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• 1830s  Both circuses and railroads begin to appear in the eastern United States.
• 1940s  Circuses begin using boxcars and stock cars for limited movements.  Horse wagons used between most towns.
• 1850s  Rail expansion allows some shows to move entirely by rail.
• 1860s  Flat cars first used to move circus wagons.  Cars were loaded from side at dock.  The year of the transcontinental railroad also saw the transcontinental circus.  Circus personnel rode on scheduled passenger service. 
• 1870s  April 18, 1872, the P. T. Barnum Circus was loaded on flat cars "piggyback" on the PRR, using end ramps and bridge plates (circus style loading).  Rented sleepers made a solid circus train, the first unit train concept.
• 1880s  P. T. Barnum joined with James A. Bailey to form The Greatest Show on Earth! (R)  1884, the five Ringling Bros. start their own circus.  First 60' flat cars were designed for circus trains.
• 1890s  Best circuses moved by rail.  Barnum & Bailey had 56 cars, as did Ringling Bros.
• 1900s  The railroad circus grows in size and reputation.
• 1910s  High point of railroad circuses:  in 1911 there were 32 railroad circuses.  Circus cars increased to 65'.  In 1919 Ringling Bros. combined with Barnum & Bailey, increased to 95 cars.
• 1920s  1923, Ringling Bros. up to 100 cars.  Circus flats evolve to 70' all steel.
• 1930s  The Depression cut circus business.  Only 3 circuses remain on rail.
• 1940s  Ringling Bros. train reaches 108 cars.
• 1950s Only two rail circuses left.  Clyde Beatty goes to trucks, 1957.  Ringling discontinued using tents in 1956, goes to combined rail/truck transportation.
• 1960s  1960, Ringling Bros. returns to 100% rail.  1969, second rail circus formed.
• 1970s  Ringling Bros. continues with two trains.  1979, third rail circus formed, Monte Carlo Unit tours US with 15 car train.
• 1980s  Monte Carlo Unit dissolved.  Ringling Bros. continues with two trains.
• 1990s  Ringling Bros. continues with two trains.
• 2000s  Ringling Bros. continues with two train

J. William Misiura, Director of Transportation

Joseph DeMike, Transportation Manager