Vanderbilt Cup Races

Great photo Frank!

Identify this bridge and the orientation of the photo. Provide a rationale.

On top of the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage looking EAST. Easily identifiable, it’s the only bridge going over both a RR and a roadway. Confirmation can be found here;
http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/long_island_motor_parkway_bridge_series_45_central_avenue_lirr_railroad_bri

Estimate the date of the photo.

June 5, 1949

Bonus for train lovers: Identify the train

LIRR G-5 class ( 4-6-0 ) steam engine #25 (built 1928) pulling a 70P82A tender and MP54C passenger cars.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13

Sorry LIRR train .  Estimated date late 1930s to early 1940s PRR built class G5s Steam Locomotive built in early to mid 1920s.  Thanks

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13

PS’  “B” Tower and Bethpage State Parkway in the background.  JT

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13

I will guess at this one….Looking east in Bethpage near where the 135 currently exists. Westbound local to Jamaica from Ronkonkoma with a first order (early) G5s, original hand fired low tender (dont know the class and dont care LOL!). Picture taken from the original Motor Parkway bridge . THere is a plaque that exists with a laser etched photo (by Mr. Mulqueen) at the original bridge abutment which is still partially extant. Anyone care to confirm???

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13

Hi Brian, If visiting, it would be great to take some snapshots of the booth on the high school grounds for comparison, or perhaps for positive identification of a long lost relic of the Motor Parkway! I will be attempting to call ahead before heading down (I’m in Valley Stream) to see if access is permissible, probably visiting during non-school hours may be better. This could prove difficult though, as entry to one of the buildings is necessary to reach the booth.

From The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #15 & #16 The Brentwood Lodges at Commack Road

Bill Snyder is a great guy as is his wife Christine. They both have devoted many years to the Classic Car Club of America. I saw them both about 3 weeks ago at the CCCA annual meeting in Novi ,Michigan. Bill is also a great enthusiast of Stutz cars as well as Marmon V16 cars and had his two Marmon V16 sedans at that annual meeting.

From InMyGarage.com 2013 Article: Vince Gardner and the Two-Seater Mustang

Central Ave, Bethpage looking east.  Picture is before 1950, as that is the year the bridge was removed.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13

At Central Ave in Bethpage
1949
Train heading west
Camera facing east
G-5s carrying a train from CI Hospital

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved:A View From the Central Avenue/LIRR Railroad Bridge in Bethpage Updated: 2/13

Great blog! I am into this right now, and would like to see an historic marker placed as near as possible to the site of the clubhouse and hangars of the L.I. COuntry Club Airport.  I have written to someone about this and await a response.  Not sure it’s the right party. Any idea who I should write to?  I’d really like to see a blue and yellow marker that can easiy be read from a car. (Like the one Massapequa erected on the site of FItzmaurice Field).  The two markers for the Vanderbilt Motor Pkwy location (which I understand is not quite in the right spot) have no contrast; the lettering is too small; and it can’t be read by passing motorists.  I guess money is always behind these things.  (And see what happened to the good sign those Boy Scouts helped erect on Old Country Road!!)
_________________________________________________________
From Howard Kroplick

Richard,I suggest contacting the Town of Hempstead historian.

From Mystery Foto #45 Solved:The Missing Long Island Motor Parkway Historical Marker on Old Country Road

Great info Howard,  the most interesting part of these photos is the fact that all the homes, streets are so similar to today , 60 years later.  oF course there has been infill in the two airports but your highways, recreation areas, the LIRR and the street grid is exactly the same as it was on the day of the photo.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Amazing Aerials from the Cradle of Aviation: #1 1956 Mitchel Field

Whoa! This aerial is so crisp it’s like reading a map, only much more informative. I was thinking Mitchel’s runway branches could’ve also served as emergency deployment ramps during the war conflicts. I’ve been to the museum a few times while supervising class trips but gotta go back at my own pace.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: Amazing Aerials from the Cradle of Aviation: #1 1956 Mitchel Field

I grew up in Brentwood. The building located near what was my elementary school ( Village Elementary ) is the original Brentwood Schoolhouse. The high schools are on the same property S/O this location. I haven’t been in this area in a long time, wonder what kind of shape it’s in.

From The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #15 & #16 The Brentwood Lodges at Commack Road

Both booths appear octangular with odd angles and share some similarities. The honey booth may have been modified over time for required reasons. The nearby location is interesting!

John Wevers’ booth sighting at Brentwood High School (also octangular with odd angles), located ~2 ½ mi. south from the LIMP via Washington Ave (the booth’s original location), shows much resemblance to the Brentwood Lodge even from a poor overhead view. As John said, it is located on school grounds, but out of view and in a courtyard surrounded by buildings. Location: N40 46 25.11, W73 15 15.57. Rough measurements of the sides ranged from 3 ½ ft. – 7 ½ ft. This one too may be worth a visit if access is granted

From The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #15 & #16 The Brentwood Lodges at Commack Road

WHEN I WAS GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL GRAD IN 1950.  WE LIVED ON PUMPKIN RIDGE ROAD,  I I DID FARM WORK UP THE ROAD,  DRIVING A TRACTOR FOR HIS BOSENBERRIES,  IN HIS BARN WAS A 1928 CADILLAc V 16. A BIG OLD SEDAN
  I TRIED TO CON HIM OUT OF IT HAD   BEN SITTING FOR 10 YEARS,  I TOLD I WOULD WORK FOR NOTHIN.  HE SAID IF I COULD GET IT HOME IT WAS MINE.  COURSE MY DAD OUTLAWED I TO THAT   ABOUT 10 YEARS LATER I TOLD A COLLECTOR CAR GUY IN IN PORTLAND A HE WENT OUT AND BROUGHT IT HOME   ME AND MY BIG MOUTH.  LOL

From Willie K’s Cars #7: 1928 Lincoln Model L Town Car Built for his Wife Rosamund & A Music Video

It sure is an explorer’s delight, but always go with a friend (or two).

From Inside the Wheeler Farmway Bridge #1: 1990s, 2008 and 2016

It’s not just the Marlin -  Take a close look at the Chrysler Crossfire from the rear quarter (this is a car with a great butt), and you’ll see the echo of that distinctive Norseman sail panel in a recent Chrysler design.  (Both concept and production, as the Crossfire may be the closest production car ever to the concept car that inspired it.)  I’ve never heard that Eric Stoddard (the Crossfire’s designer) was influenced by the Norseman, but you have to wonder, as I’m sure the Norseman makes it on inspiration boards at Chrysler’s design studios on a frequent basis.

Also, while it’s not A-pillarless, the Crossfire does make an effort to strongly visually separate the windshield surround from the roof, giving it a bit of that cantilevered feel…

From The 1956 Chrysler Norseman Concept Car Lost at Sea Updated 1/13/16

Only going to go with a Thomas Flyer circa 1908-1912.
Harrah’s?

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: 1911 Stoddard Dayton at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum

From George Bartunek:

Mystery foto #5 is the 1908 Thomas Flyer that won the NY to Paris race. My humble opinion is that it should not have been restored.
Several years ago I had the opportunity of seeing the runner up in the race in Munich, the German Protos.

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved: 1911 Stoddard Dayton at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum

From Lynn Henry:

I enjoyed reading the item about the Wheeler bridge and forwarded your email to George Zink. George is a fellow Alley Pond Strider who has lived in the area for I think over 60 years.

Below are his recollections about the Wheeler bridge that I thought you would be interested in reading.  FYI, it was pointed out to me today.  I have run on the path a least a million times since 1984 and never noticed it!
(OK maybe not a million.!)

From George Zink:

The Wheeler Farmway bridge is at the very top of the hill east of Springfield Blvd.  Not easily recognizable, but you might have tripped over the slight change of height that runs across the road.  There are two of them. 

The concrete shoulders on each side of the road used to have short metal pipe fences rising about a foot above the shoulder.  Someone knocked the shoulders down to ground level a few years back.  Somewhere in the 1980’s when I was running, I was confronted by three stray dogs near that bridge.  In a pack, one dog will run around your back and try to hamstring you.  Knowing this I went to the northern shoulder.  The drop-off from the shoulder would keep the dogs in front of me.  They soon tired of the situation where they could not get behind me and ran off leaving me to finish my run.  That bridge and knowing it was there saved me a lot of trouble.

When I was a kid we used to explore the area and I did get to see the underside.  It was partially filled in with some large stones on the south side, but we were still able to get in.  Sorry, no pictures. 

There was yet another bridge we investigated just east of Bell Blvd when Kingsbury and Stewart Avenues were still a dirt roads in that area.  I doubt if anything is left of that one.  It was more open and easier to explore.  It could have been there for the Stewart Railroad which would have run in a gully where Stewart Avenue is now.  No pictures there either.

And all you asked about was the location of the bridge.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #60: Deer Park Road Motor Parkway Bridge (Dix Hills)

From Gary H.:

Back in the 1970’s I was involved in the initial “restoration” of the Marion Carll Farm, located north of the LIMP, on the west side of Commack Road, surrounded by a golf course.  One of the “neighbors” that I dealt with was the Harned family who lived down the street.  Seeing this building reminded me of the enjoyable times I had out there exploring the numerous buildings of the Marion Carll Farm, which then remained as a time capsule, having been untouched in many years, with the buildings filled with artifacts associated with Commack’s history.  At that time Carll’s niece Alberta Jenkins still lived there, and I was lucky enough to spend time with her talking about the area’s history.  Amazing how a simple photo can bring back such memories.

Gary

From The Motor Parkway Toll Collection Structures: #15 & #16 The Brentwood Lodges at Commack Road