Vanderbilt Cup Races

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

Hi,
Found this in a 1957/1958 NY Daily News Almanac and Guide to NYC in the “Scientific Museums Outstanding Exhibits” section:

Long Island Automotive Museum.
“Rt. 39, Southampton, SO 1-1880.  Open Daily, June-Sept., week ends late May, Oct., 9-5.  Adults 50 cents, children 25 cents.  Largest museum in world devoted exclusively to history of the automobile.  Henry Austin Clark, Jr. collection of 100 antique cars, trucks, fire engines, including steam, electric and gasoline models dating from 1896.

From More on the Long Island Automotive Museum

Erratum #5:  “the reconstruction of the overpasses at 73rd Avenue, Hollis Hills Terrace, Francis Lewis Boulevard and Springfield Boulevard”

Motor Parkway Fact: The original bridge over Francis Lewis Boulevard was built after the Motor Parkway closed in 1938.

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

Hi Bob:

Thanks for the information!

Many of Joseph Burt’s photos were taken in Mineola:

http://www.queenslibrary.org/ext/central/longisland/manuscripts/index.asp?f=burt+finding+aid.xml&tt=Joseph+Burt,+Sr.+Photographic+Collection+

The ACCA presentation was lots of fun:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/saturday_february_13_2010

Howard

From Starting Lineup: 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes

Erratum #4: ” “Willie K.” Vanderbilt, great-grandson of the noted railroad developer Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877)”

Motor Parkway Fact: Wiliam K. Vanderbilt, Jr. is often confused in writing with his father William K. Vanderbilt. The Jr. or II is frequently left off Willie K’s last name.

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

Jeremy:

Thanks for the info!

Howard

From New photos of the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race Discovered

Pretty neat. BTW, Hayden is still alive in 2010 and is living contently in CT with his wife Lois.

JCA

From New photos of the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race Discovered

For more information on steam cars check out The Steam Car Club of Great Britain web site at http://www.steamcar.net regards, Jeff.

From Jay Leno & the 1906 Stanley Steamer Vanderbilt Racers

Hi Ryan:

Here is a link to information on your cup:
http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/sunday_january_17_2010_the_elusive_locomobile_vanderbilt_cup_paperweight

Howard

From The 20 Toll Collection Structures of the Long Island Motor Parkway-Updated 3/17/2018

Sandrine:

Good question. I will try to find out.

Howard

From Driver Profile: Harry Grant -Winner of the 1909 & 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races

Terrence:

I totally agree!

Howard

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: 1910 Plans for the Ronkonkoma Motor Speedway

Hi Bob:

I try to have a focus on the Vanderbilt Cup Races and Long Island. Here is one reference to the Fairmont on this website:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/monday_march_23_2009_1908_locomobile_trophy_purchased_for_128700

I can also recommend a book “The Fairmont Motor Races (1908-1911)” by Michael Seneca.

Enjoy,

Howard

From Favorite Website: Team Dan Race Archives

Erratum #3: “The races continued there until 1910, when three spectators were killed and twenty others injured.”
Motor Parkway Fact: No spectators were killed during the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race. Two mechanicians died while participating in the race:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/question_of_the_day_march_24_2008_how_many_fatalities_were_there_in_the_lon

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

Hi A:
Thanks for the feedback. I have posted a close-up of the car’s entrant banner of its radiator. It is definitely #42.

Checking out the axles, it appears that all three cars are from the same manufacturer.

Howard

From A Visit to the Amazing Simeone Foundation Museum

Hi Steve:

Thanks for the feedback!

Here’s a link to information on David Wasserman’s amazing tin art.

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/friday_april_17_2009_old_16_tin_art_by_david_wasserman

Enjoy,

Howard

From The Checkered Flags of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi Steven:

Thanks for the comment. Your father’s art is amazing.

Please contact me when you are on Long Island and we can go for a ride in the “Black Beast”.

Howard

From "Old 16" Tin Can Art by David Wasserman

I’m greatly enjoying Howard K.‘s stream of info on the Vanderbilt Cup races in New York.  You can see an interesting artistic rendition of the 1908 winner (the #16 Locomobile) by artist David Wasserman (now deceased) by going to TinCanMan99 on AOL (or googling Mr. Wasserman’s name) and reviewing his very interesting metal art.

From The Checkered Flags of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

The picture captioned as Mercers at Wheatley Sweepstakes is very interesting, but the three cars in the picture are definitely NOT Mercers. Not sure what they are.

From A Visit to the Amazing Simeone Foundation Museum