Customer Reviews

Trains of the Circus, 1872-1956 (Photo Archive)

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"Trains of the Circus, 1872 - 1956" is a soft cover book measuring 10" x 8 1/2". It was published by Iconografix. The cover is attractive, depicting an extensive circus unloading scene in the form of art work. The pages are printed on good quality paper stock. Excluding the 2 page introduction, most of this book is a photographic essay. Of the 126 pages in this book, only 5 pages are photo free; the photos cover the expanse of the pages. The clarity and detail of the photos are excellent. There are 9 pages of various car interior views. Historical tidbits and information about the photos are succintly written within 3 to 4 lines of text below each photograph. The sources of the photographs are diverse and are credited below each photograph with any pertinent dates. There is a chronological flow to the book. There are various scenes presented of unloading, loading, sleepers, flat cars, and stock cars. Many of the photos are new to me. This book is not a detailed analysis of the inter-twined histories of the circus and the railroad. It should, however, fill a void in the libraries of the circus fans and should be a helpful resource for the Circus Model Builders.

I bought this book along with another because I wanted to model a small circus train for my model railroad. I didn't want anything too elaborate, just a 'representation' that there was a circus coming to town. With this in mind, the best resource for me is photographs, and this book has plenty of them. Nearly the entire page, apart from the small white border and caption below, is all picture, and every page has one. The first two pages is the introduction, and the entire rest of the book is a picture history. My only wish was that there was some color but in those days of old there wasn't any. The pictures are not as much of the circus, as they are of the transportation that bought them there, the unloading of the cars, the staging in the yards or terminals and unloading the open wagons off flat cars. I love it.