The loss of elephants/PETA was not the primary reason for the closure. There are numerous other factors ranging from ticket prices, train costs, schooling costs for the kids and the every other year retooling of the circus itself. The circus played the same cities every year, and thought fans knew that the shows were different, it is likely that to the average customer, it simply was "the circus".

There is also fierce competition for entertainment dollars from performances like Circ du Solei and Shen Feng. The entire troop can move on one bus and on large semi. Depending on where you are, professional sports can also chip into available entertainment dollars.

I, too, will miss the trains, and I may very well travel east to shoot the final trips.
"So, goodbye,dear and Amen,
Here's hoping we meet now and then,
It was great fun,
But it was just one of those things".
That we thought would be 'forever, like the B&O,Pennsy,SP and many others.