Vanderbilt Cup Races

That first photo shows well just how sleek the Tuckers are.

From Highlights From The Bridge IV: 1948 Tucker 1044

Not to quibble with Frank F. (Heaven forfend!) but the LIMP did not “cut through a small town”.  For our neophytes, there WAS no town there ‘way back; only the open Salisbury/Hempstead Plains, the East Coast’s only true prairie.  The town(s) grew up on either side of the LIMP.  Later on, though, it sure did look that way, as we “experts” know and Frank notes.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

Art - Amazing schematics of the parkway and bridges; particularly the ‘Detail Plans’ showing Central Ave eastbound just before reaching the Motor Pkwy bridge, curving SE first, then immediately curving NE before crossing the RR tracks. I remember this twist took a while to figure out using the 1926 aerial below. Here it is now accurately drawn in plain sight! Great stuff, thanks for sharing

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Removal of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge

Credit for the above goes to The Nassau Daily Review Star.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

From Art Kleiner:
Look for an upcoming blog providing further details about Salisbury Park Drive; however here’s a picture of the Newbridge Road Bridge (at the easterly end of Salisbury Park Drive) being demolished in 1948 and 1947 County improvement plans to Salisbury Park, including changes to the Motor Parkway.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

I do hope this unfortunate accident didn’t cause a future disability for him.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Removal of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge

I recall the 11/8/1954 article from a past blog. A strong guess is that the boy was on the LIMP N/O the LIRR. The 1953 aerial below shows the ENTIRE bridge removed, but the remaining berms were cut back JUST ENOUGH for Old Central Ave & the LIRR. Norcross Ave was not yet extending S/O Revere Ave. The 1966 aerial seems to show the south extension of Norcross and the berm appears to be removed, but it’s ‘footprint’ is visible. So this berm must have been completely removed with the extension of Norcross Ave, which ‘looks recent’ in 1966. The berm on the south side of Central was cut back again with the new route of Central Ave. There’s still an incline in the PSEG row.

From Kleiner's Kolumn: Removal of the Central Avenue/LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge

Whatever happened to the LIAM?  Still for sale?
__________________________________________________
Howard Kroplick:

Here is the latest info: http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/update_the_site_of_the_long_island_automotive_museum

From Hamptons Road Trip: A 1928 Renault Barn Find & Site of the Long Island Automotive Museum Up for Sale

Greetings,
Seeking info on the 1907 Thomas Flyer for a serious scale modeling project to be presented at the 2020 Dayton(Oh.) Concours ‘de Elegance.
I’m needing info and images of the car in ‘as found’ condition when purchased by Harrah.
**ANY** information would be greatly appreciated !

Thank you,
Don Strong
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
___________________________________________

Howard Kroplick

Don, this may help you: http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_winning_thomas_flyer_at_the_long_island_automotive_museum

From What was the Long Island Automotive Museum?

Alex Cauthen has added an image form a 1906 Peerless sales brochure.

From In Search of Driver/Mechanician Charles Burman Updated: 10/30/2019

I used to spend my childhood days riding my bike along what we used to call “Old Motor” in Levittown and we had no idea why it was called that… Between Orchid Road where it curved towards carnation Rd to Newbridge. We were curious about the curved pavement next to the sump between Orchid Road and Pintail Lane. We had bike trails headed east past Pintail Lane school and down to Skimmer lane in the rear yards on Orchid Road where the sump is. Many years later I met my wife who grew up on Orchid and Skimmer which turned out to be the site of the grandstand. Today the is a sign on Skimmer proclaiming the site of the grandstand next to my In-laws house.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

From Art Kleiner:
Thanks Mike, now you’ve got me interested in answering your question about when Salisbury Park Drive was built!  Remember, Salisbury Park Drive now extends from Newbridge Road to Old Country Road - back in the 50s it didn’t so the answer is not as straightforward as you may think.  But look for an answer with some documentation in hopefully the not too distant future.  Initial thoughts are in the mid-50s for the section in question.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

From Art K:  I live about a 5 minute walk from this location and have walked in the woods next to Salisbury Park Drive many, many times.  Back in 2006 several Motor Parkway posts were there. Up until a couple of years ago I confirmed they were there (at least pieces of them) but have to go back now and see if they are any remaining.  In 2009 LIPA did a major undertaking which I detail on on my website which also shows the posts and several pieces of original Parkway. 
https://www.freewebs.com/limparkway/levittownsalisburypkdr.htm

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

Hi Casey, Good to hear from you, notice you regularly this site. Still working-construction?

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

Growing up in Levittown a friend of mine I spent many summer days exploring this area during the 1963-1966 period along Salisbury Park Drive, the woods next to the Wantagh Parkway, and at a sump that was located just west of the parkway. We would come across railroad ties from the LIRR Central Branch as well as what we now know was the LIMP remnants. The first photo must have been taken from the western edge of Newbridge Road looking west since there isn’t any Newbridge Road pavement visible in the photo. I’m curious to know the year Salisbury Park Drive was built. I think it would have been in the late 1950’s not the 1960’s. Hopefully Art can confirm the date. Great Photos! Thanks to Al and Art.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

Excellent detective work, it all makes sense now. What struck me most of this mystery photo is how the elevated roadway cuts through the town, and the massive removal/clean-up yet to follow! Salisbury Drive at grade today gives the neighborhood a different look. The old LIMP looked like an expressway cutting through the small town, essentially what it was.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

Funny, none of us picked up on the dirt path immediately south of Salisbury Park Drive on Art’s “Google Earth-Today” aerial.  That’s the RoW of the Central RR of LI.  You can make it out on the enlargements (now that we know).  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

The Stewart RR line ran parallel to the LIMP in this area.  It was on the left of the photo. Even after 70 years of non existence the footprints of the tracks are still visible through the pavement of the Wantagh Parkway as you look south 50 feet from the parkway overpass (Salisbury Park Drive).

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

Photo location-  LIMP just west of Newbridge Rd in Levittown. The photo is
                  looking west towards the Wantagh Parkway bridge.
                  You can see the Wantagh parkway’s light post just left of the
                  parkway bridge.
                  On the left of the photo the Lilco substation can be seen
    Other structures-  The Lilco gas dome plant on Stewart Ave in Garden City in
                      just left of the LIMP
                    The Water Tower next to the Meadowbrook Parkway and
                    Roosevelt race track is just right of the LIMP

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West

Did not have a lot of time to look at this one.  My gut instinct says we are at the Jerusalem Avenue bridge area looking west, along what is today Salisbury Park Drive.  I am sad to see the poor condition of our road.  The houses we see to the right are on Greenbelt Lane.  The LIMP bridge over Westbury Rd.

From Mystery Foto #43 Solved : A 1955 View of the Motor Parkway in Levittown Looking West