Tornado
Thursday, August 15, 2019 9:58:53 AM
some could also be to low to the ground, like the scooter, and would not be able to get over the apex at the top of the loading ramp when bring on to the cars (would bottom out).
ridejocky
Thursday, August 15, 2019 11:37:21 AM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

Good point. Maybe I missed this before, but did Strates own a Toboggan, I know I have seen pictures of his midway back then and I saw one in a few pictures, but of course that could have been booked.



The didn't have one on the road or at the barn from '78-'88.

Toboggan was fun to run. Never moved it, but gave breaks on it at Cal Expo in '77.

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ridejocky
Thursday, August 15, 2019 11:53:48 AM
Originally Posted by: wvscott 

that Kings Circus perhaps belongs to Tim at Carol Stream, unless this is a different one.

I heard Mr Strates say in an interview that I saw online how some of the newer rides must travel by road because they are either too wide or too high to put on the train.



That makes sense with trailer-mounted stuff, but for track and jack-stands, they can rack it like the want.

Does it book out often?



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RRSHOW1
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Thursday, August 15, 2019 1:05:49 PM
Wagon width is no problem. Old wagons were 9' wide. Problem is in Axle width on flats. Flats will not accomodate the newer axles made for 8'6" semis. If a trailer with wide axles is to be loaded, the outside tires of duals must be removed. Some trailers are very unstable without all the tires, so extra caution is needed when they are loaded. Some low-riding trailers cannot be loaded also.
RRSHOW1
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Thursday, August 15, 2019 1:07:00 PM
King's Circus is owned by Stevie Ianni
Bill P
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Saturday, August 17, 2019 1:41:03 AM
Stratres never owned a Toboggan. In NY they had one booked in by Obrien Amusement in the 73-75 timeframe. Another was booked on in 1980 from Dick Poots, I Think, or someone else who traveled with Deggeller. Oh, almosty forgot, Larry Carr brought one to Hamburg in 1992 but it didn't pass inspection and was taken down before opening.
wvscott
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 8:18:07 AM
since there are no coaches on the train anymore, where does all the help stay and how are they transported?

you don't see any bunk houses on the train.
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Tuesday, August 20, 2019 11:35:00 AM
bigjlh
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 2:49:36 PM
strates used to come into wash dc and laydown a pretty good show years ago iirc.it was around bennings rd s.e.and baltimore area.i assume those days are over was a pretty big deal back then.it was close to new york ave thats is where the railhead was somebody please correct me if not thanks bigjlh
wvscott
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 6:36:08 PM
Originally Posted by: bigjlh 

strates used to come into wash dc and laydown a pretty good show years ago iirc.it was around bennings rd s.e.and baltimore area.i assume those days are over was a pretty big deal back then.it was close to new york ave thats is where the railhead was somebody please correct me if not thanks bigjlh



I do remember Strates used to play the annual Gaithersburg City Youth Fair every year during Memorial Day. They parked the coaches on the siding at the current Montgomery County MD fairgrounds, and the flats were stored at Brunswick MD yard during the event. I never heard why they quit having that annual event. It was a very large midway that also included all the Carol Stream rides.
ridejocky
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 8:52:51 PM
Originally Posted by: bigjlh 

strates used to come into wash dc and laydown a pretty good show years ago iirc.it was around bennings rd s.e.and baltimore area.i assume those days are over was a pretty big deal back then.it was close to new york ave thats is where the railhead was somebody please correct me if not thanks bigjlh




We played the National Guard Armory/RFK Stadium parking lot back in the ‘80s, pretty good money, rough crowd and so f’n hot on that blacktop...
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thunderbolt85
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 6:30:56 AM
Originally Posted by: wvscott 

since there are no coaches on the train anymore, where does all the help stay and how are they transported?

you don't see any bunk houses on the train.




I thought I saw a set of doubles that looked bunk houses being loaded, but those could have been office trailers too.
thunderbolt85
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 6:35:50 AM
Originally Posted by: ridejocky 

We played the National Guard Armory/RFK Stadium parking lot back in the ‘80s, pretty good money, rough crowd and so f’n hot on that blacktop...




I remember in the early 90s working with a guy that had a lazer tag in a huge blow space ship, kinda like an enclosed bounce.

We played a festival at RFK during the summer and AofA was at another stadium or something cause I saw them riding the subway one night, big spread with the Swiss Bobs and Discotek and lot of other stuff.

Strates tried a spring fair in Anderson and Winston Salem back in the 90s but didn't work out well, I actually think it hurt the fall fair in Anderson anyway. Strates quit coming and Carol Stream came in a few years, they booked AofA one year and then it stopped.
ridejocky
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 9:29:04 AM
Originally Posted by: wvscott 

since there are no coaches on the train anymore, where does all the help stay and how are they transported?

you don't see any bunk houses on the train.



If they loaded the bunkhouses on the train, the help would have no place to stay until the train was unloaded and loads spotted.

You can't legally ride on the flats, and they would not have any way of hooking bunkhouses up even if you could.


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thunderbolt85
Friday, August 23, 2019 6:48:10 AM
Originally Posted by: ridejocky 

If they loaded the bunkhouses on the train, the help would have no place to stay until the train was unloaded and loads spotted.

You can't legally ride on the flats, and they would not have any way of hooking bunkhouses up even if you could.




So what was it like on the train, did each person (or a couple of guys) have their own room, or was each coach just opened up like a big dorm room with bunks. Did each room (if they had that) have a shower/toilet, or were there community showers/toilets (like in a military dorm)?

Was there AC, a pie car, etc? Often have wondered about all that on Strates train. I know he had a nice coach, seen pictures of the inside.
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