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The six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910 were the greatest sporting events of their day, and the first international automobile road races held in the United States. The races had a far-reaching impact on the development of American automobiles and parkways. This site provides comprehensive information on the races, the Long Island Motor Parkway and current Long Island automotive events, car shows and news.
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Co-Founder and Writer: Howard Kroplick
Co-Founder: Dana Kroplick
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Recent Comments
And speaking of alternative means of transportation . . . I found this early 20th century colorized postcard from Nellie showing how Woodhaven might look in the future, including a monorail overheard! I found it quite interesting.
From Mystery Friday Foto #48 Solved: An Interesting Motor Parkway Monorail Proposal
I will attend Howard. Looking forward to seeing the car and you.
From Update: Saturday, November 1, 2025: The Duesenberg Open House at the Waterfront at Roslyn Garage
Hi Al
Great story
$100 seems very little
Willy K and the LIMP sold the Massapequa toll lodge to Thomas and Josephine Zinzi
in 1938 for $100, probably because they lived there as employees of the parkway.
From An Al Velocci Special: The Garden City Headquarters of the Long Island Motor Parkway
Great post, Greg… Thank you for sharing your knowledge on the topic.
I would like to add more information on this subject. In one of the chapters of my doctoral dissertation, I address this specific topic.
Based on numerous sources (all referenced in the notes to the text), I propose a critical review of Michelin’s insistence on promoting this technology, providing new data. You can also see previously unpublished images and advertisements on this topic.
Here are the two download links for that specific chapter.
Chapter 16 - RACE & TIRE PROMOTION - pp. 1093-1170
https://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/bitstream/2445/126382/130/25A.pdf
Chapter 16 - RACE & TIRE PROMOTION - pp. 1171-1208
https://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/bitstream/2445/126382/131/25B.pdf
I hope you find it interesting.
Greetings from Barcelona, capital of Catalonia.
Sincerely,
Professor Pau Medrano-Bigas
University of Barcelona
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
From Greg O's Garage: Removable rims and their impact on early motoring and racing
You know your ‘Groupie’ will be there!
From Update: Saturday, November 1, 2025: The Duesenberg Open House at the Waterfront at Roslyn Garage
I will be attending.
From Update: Saturday, November 1, 2025: The Duesenberg Open House at the Waterfront at Roslyn Garage
Hi Steve, Glad you enjoyed the article. Regarding the fate of the old office building, a Webster Pearsall Jr. was paid $100.00 to move the building. The dollar amount suggests that he didn’t move it very far. The entire area to the southeast was and is very commercial/industrial so what you say makes a lot of sense.
From An Al Velocci Special: The Garden City Headquarters of the Long Island Motor Parkway
Mr. V Intersting stuff. Bob A
From An Al Velocci Special: The Garden City Headquarters of the Long Island Motor Parkway
One more set
From Mystery Friday Foto #48 Solved: An Interesting Motor Parkway Monorail Proposal
More documentation
From Mystery Friday Foto #48 Solved: An Interesting Motor Parkway Monorail Proposal
A monorail was proposed to help alleviate traffic and rapid transit problems in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk.
Proposals for the monorail were presented by a private concern to the Queens Chamber of Commerce in July, 1935 for the Queens portion - around the same time, John J. Halleran, Commissioner of Public Works for Queens issued a statement urging building a monorail along the Motor Parkway and the Executive Vice-President, William J. Russell of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, requested a meeting with Willie K. to discuss the Motor Parkway and the proposed monorail.
The first monorail, the Schwebebahn, opened in Germany on March 1, 1901 and is still in use.
From Mystery Friday Foto #48 Solved: An Interesting Motor Parkway Monorail Proposal
If Rita and survive our trip, we’ll be there
Thank You Howard
From Update: Saturday, November 1, 2025: The Duesenberg Open House at the Waterfront at Roslyn Garage
On second look was it a plan for mass transportation to Long Island. We could sure it it today on a Friday commute east and westbound on Sunday.
From Mystery Friday Foto #48 Solved: An Interesting Motor Parkway Monorail Proposal
Looks like a proposal for a monorail for the 1939 world’s fair I don’t have the talent to look it up but did Raymond Lowey design it? It looks like his style JeRita
From Mystery Friday Foto #48 Solved: An Interesting Motor Parkway Monorail Proposal
I will be there - and will bring my son…
From Update: Saturday, November 1, 2025: The Duesenberg Open House at the Waterfront at Roslyn Garage
Hello Al, Great story. Loved reading about all the historical details of that site. With regard to the original building, you speculate that it may have been moved somewhere locally. I seem to remember visiting a structure there back in the mid 1980’s that I thought was a garage. It was about 75 feet southeast of the lodge and open on the west side like a garage. Any thoughts?
From An Al Velocci Special: The Garden City Headquarters of the Long Island Motor Parkway
Dieter was a great friend and fantastic businessman that never turned me away when i needed advice in the liquor scene or the fast and furious world of race cars—-RIP
From In Search of H. Dieter Holterbosch and his W.C. Bird's Duesenberg
The interesting idea and purpose behind this proposal:
Queens Chamber of Commerce in 1935
https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/saturday_may_2_2009_the_proposed_motor_parkway_monorail
Year of this proposal and who was behind it:
1935. Wiliam K. Vanderbilt Jr. never seriously considered the project due to the absence of funding.
Where has this type of rail system been successfully used before?:
Wuppertal, Germany, which began service in 1901 and is still in use today.
Disneyland also has a monorail
The 1964 Worlds Fair.
Also on Long Island: http://www.screanews.us/ScreaNews/ScreaNews1003/MonorailEastPatchogue.htm
From Mystery Friday Foto #48 Solved: An Interesting Motor Parkway Monorail Proposal
As the economic and practical usefulness of the LIMP was winding down in the mid 1930’s, a proposal was made by the Queens Chamber of Commerce in 1935 to build a monorail type public transportation system using the LIMP right-of-way. A similar system had been built in Wuppertal, Germany in 1901 and still operates to this day. Disneyworld’s monorail in Florida appears to be almost identical in design.
From Mystery Friday Foto #48 Solved: An Interesting Motor Parkway Monorail Proposal
Found the answer on this site.
In 1935 as the Great Depression and expanding NY state highway system made Long Island Motor Parkway less viable, the Queens Chamber of Commerce considered using the LIMP right of way to build an elevated monorail.
Similar system was built in Germany, the Schweberban and later at the 1965 NY Worlds Fair.
From Mystery Friday Foto #48 Solved: An Interesting Motor Parkway Monorail Proposal
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