DONE.

The special run of the James E. Strates Shows carnival train for the centennials of the Erie County Fair and the show has turned out to be a ceremonial final trip.

The James E. Strates Shows carnival train made a triumphant final trip Thursday (Aug. 1) when it delivered midway attractions to the Erie County Fair via shortline Buffalo Southern.

The nine-car train — which made its way from Strates headquarters in Taft, Fla., to Buffalo, N.Y., in CSX merchandise service last month — arrived to fanfare at the former Erie Railroad depot near the fairgrounds. A band played and a throng had gathered trackside to greet the train, which had not run since the end of the 2019 fair season.

Strates have already sold seven of the cars on the train.  The company retain other railway cars, including some flat cars purchased from Ringling Barnum, in Florida.  Whether any carnival rides will ride the rails again remains doubtful.