thunderbolt85
Friday, May 8, 2020 11:29:53 AM
Wanted to see if you all wanted to discuss different types of support equipment and such on shows that you have seen, used, or whatever.

On the show I worked on we really didn't have a lot, no forklifts, no mobile shop, no cranes, well except we did have one straight truck with a telescoping crane for use with the Skyliner/Chairlift ride.

Our owner believed in just "muscle power" LOL, ticket boxes, kiddie ride centers and such all loaded/unloaded by hand or sometimes a winch and cable. But I get it just more stuff to cart around and i guess some shows still don't carry much or anything.

But have seen some good equipment on some shows, Drew has several heavy duty forklifts which seems to make the work go much faster, a few cranes on trucks I seem to remember as well. He rents a big crane each time for the Pirate, when he had the two trailer Free Fall, and I guess for when he sets up the Wild Cat.

Strates of course has all those Case Tractors, the Army cranes, I believe some forklifts and at least back in the 80s/90s I remember a pretty big mobile Shop trailer.

Don't seem to see mobile shops that much anymore unless I am just missing them, a lot of shows had them years ago. Century 21 had a big one that I have seen in pictures, of Royal American had one and I think (correct me if you all know) they had one for carpentry and even their own firetruck.

Saw that Deggeller Magic Midway had their own trash truck back in the 70s, and Strates had one or two 45' tankers I believe as well I guess for fuel.

What else have you all seen or used?
ridejocky
Friday, May 8, 2020 3:28:53 PM
When I was on Strates ('78-'88) we had:
4-5 Case 930s and one 970 (I think)
Front-end loader (loading the train
Small Pettibone hydraulic crane (SkyLiner)
Large Pettibone hydraulic crane (Giant Wheel)
Grove hydraulic crane (Pirate)
Mack-based swing-cab crane (scooter & funhouse)
Big Clark forklift (ride centers)
Small forklift (ticket boxes)
Large semi-trailer tanker (diesel fuel storage on the lot)
Fuel truck (fueling on the lot)
Electric Shop
Machine Shop
Tire Shop
Trash truck
Doniker truck
Water truck

Sure I missed some stuff...


Ride the Zipper?
JustinJames
Saturday, May 9, 2020 7:37:01 PM
Our show owns 2 forklifts. We have a mobile shop set up in a drop deck pup trailer. Also a bucket truck that has all of the mobile shop needs (welder, compressor, tools) but the bucket reaching 45ft up is a big help. We also have a pick up fitting with a fuel tank.

We have many rides and racks that are skid loaded for speed and efficiency.
thunderbolt85
Monday, May 11, 2020 7:37:40 AM
Originally Posted by: ridejocky 

When I was on Strates ('78-'88) we had:
4-5 Case 930s and one 970 (I think)
Front-end loader (loading the train
Small Pettibone hydraulic crane (SkyLiner)
Large Pettibone hydraulic crane (Giant Wheel)
Grove hydraulic crane (Pirate)
Mack-based swing-cab crane (scooter & funhouse)
Big Clark forklift (ride centers)
Small forklift (ticket boxes)
Large semi-trailer tanker (diesel fuel storage on the lot)
Fuel truck (fueling on the lot)
Electric Shop
Machine Shop
Tire Shop
Trash truck
Doniker truck
Water truck

Sure I missed some stuff...




Wow, great list and some I missed but all needed.
thunderbolt85
Monday, May 11, 2020 7:39:41 AM
I wonder if anyone on here remembers what all RAS had on their show.
IndianaTED
Monday, May 11, 2020 2:13:19 PM
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.
IndianaTED
Monday, May 11, 2020 2:25:39 PM
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.
JustinJames
Monday, May 11, 2020 10:25:58 PM
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.
thunderbolt85
Tuesday, May 12, 2020 8:27:22 AM
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?
ridejocky
Tuesday, May 12, 2020 11:33:32 AM
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?
thunderbolt85
Tuesday, May 12, 2020 11:53:10 AM
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.
IndianaTED
Friday, May 15, 2020 11:05:30 AM
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.
thunderbolt85
Friday, May 15, 2020 11:41:55 AM
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.
indianacarnie
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 3:10:56 PM
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
thunderbolt85
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 8:27:53 AM
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.