Family Tradition" and "All for Fun, Fun for All".
The carnival of my youth, which had roots that originated in my hometown.