Vanderbilt Cup Races

I think we’re looking east on Power House Road (Old Westbury Road) in the Roslyn Heights area. The photographer was probably positioned on the LIRR bridge or abutment for the Oyster Bay branch. The car is the #10 Darracq driven by Louis Wagner who would become the eventual winner. Most sources have Louis Vivet as the mechanician but some claim it is actually Victor Demogeot. The race was held on October 6, 1906 so that’s probably the date of the photo although it could have been taken during a practice run a few days earlier.

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: The Winner of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race in Roslyn

Looking down at Old Westbury Road (now the north service road of the LIE)
The photographer was shooting from the top of the old Oyster Bay railroad bridge.
The race car was the #10 Darracq driven by Louis Wagner along with mechanician (I like that word) Louis Vivet on October 6, 1906.

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: The Winner of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race in Roslyn

Here’s the photo of Willlie K. shown above in his 35/45 HP racer with a noteworthy caption.  From Automobile Topics of Oct. 31, 1908.

From Update: A Renault Vanderbilt Racer was Sold Today at the Amelia Island Auction

Identify the location of the Mystery Foto and the orientation of the photographer.

-Looking East down Old Westbury Road in Roslyn during the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race.

How did the photographer get this elevated shot?

-The photographer was standing on the Oyster Bay LIRR bridge over Old Westbury Road.

Howard; correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this the exact same spot where the LIE currently goes under the LIRR just East of Willis Ave/Exit 37? Past and current photos in the spot and direction below.

Identify the racer, driver and mechanician.
-Louis Wagner’s #10 Darracq racer, winner of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race, Mechanician: Louis Vivet

What is the date of the Mystery Foto?

October 6, 1906

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: The Winner of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race in Roslyn

Location is Old Westbury rd (now south service rd of I495 or Powerhouse rd)
Orientation of photographer is facing east
Photographer climbed the LIRR trestle to secure his shot
Driver is Louis Wagner (winner). Mechanician is Louis Vivet
Date is October 6 1906

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: The Winner of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race in Roslyn

Photographer on top of the LIRR bridge over Westbury Ave,  Today the North Service Road of the LIE.  About a quarter of a mile east of Willis Ave / Mineola Ave.  The race turned north on Mineola Ave after the car traveled under the bridge. 
-joe o

From Mystery Foto #10 Solved: The Winner of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race in Roslyn

Hi all

  I know about that section behind 555 RTE 110, I worked at the USPS and checked it out a few times, that must’ve been about 10 years ago, maybe more, it was amazing how it looked then. Good work, keeping tabs on what’s going on.
Howard, how did you like the the car pics that was sent to you?
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Howard Kroplick

Ted, super! Thanks!

From Sammy & Dave’s “Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day”- #13 Melville

Article taken from “Automobile Topics” of October 24, 1908.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Longest Motor Parkway Bridge Was Built with an Eye to the Future

I’ll be interested to see what it fetches, since it once belonged to my father, James Melton.
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Howard Kroplick:

Margo, wonderful to hear from you. I estimate this wonderful Renault Vanderbilt Racer will sell for $2.5-$3.0 million.

From Update: A Renault Vanderbilt Racer was Sold Today at the Amelia Island Auction

The LIRR upgrading to double track must have been foreseen as well, that side having a 68 ft width. I only see 1 support/separator, so Central Ave then was about 30 ft wide?

It would be interesting to locate a ground photo of the Westbury Ave LIMP bridge say after 1920. The 18 ft width on the south side may have been intended for horse & wagon, while the 24 ft section meant for automobiles? Pretty sure the trolley discontinued by 1925? With the total of 3 openings, there was likely traffic problems like at Clinton Rd.

From Kleiner's Korner: The Longest Motor Parkway Bridge Was Built with an Eye to the Future

Was the Central Av/LIRR bridge in Bethpage (Central Park) the longest Motor Parkway bridge built? The Central Av/LIRR bridge diagram below indicates the west side girder’s length to be 106 ft and 0 in. Photo courtesy of VanderbiltCupRaces.com

From Kleiner's Korner: The Longest Motor Parkway Bridge Was Built with an Eye to the Future

I do know that where the LIPA/LILCO/National Grid power lines run along the RR ROW, the power company leases the land the towers stand on from the now owner of the LIRR, the MTA. I recall a couple of years ago people in the area complaining about the MTA’s lack of upkeep of the property. Did you know that in 2012 Amtrak, in a series of proposals, talked about running a high speed link between NY and Boston in a tunnel/trench that ran along the old Central RR right of way before turning north in a tunnel under the Sound? I think it was the 4th in a series of proposals and the most expensive and the least likely. Also, in the mid 60’s, Nassau County talked about restoring rail service along the line by building a “loop’ between the mainline stations cutting through Levittown, East Meadow and Bethpage. Can you imagine the uproar from all the communities?

From Kleiner's Korner: The Long Island Motor Parkway and Levittown

looking at and comparing photos in a great book I just received as a gift .Mercedes Benz the first one hundred years..Thanks great website

From Then & Now: Krug's Corner in Mineola

I see similar car sn 29059 went for $1.1M in 2006, Gooding and Co. from the Otis Chandler Collection.
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Howard Kroplick

Equivalent to $1.3 million today.

From Update: A Renault Vanderbilt Racer was Sold Today at the Amelia Island Auction

Very close to my old neighborhood. I was just inside of Hicksville so I wandered around all of these places for years.  Never knew what was there before. The only thing I noticed was the marker about the placement of the grandstands.  Thanks for putting this together, Art!

From Kleiner's Korner: The Long Island Motor Parkway and Levittown

Wayne - I believe LIPA/LILCO acquired most of the lands where the LIMP once traveled in Nassau/Suffolk counties, gratefully keeping the roadway preserved

From Kleiner's Korner: The Long Island Motor Parkway and Levittown

Quite a car , I had to go back to the Feb 2018 SCM they covered the Bothwell collection auction , The star car was the 1914 Peugeot L45 GP/ Indy car with the innovative and much copied DOHC engine ( Miller, Bugatti,Offenhouser, Meyer-Drake). It went for $7M a real world icon. SCM also covered a London to Brighton sale,non race cars from the 1890’s to 1904 most were in the $40,000 to $100,000 range a few topping $200,000 the top car a 1903 Panhard at $ 428,000 . Will be interesting to see what the Renault brings with the Vanderbilt connection. As Thor Thorenson wrote about the Peugeot “Only the person who chose to buy this amazing car at auction could set its value, thus I will say it was fairly bought”

From Update: A Renault Vanderbilt Racer was Sold Today at the Amelia Island Auction

Gary Hammond

I didn’t send in my opinion because I thought this to be too easy, and everyone else would have found the answer - I guess I was wrong!  This happened in Omaha, Nebraska sometime between May 8 and May 14 at the Omaha Speedway during the meet of the so-called “International Aviators”.  It was reported in Billboard Magazine in the May 13th and 15th issues (see Attached).  Seymour had brought his “155-horse power auto, with which he won the Vanderbilt cup and the grand prix at Paris.  He also took premier honors at Savannah, Brier Cliff and Atlanta with this racer”.  This photo actually appeared in the May 15th issue under the headline “Aeroplane-Auto Race”.  The Moisant School would open up later that year on the Hempstead Plains.  Sorry for the poor quality images. 
Gary

From Mystery Foto #9 Solved: A Bleriot Monoplane Racing a Vanderbilt Cup Racer in 1910/1911

Those Motor Parkway posts have been sitting there all these years? Amazing stuff. I would hope that one of them ends up on display somewhere like the Levittown Library. Don’t know what to make of that elephant! Great work!

From Kleiner's Korner: The Long Island Motor Parkway and Levittown

I followed the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race very closely since it was the first of the races using part of the Motor Parkway. Don’t have a recollection of a Joe Seymour participating. Someone fill me in on what type of car he drove and how he finished.

From Mystery Foto #9 Solved: A Bleriot Monoplane Racing a Vanderbilt Cup Racer in 1910/1911