Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi Jim:

It’s free with the $10 admission to the museum:

http://www.mcny.org/visit-the-museum/

Have fun on St. Paddy’s Day.

Howard

From Vanderbilia to be Displayed at Upcoming Museum of the City of New York Exhibition

where is museum
when
time cost

Thanks Howard JIM

From Vanderbilia to be Displayed at Upcoming Museum of the City of New York Exhibition

Hillclimbs can be more dangerous than road racing.
The ALCO looks like a handful.

I nearly killed myself at Duryea in 1975.  Have not tried to drive “in anger” since then besides a few track days on closed courses.

From The Alco "White Beast" at the 1910 Worcester Dead Horse Hill Climb

Active schedule, keep up the great work.

From March/April 2010 Long Island Automotive Events Update

From Frank W:

Hi Howard,

I enjoyed reading about the second ‘06 Locomobile and the piston.  I first heard the story from Elmer McFarland’s son, Rod, with whom I used to work.  Rod said that his father heard through a TV program (I think it was) about Peter Helck and Old 16.  He called Peter and told him about the piston that the McFarlands were using as a door stop.  After he gave Peter the piston, the two became good friends and the McFarlands received a Christmas card from Peter every year thereafter.

From The Amazing and Continuing Saga of the 1906 Locomobile Twins- Part II

Pictures of the other Stanley Vanderbilt Cup replicas can be found at the Stanley Register Online, http://www.stanleyregister.net/VCR.html .

From Jay Leno & the 1906 Stanley Steamer Vanderbilt Racers

Took my 8 year old son to see the mansion on the hill overlooking lake success and Lakeville road Sunday…also did a drive by of the “toll” house near there and the one in Garden City…he might now be your youngest motor parkway fan…he loves the bike video speeded up on the site as well…your site-ings get better and better…sincere thanks!

From Then & Now:The Woodbury Turn of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race

Hi Jim:

Thanks for the memory! It was quite a thrill when Jerry Helck dug out the piston and rod for me.

Howard

From The Amazing and Continuing Saga of the 1906 Locomobile Twins- Part II

Howard,
As a youngster, I remember seeing this piston and connecting rod at Peter Helck’s place in Boston Corners. It was not hard to imagine this piston moving up and down displacing a gallon volume. I remember thinking that the 16 in Old 16 represented 16 liters displacement.
Jim Andrews

From The Amazing and Continuing Saga of the 1906 Locomobile Twins- Part II

Erratum #8: “Having participated in the Grand Prix cross-country races in Europe that ran from Paris to Monte Carlo”
Vanderbilt Fact: Willie K never participated in a Paris to Monte Carlo race. He did drive in the the Paris to Madrid “Race to Death”. Fortunately, his crowd broke down on the first day.

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/Vanderbilts/

From The New NYC Parks & Recreation Motor Parkway Historical Marker in Queens

Erratum #7: “In 1906, after a car crash in which a spectator was killed, Vanderbilt decided to remove the races from local roads and build a landscaped parkway to hold the races.”

Motor Parkway Fact: Willie K. attempted to remove the race from local roads but never succeeded. The last three Vanderbilt Cup Races (1908-1910) were held on public roads and the Motor Parkway.

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/sunday_november_22_2009_film_the_1908_vanderbilt_cup_course

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/races/races/preparations_for_the_1909_race

From The New NYC Parks & Recreation Motor Parkway Historical Marker in Queens

Hi Richie:

Thanks for the suggestion. I will include all the Queens automobile events that I can find.

George Spruce is a great collector of Vanderbilia.

Howard

From February/March 2010 Long Island Automobile Event Update

Great list of car shows. please remember the car shows in Queens, like the annual car show at the queens farm sunday april 25th     queens farm .org   ps. my uncle used to build and race cars at freeport raceway in the 1930’s, have a few old photos at home. Also about 10 years ago I sold a vintage poster to a man in saville on the vanderbuilt cup races.  I think his name was George Spruce??

From February/March 2010 Long Island Automobile Event Update

The curve after the bridge impresses me as being the most difficult of the set, especially considering the relative lack of control that cars of the day had.
Today, the curves would not be considered worth more than a “Sharp Curve” warning sign.

From The Two Deadman's Curves in Bethpage (Central Park)

Dear Howard Kroplick, as you can see I’ve had the pleasure of looking over your fabulous web-site, sorry I can not furnish photo or film from the Vanderbilt Cup Races, but I do have the program from the 1936 event, I purchased the estate of Bunny Phillips of his racing career many years ago, Bunny race in the 1936 Race, I have a badge with all the flags & date of the race, Bunny was so broke at the time a good sportsman paid his enter fee of $125.00, Bunny did not finish the race, I have the receipt and all of Bunny’s racing drivers license from 1930 to 1946, he raced at Indy and finished 13th in 1941, even have the envelope saying $600.00 for 13th,several passes in the 30’s to 1954 Indy,season track pass to George Vanderbilt Cup 400 mile of 1936, and a practice day of 1936, a letter from from Roosevelt raceway, dated Jan22,1937, telling Overton Phillips what changes for the 1937 Race and a map of the changes signed by George Robertson-Vice President, many other race events around the U.S.the map shows the 1936 layout & the changes for 1937.  Overton Phillips AAA license says he drive’s a Bugatti Special.
At the present time I have someone very interested in all of Bunny Phillips items, but if you have an interest I’d be pleased to consider offers, as this Historical Treasure should be saved.  By the way Howard, I also have the New York Evening Journal Sept 1,1936 talking about the New Track, and a photo of layout.  I thank you for your enquire, it was a pleasure looking at these items that I have cherished for many years, sorry I do not have photos of the race, I do have a photo of the car he raced in 1941, and the I.D. plate for use on the car in 1946, never put on the dash. If ever in L.A. your welcome to stop come see my Archives.
Best Regards
Ronald J. Kellogg

From The Amazing and Continuing Saga of the 1906 Locomobile Twins- Part I

Hello Howard, To add to the mystery, I have a letter dated Oct 11,
1906 addressed to my grandfather and signed by S T Davis jr, Pres
  of Locomobile indicating that they had a firm offer to sell one of
  the race cars for $15,000 and had not made a decision to sell it
  at that time. Further, the ALAM catalogue of 1907 pictures a
  Cup Racer for sale by the Locomobile Co for $15,000. Why would
  they be willing to sell one of the cars for a $25,000 loss if in
  fact they cost $40,000 to build?  I hope the readership can come
  up with a plausible answer. Regards, Binney Beale

From The Amazing and Continuing Saga of the 1906 Locomobile Twins- Part I

Hi Cyril:

Thanks so much for the identification. I will forward to Gary Hammond, chief curator of the Nassau County Museum System.

Howard

From An Armband Discovery and a Lantern Mystery

Howard,

The lantern in question is a railroad lantern. Kerosene fired with reflector-focus.  These were spares to be used if the main headlight on a locomotive failed.  The base would have fit in a female receptacle near the main light.  Occasionally crews would use the spare to supplement the driver lights. It was also used, and carried in the caboose, for repairs, oiling and water. As such it was also designed to sit on the ground.

Some versions allowed lateral movement and some vertical movement and some both. Railroad drive lighting and emergency lighting was quite important and innovative. Many patents were issued in this field. Trains were for the 19th century and a portion of the 20th Century the fastest moving things that man relied on. Railroads have operated in night, and dark conditions including tunnels, almost from their inception.

Likely the Vanderbilt Cup Races and almost any other venue of the time would have used the readily available railroad equipment suppliers. Pennsylvania was noted as a supplier of quality kerosene and battery lighting, in part due to the number of railroads; The Pennsylvania (Pennsy), Erie, Lehigh, Reading & Philadelphia (later Reading Lines), Delaware and Hudson(D&H), Central of New Jersey (CNJ),  Central and New England (CNE), New York Central and many others that did business in the State or nearby.

Also the coal mining industry used lighting, albeit not of the kerosene variety (except in emergency) due to ventilation

From An Armband Discovery and a Lantern Mystery

Erratum #6: In 1912, the parkway was fully opened to the public as a private toll road for its entire 45-mile length.

Motor Parkway Fact: The final Western Terminus at Nassau Boulevard was not opened until 1928.

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/wednesday_february_11_2009_in_search_of_the_fresh_meadows_toll_booth_part_i

From The New NYC Parks & Recreation Motor Parkway Historical Marker in Queens

Hi Art:
Very neat!

Howard

From More on the Long Island Automotive Museum