[PRR-talk] Ice Show Baggage Cars in Atlantic City

[Mouldymay at aol.com]

The recent remarks regarding Stainless steel baggage cars in Atlantic City,  
are somewhat close to my hart, as my Father, Peter A. Tyrrell, was the founder 
 of Ice Capades and the company’s President and Business Manager.
 
My father was also President and General Manager of the Philadelphia  Arena.
Dad was also given credit for promoting the first run of Ice Follies  ever to 
make money, in the Book “Eddie Shipstead – Ice Follies Star” pages 98 t0  
101. Ice Follies played during the summers of 1937, 1938 and 1939 at the  
Atlantic City Convention Hall. 
 
Dad brought Ice Capades to Atlantic City in 1940, to play during the summer  
months in the evening and to rehearse the next years show during the day.   
(See scan of 1940 inside page of program book below)
 
In regard to baggage cars, both shows would latch on to PRR Balloon Top  
Baggage Cars, for their run in the East. These cars, which carried the names of  
Broadway shows, could hold more props than a normal baggage car, due to their  
higher and rounded tops.  The only way a traveling show could get the use  of 
extra baggage cars was to purchase 80 coach tickets for each additional  car.
Since the show could be moved with one less car, using Balloon Tops,  there 
was a saving.  Booth shows would book through Bill Hamilton, Special  Passenger 
Agent for the PRR, who worked out of 30th street in Philadelphia. (the  
tickets
purchased for baggage cars would have their baggage square punched,  but 
could still be used for normal coach transportation.)
 
For some reason the Balloon Top cars never went beyond St. Louis.   Each year 
when the shows went to California, they had to acquire at least one  
additional baggage car to move the show. 
 
In the later years both shows had company owned property shops located in  
California.  I don’t recall ever seeing stainless steel cars in Atlantic  City, 
but then again, at that time, I was more interested in show girls than  
Baggage Cars.  Since the property shops were located in CA and the new show  was 
being rehearsed in Atlantic City, the new props may have been moved East  over 
the Santa Fe in single Stainless Steel Cars.
 

Peter A. Tyrrell Jr.
 











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