Sideshow
G-Gauge Train
I have long been a fan of
your incredible site. My interest in
all-things-sideshow began when I was just a kid when
my parents took me to the Louisiana State
Fair 10-in-1 for many years. Much later I ran a big
haunted attraction on the fairgrounds during the
State Fair, and I was privileged enough to actually
see and meet some of the great performers in the
shows -- Popeye, the Viking Giant, Bob Melvin, and
many many more.
I've also always wanted a
g-gauge train set. So recently I ordered a cute &
colorful circus train from a catalogue, and have
proceeded to transform it into a 1932 train which
transports a remarkable but very well-worn
and road-weary series if sideshows across the
Midwest and the west. I'm not finished with the
entire train as yet, but I thought you and your
readers might enjoy seeing a few of the cars thus
far.
This train is not intended
to be any sort of historical piece -- merely an
entertaining creative piece. Though some of the
references on the cars are based on actual
performers and shows, some were inspired by
actual shows which I have embellished -- and,
frankly, I simply made some of them up.
Drew
Edward Hunter


|
|
This first car contains -- or, rather, did
contain --the most astonishing arachnid attraction
ever. If the door was intact, it would read "Giant
Spider -- Killer of the Amazon". As you see, the
behemoth spider has escaped, breaking out of the door
and scrambling over the top of the boxcar. (On this, as
on all the cars, are remarkable details that these few
photos do not do justice.)
|
|

|
|
The
reverse side of the same car. On a few of the cars, I
thought that the owners of the sideshow might make good use
of their banners by strapping them on the sides of the cars
as they traveled cross-country, to advertise their many
wonders. |
|


|
|
Another
car advertises the "Girl Into Gorilla" show. The tent poles
are lashed to the top of the car, as are some trunks and
crates. Below the poster to the right is some scrawled
graffiti which reads -- "dirty slimy freaks" -- a dark
reference to Tod Browning's classic film. |
|


|
|
If you look in the
doorway on the reverse side of the car, you'll see an ape
peering out. Could it be that somebody is trying out the
gorilla outfit --- or, could it be that the devolution
process has finally......? |
|



|
|
I remain convinced that
somewhere in this world is the last living dinosaur. Until
such time as it is discovered, this traveling sideshow will
have to present their version of it. Thus, "Dragundagon,
the Last Living Thunder Lizard" stands in his battered and
rusting cage atop the flatbed. Note his food and water in
front of him, and an "actual & authentic" Styracosaursus
skull chained to the car behind him. |
|


|
|
As far as the caboose
goes --- any surface for advertising will do! But -- what is
inside -- and why are the windows boarded up??? |
|

A Few Details for your
Amusement...

The reverse side of the
caboose.






|
|
A note about the sign atop the dino's cage:
The
"Dr.
Blood"
is in reference to a
haunted attraction
host character I created back in 1975 and
performed until 2000 or so. At that time I
was president of a summer melodrama theater
located in an old exhibit building on the
Louisiana State Fairgrounds. For the fair
each year I designed and directed a very
theatrical and popular attraction inside the
building titled (the first year) "Dr.
Blood's Exposition of Terror". Each year
the title and theme changed, except for the
good doctor's name. I did this for eleven
years, then moved (with the Doc) to Dallas.
Dr. Blood hosted a huge Halloween event for
seven years at the big wax museum in between
Dallas and Fort Worth, and later for a few
years at Six Flags Over Texas for their
Fright Fest. The Doc has been "on ice" since
2000, but this sideshow train is going
to mark his revival!
|
|

Photographs
courtesy of Drew Edward Hunter © copyright 2008 all
rights reserved
If you have a question you would like
to submit email us at the
Sideshow World
Back To Sideshow Photographs
Back to Main
|
All
photos are the property of their respective owners whether titled or
marked anonymous.
"Sideshow WorldTM" is the sole property of John
Robinson © All rights reserved.
sideshowworld.com sideshowworld.org sideshowworld.net sideshowworld.biz sideshowworld.info
is the sole property of John Robinson © All rights reserved.
E-Mail Sideshow World
E-Mail
The Webmaster
|