Vanderbilt Cup Races

From Richard W:

“I look forward to the info you send out….the video of the Long Island Automotive Museum was both sad and uplifting at the same time…...I fear that America’s infatuation/ love affair with the automobile is waning…...I try to instill the wonder of the auto in my kids, but…..... I have a fully restored 1930 Model A Ford Cabriolet and an unrestored 1948 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4 door edan that was owned by my grandfather…...absolutely beautifully engineered vehicles with personality. I look forward to your next newsletter!”

From Then & Now: Long Island Automotive Museum

From Mark DeSantis:

Louis Chevrolet led the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup race until he crashed with suspension failure in his Marquette Buick. He would have easily won the race with better suspension. Instead he ended up in a Long Island hospital.

From Joe Dawson- Hero of the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race & Winner of the Second Indy 500

Hi Jean-yves:

Merci beaucoup!!

I have added the ad above.

Howard

From Joe Dawson- Hero of the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race & Winner of the Second Indy 500

From Jean-Yves Lassaux (Paris):

I am sending you this interesting comparison between Grant’s Alco and
Dawson’s Marmon during the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup.
Extracted from this very good website :
http://chuckstoyland.com/national/racing/index.html

Enjoy!
Jean-Yves Lassaux
http://www.etoilespassion.com/histoires/introduction.html

From Joe Dawson- Hero of the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race & Winner of the Second Indy 500

Mitch:
Thanks for the aerial. I have added the image above. The orignal Motor Parkway was certainly visible 13 years after it closed.

Dennis:
This land was originally part of the Motor Parkway ROW. Accordingly, it is likely owned now by Queens County or is part of the NYC Department of Parks.

Howard

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#4 The Bridge over the Queens Central Rail Road Right-of-Way

I have been riding my bike past there for YEARS and wondering what that side road was all about!  Howard, you’re doing great work here. 

Any idea why that piece of land was never developed?  There are houses on what would have been the bridge and rest of the road.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#4 The Bridge over the Queens Central Rail Road Right-of-Way

Didn’t I tell you (when we first met at Roosevelt Field) that my Hubby Steve was absolutely crazy about Motor Pkwy????!!!!

From The Black Beast at the Lake Ronkonkoma Car Show

In the NYC aerial map from 1951, the old bypass road is still clearly visible. Howard, I’ll send you a screen shot. The site is: http://gis.nyc.gov/doitt/nycitymap/

Mitch

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#4 The Bridge over the Queens Central Rail Road Right-of-Way

Howard,  I was there.  You look like you enjoyed the day.

From The Black Beast at the Lake Ronkonkoma Car Show

Hi Brian:

I would assume that Stewart Road was named to honor A.T. Stewart, the owner of the Central Railroad of Long Island.

Check out Arrt’s Arrchives images of the area:

http://arrts-arrchives.com/flushtocrd2.html

Howard

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#4 The Bridge over the Queens Central Rail Road Right-of-Way

Howard,
Please add the Peconic Bay Region’s annual show at the Hallockville Museum Farm to your caledar if you are available Sunday Oct. 2; RD Oct 9.
Regards,
George Bartunek

From Upcoming Alco Black Beast Events

Howard;

I forgot to note in my earlier Email that the 1908 Locomobile poster commemorating the victory was issued in three sizes, 14” X 20”, 18” X 30” and 30” X 48”. I have all three sizes.

What is the stupid verification for?

Joel

From Collectorsweekly.com Show & Tell: The Locomobile Vanderbilt Cup Race Poster

After viewing the google map of this area, I can “see” where the limp and old railway crossed paths. I remember reading that stewart rd is basically the route of the old tracks, and then just picture the tracks continuing in a NW direction. It’s neat that the limp/brooklyn queens greenway is noted on these maps, as well.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#4 The Bridge over the Queens Central Rail Road Right-of-Way

Hi Joel:

Thanks for the comments. Corrections made above.

Please send me anything that you would like to share to me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) .

Enjoy,

Howard

From VanderbiltCupRaces Exclusive: The 1900 Newport Automobile Races & the First Vanderbilt Cup Trophy

Hi Mitch:

According to Al Velocci, the Central Railroad of Long Island was required to build abutments in that location for a planned bridge for a road that was never built.

Howard

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#4 The Bridge over the Queens Central Rail Road Right-of-Way

I don’t think I asked that question correctly. What I meant was: what road was the bridge built to carry over the RoW? (I think that’s right).

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#4 The Bridge over the Queens Central Rail Road Right-of-Way

Fascinating find, Howard! Since the (unfinished) bridge abutments were built before the Motor Parkway, do you have any idea what road the bridge was originally planned to pass over?

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#4 The Bridge over the Queens Central Rail Road Right-of-Way

Howard;

Good work, but needs some corrections.
Riker ran his own company at that time, he did not work for Locomobile.
Riker won the Electric Car race at Aquidneck. His trophy was presented by the Locomobile Club of America.
I have Riker’s trophy and program from the event and photos of WKV’s Daimler. By the way, the Daimler Phoenix was the first racing car ever imported into the U.S.
I could scan my program if you like.

Joel

From VanderbiltCupRaces Exclusive: The 1900 Newport Automobile Races & the First Vanderbilt Cup Trophy

Hi Mark:

Here is link to information on your poster:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/sunday

Enjoy,

Howard

From Premium Vanderbilia Estimated Market Values

Valentine’s Farm abutted the LIMP from the railroad bridge to Roslyn road before the property was sold off in the late 1960’s for residential development.
We used to go sledding down the steep incline at
the juncture of the rr bridge down onto the farm during the winter.  It was known as “Suicide Hill”.
I had friends who lived on Bengeyfield Drive whose
backyards faced the LIMP and we used to walk on it and the bridge all the time. Good times, swell memories.

From Demolition of the Williston Park/East Williston LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge