has anyone heard for sure if Strates will use the train this year.
It seems they move more over the road the last few years even before covid

I have not seen anything yet on FB or heard anything, but usually the train heads out after the Florida dates and a few weeks before Meadowlands. So I guess we will know then if they plan to use it or not, I really hope they do, I would hate to see the end of the era since so much has already changed in both the carnival business and the world. Nice to have some stability and traditions.

With fuel so high now again it might become very cost effective to use the train (depending on contracts with railroads) to get a lot of equipment up north and to use it on longer jumps.

the fact that the big wheel and some other rides that would normally travel by train are already set up in Georgia make you wonder if they will use the train this year or ever again. I thought sure with fuel costs as high as they are the train would head north, and maybe it still will. But in the past many of these rides would have been on it before it ever left Florida. I did read somewhere a while back that many of their newer rides are too wide to fit on the train and must travel by road.

time will tell

the fact that the big wheel and some other rides that would normally travel by train are already set up in Georgia make you wonder if they will use the train this year or ever again. I thought sure with fuel costs as high as they are the train would head north, and maybe it still will. But in the past many of these rides would have been on it before it ever left Florida. I did read somewhere a while back that many of their newer rides are too wide to fit on the train and must travel by road.

time will tell

Yeah saw that in Georgia and made me wonder even more, if it is over then its a sad day for the business. Also, if it is so, then the Top Spin will never return to the road in this country, not the one he has, center load is 150,000 pounds alone.

it looks like some flats are for sale in Florida, and some have already been sold at Ozark Mountain Railcar auctions

https://ozarkmountainrai....php?map=y&search=FL 

that coupled with the fact that the carnival train did not go north yet this year would make one wonder if the train will ever carry the show again. I sure hope so, but only time will tell

there is a passenger car also listed for sale that looks like it could also be a past show car, you guys would know if it was or not.

Did Strates change the color of the flats to blue? I remember orange and then white. The tie-down tracks look right.

I don't think any of the coaches looked like Strates'

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The 2 blue flats are Strates. The #21 business car is also Strates.

I don't imagine they would use 21 anymore anyway.

Looked a lot better in the Duke Ash livery...

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I don't imagine they would use 21 anymore anyway.

Looked a lot better in the Duke Ash livery...

Yeah, they don't use any coaches anymore, and if he is selling a couple, he did buy a couple from RB&BB shows when they went out of business. Who knows for sure, was waiting to see if train left for New Jersey which is usually when they took it north (for Meadowlands).

I don't imagine they would use 21 anymore anyway.

Looked a lot better in the Duke Ash livery...

I always liked the white/orange/blue color scheme, seemed to be "neat and organized", but yet still flashy carnival colors to me, when all the rolling stock had those colors as well. Guess that is always the way I will remember the show with the train.

the fact that the big wheel and some other rides that would normally travel by train are already set up in Georgia make you wonder if they will use the train this year or ever again. I thought sure with fuel costs as high as they are the train would head north, and maybe it still will. But in the past many of these rides would have been on it before it ever left Florida. I did read somewhere a while back that many of their newer rides are too wide to fit on the train and must travel by road.

time will tell

What rides would be too wide, don't all trailers have to be 8ft wide or they are considered over wide and would need flags, wide load signs? The ad said the flats were 10' wide, that should cover even the newer rides.

According to the Ozark website 2 flats were already sold [#28 & 82]and 2 more are listed as for sale [#54 & 8] . One of those sold was a Ringling flat [#82] they bought a few years back when Ringling went away. I think they had 4 Ringling cars and 3 were out with the train in 2019.

Two issues with newer rides on the train are trailer height and ground clearance. Trailers with little ground clearance will bottom out at the top of the runs. Royal American had to put a hydraulic jack in the fifth wheel on their Super Loop get enough clearance to go on their train.

So fellers, its not looking good, haven't seen anything on their FB page or in the news about the train. Not feeling to good about it coming back out, but not surprised either.

So an update on the train, I emailed the show and they replied, yes, the train is not going out this year due to staffing shortages caused by a number of factors that I am sure everyone in the business knows about.. However, the good news is that the train is not done yet....they stated that special events are being planned for the both the show AND the train for next year with the show's 100 year anniversary with more details to come as the 2023 season approaches.

So keep your hopes high as we look to the next season and what the show has planned.