Vanderbilt Cup Races

Lol, definitely will soon Dave. The whole OBVR visit has been on the to-do list for at least 20 years, even before learning about the LIMP and the bridge. Talk about procrastination!

From Sam & Dave’s “Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day”- #12 Bethpage #3

Levittown, Just east of Newbridge on Carnation Dr. was an elementary school that stood for a few years in the late 40s and early50s. Underutilized, it was torn down and all that was left was a vacant and open lot for many years. Now i think houses were just built there.

From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: Pintail Elementary School in Levittown Built on the Motor Parkway

And no photos sent, Dave.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Motor Parkway in Relation to the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway

Thanks for the kind words all . . .  yes, lots of details such as “nail in NYT #16”, “nail in 12’ Apple Tree”, “Chain Link Fence (alum)”, etc. You know I’ll always try to seek out bits and pieces of history, but to that degree, don’t think so - also not willing to shut down the SOB on my own.  Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age! 

Dave - process is quite easy: or maybe I just had beginners luck.  I’ve requested two more FOILs and will see how these go. 

There was something that asked if I wanted to be notified if the documentation required a certain cost.  For the SOB FOIL I put down $25, but never was told about any resulting charge.  Maybe it will end up in my NYS taxes for the year - lol.

Go to go to the local site and follow directions: Nassau -
https://apex4.nassaucountyny.gov/apex/apexprod/f?p=FOIL:FOIL_REQUEST

New York State:
https://www.ny.gov/openfoil/openfoil-resources

Good luck.  When describing the request best to be as specific as possible.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Motor Parkway in Relation to the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway

-Identify the location in the Mystery Foto.
Levittown just North of Orchid Rd and South of Woodcock Ln with Pintail Ln running North/South on the left.

-Identify the building.
Pintail Lane Elementary School opened in 1958 as a part of the Levittown School District. By 1976 the school was closed. It remained vacant until the mid 1980s when it was sold off and torn down.

-What is the approximate year of the aerial. Provide a rationale.
1966. I found the exact image complete with the same vehicles in the parking lot on the Historic Aerials web page.

From Mystery Foto #40 Solved: Pintail Elementary School in Levittown Built on the Motor Parkway

Hey Frank, you know what’s even better then seeing pictures of this bridge??

ACTUALLY SEEING IT! Go!!

From Sam & Dave’s “Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day”- #12 Bethpage #3

Art—-amazing research. Did they charge you money for this? How does this work? You made the request for information, what is the process after that?

Were there any photos sent? Curious.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Motor Parkway in Relation to the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway

Thanks. Great info The road was asphalt with a lot of holes. I remember also a lot of sand. In the holes and along the road. In fact, I got my first road rash on this road, heading east on a friend’s Honda Trail 70. As I approached the end, the sand became deeper and binded the front wheel I spilled onto a mix of road and sand. The other end, I believe ended with woods. I’d guess this was around 1978-9. I also explored the slaughterhouse and church and of course, Drac’s Castle on Commack road.

From Update: Pilgrim State Hospital Complex and the Motor Parkway in 1938

Art - Thank you for your dedication and accomplishment receiving these FOIL documents. 400+ for this small area alone is amazing! I look forward to seeing them at our next meeting. The first survey has headings written all over it ensuring precise location(s), including a “triangular” monument installed in the southbound left lane somewhere, indicating the precise location where the LIMP eastbound curve once started. The only problem locating this small engraved object on the roadway is the 60+ mph traffic whizzing by. We’ll have to temporarily close the left lane to observe. Maybe someday, but for now I’ll stick with the old aerials. Great stuff guys and always something to learn here.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Motor Parkway in Relation to the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway

Brian, the SOB area they provided me went a bit north and then down south to the cloverleaf at Hempstead Turnpike.  Also many of the docs were very detailed construction plans regarding abutments, drainage, materials needed (even down to seeding and fertilizing).  Not being an engineer, they didn’t mean much to me!

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Motor Parkway in Relation to the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway

That’s a great photo, DJ. I’m no expert,but going by the size and canopy over the top, I’d say this was a 5 Ton Alco.

From Alco Trucks and the First Transcontinental Delivery

Thanks Frank. Suffolk County LRV has several years of old aerials compared to Nassau County’s few. You’ll enjoy the latest blog here ( Art’s Foil Request ).

From Update: Pilgrim State Hospital Complex and the Motor Parkway in 1938

I’ll deem these “works of art” : ) Enjoy how detailed the surveys are. They figured the Nibbe Bridge was railroad, boundary fence posts are noted, etc. These surveys and the Google map are alike. 400 pages for just this area, whew!

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Documenting the Motor Parkway in Relation to the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway

Great maps Brian! I’ve overlooked the 1962, actually revealing the “before and after” effect DURING construction. Love all the cross-referencing. Can we get something similar for Rt 135 in Bethpage? I think we’ve all tried that already. There’s always something new to learn here.

From Update: Pilgrim State Hospital Complex and the Motor Parkway in 1938

What’s with the Hayes roof line to the left of the northwest gable?  Is it really that saggy or is these artefacts of the pix?  Not saggy - see attached street view.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A 1944 View of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage

Hi Tony, I grew in Brentwood too. The few maps below shows the changing of the area after the LIE was built. The road you remember was the original LIMP. You won’t see the maps via ‘more recent comments’, only on this blog. You’ll see what I mean.

From Update: Pilgrim State Hospital Complex and the Motor Parkway in 1938

The building to the right, correctly identified by someone as the former “Hayes Inn,” was home to Central Parks (Bethpage) first movie theatre, roller rink, and in the 1930s-1960s a well known brothel (according to men much older than me and now gone).

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: A 1944 View of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge in Bethpage

I enjoy viewing the images of the OBVR bridge over the years. Amazing clean up work by the LIMPPS back in 2011!

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article_2011/heavy_equipment_crews_visits_the_old_bethpage_motor_parkway_bridge

From Sam & Dave’s “Excellent 2019 Vanderbilt Day”- #12 Bethpage #3

Hi Tony - I believe you had found the LIMP while biking back then! It was once located just south of the LIE service road eastbound (see photo below). About what year were you biking there and in what condition was the roadway concrete in? Last year (2018) Brian McCarthy, Frank Mendyk, and I set out to explore the area south of the service road but found just one small piece of LIMP roadway containing trap rock. There was also a large collection of concrete dumping that I believe was unrelated. The cloverleaf interchange just to the west was also examined with no findings of the LIMP there.
Here is a link to the full map.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1396j0_672hYkvbcNFJInbc1mXNJspD9f&usp=sharing

From Update: Pilgrim State Hospital Complex and the Motor Parkway in 1938

As I grew up in Brentwood and spent a Lot of my childhood exploring Pilgrim State and riding Mini bikes / Dirt bikes throughout, I find this type of stuff fascinating. As I read this blog, I was reminded of a very old road that used to continue back alongside the L.I.E. behind where the parking ride is. Could this road been part of LIMP? It’s long gone since the building of the ramps and the parking ride but, possibly could still be in the overgrown area.  I recall it ending in a lot of sand as you approached east towards Wicks Road.

From Update: Pilgrim State Hospital Complex and the Motor Parkway in 1938