The Sorcas Train
The Sorcas Train is a private rail transportation company operated by the T.P. Doyle Sorcas Co., owners of the renowned traveling sorcas troupe that bills itself as the World’s Greatest Show. Consisted of livestock cars holding exotic animals, flat cars for the tents and equipment and the brightly painted sorcas wagons, and coaches for the performers, the Sorcas Train can include as many as sixty cars and is nearly 1 wmi. long.
With its red, blue and gold livery and banners flying on every car, the Sorcas Train is a sight to behold as it tours the world bringing the spectacle of its sorcas show to cities far and wide. Townspeople turn out by the thousands to watch the unloading of the equipment and exotic animals, and to follow the sorcas parade through the center of town to the event venue, typically a fairground or other large park or field. When the Big Top tent goes up, the grandstands are full of cheering men, women and children who are happy to pay their money to see the World’s Greatest Show.
With its red, blue and gold livery and banners flying on every car, the Sorcas Train is a sight to behold as it tours the world bringing the spectacle of its sorcas show to cities far and wide. Townspeople turn out by the thousands to watch the unloading of the equipment and exotic animals, and to follow the sorcas parade through the center of town to the event venue, typically a fairground or other large park or field. When the Big Top tent goes up, the grandstands are full of cheering men, women and children who are happy to pay their money to see the World’s Greatest Show.
HISTORY
The Doyle Sorcas was founded in 1866 by Patrick and Danny Doyle, sons of Drumlane entertainer Tommy Doyle, who performed acrobatics as part of a popular variety show that toured the theaters of the city and the surrounding area. When younger brother Danny Doyle won a baby elephant in a card game, his older brother Patrick proposed the formation of their own performing company featuring the elephant, their father’s acrobatic act, as well as other performers they would hire to fill out the show.
Their first performance took place in an open field at the Drumlane Fairgrounds on 18 Uganmonat 1867, and was an instant success. More exotic animals were added, eventually including trained animal acts. The acrobatic show was expanded to include an aerial act, and comic harlequins were added to entertain the crowds between acts.
By 1882, the Doyle Sorcas was so successful it had expanded to include three rings of simultaneous entertainment performed under an enormous custom-made canvas tent the Doyle brothers called “the Big Top.” The show had grown so large, they began promoting it as “The World’s Greatest Show.” In 1886 the Doyle brothers decided to perform only in large cities, and in order to expand their geographical market, they decided the show would travel by train.
After several years of difficulty securing sufficient existing railway cars of appropriate design to accommodate their peculiar cargo, the Doyle brothers decided to purchase their own railcars, custom-built for their needs. The specially designed train made its inaugural run out of Drumlane on 12 Siamonat 1888, and has been rolling ever since, adapting to the changes in railroad technology over time.
Their first performance took place in an open field at the Drumlane Fairgrounds on 18 Uganmonat 1867, and was an instant success. More exotic animals were added, eventually including trained animal acts. The acrobatic show was expanded to include an aerial act, and comic harlequins were added to entertain the crowds between acts.
By 1882, the Doyle Sorcas was so successful it had expanded to include three rings of simultaneous entertainment performed under an enormous custom-made canvas tent the Doyle brothers called “the Big Top.” The show had grown so large, they began promoting it as “The World’s Greatest Show.” In 1886 the Doyle brothers decided to perform only in large cities, and in order to expand their geographical market, they decided the show would travel by train.
After several years of difficulty securing sufficient existing railway cars of appropriate design to accommodate their peculiar cargo, the Doyle brothers decided to purchase their own railcars, custom-built for their needs. The specially designed train made its inaugural run out of Drumlane on 12 Siamonat 1888, and has been rolling ever since, adapting to the changes in railroad technology over time.
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