Historic One of a Kind Train Returns to New York After 5 Years

A one of a kind train is returning to the rails for the first time in 5 years and it's making its way to New York.

The James E. Strates Shows carnival train dates back to 1934. It's 50 cars long and is used to carry rides, games and employees from fair to fair. It's been the only carninval train since the 1980s.

The train has sat idle since the pandemic hit and closed fairs across the country. The company switched from the train to trucks as a way to haul its shows once fairs started to reopen again.

Returning to the Rails

After a 5 year hiatus, the historic train is coming back. A deal was reached with CSX to return to the rails. The carnival train will travel from Florida to Buffalo for the Erie County Fair in Hamburg.

“We recognize the carnival train’s unique history and our operations team worked hard to provide a cost-effective solution to meet their transportation needs. We look forward to ensuring that the Strates carnival train equipment reaches its final destination safely and reliably,” railroad spokeswoman Sheriee Bowman says.

Before the historic carnival train hits the rails for it's trek up the East Coast, it will be repainted orange; the same color it was in the 60s and 70s.