Flintlock76"Trylongs and Perisites" ... now THAT'S a book I'm going to keep an eye out for in my travels, there's got to be one out there somewhere.
I can save you the trouble.
Have fun!
You will particularly appreciate some features of the maps at the end when you get there...
Thanks Overmod! Am I going to have some fun with that!
Commodore Hotel? Wonder who they named that after?
Just went through the book. Wonderful! And I'm VERY impressed with the armament the apartment house doorman has, a cannon AND a Browning Automatic Rifle!
Hmm, I'd forgotten there were so many "turn-offs" on the Palisades.
Overmod Flintlock76 "Trylongs and Perisites" ... now THAT'S a book I'm going to keep an eye out for in my travels, there's got to be one out there somewhere. I can save you the trouble. Have fun! You will particularly appreciate some features of the maps at the end when you get there...
Flintlock76 "Trylongs and Perisites" ... now THAT'S a book I'm going to keep an eye out for in my travels, there's got to be one out there somewhere.
Yes, the map at the rear, if followed, would direct you where you did not want to go.
Johnny
MiningmanWhere to stay when you're visiting the World' s Fair ? Well the Hotel Commodore of course!
Pays to follow up how this building had more lives than a cat.
First it was one of Donald Trump's early 'triumphs' in the mid-Seventies, as the Grand Hyatt. Then it got rebuilt a decade ago...
Meanwhile, the Biltmore, which was rebuilt into office space in the crazy days of the 1980s, is being turned into a tech-company incubator... I'm tempted to see about space there.
Yes, The Donald bought it from the bankrupt Penn Central. Nobody wanted it as it was run down. Turned it all around and made a lot of money. It really was his start to much success.
Thats Mayor Ed Koch and Governor Carey alongside Mr. Trump. The other fella is Robert Dormer with Urban Development.
The guy with the beard in the background photobombing the scene is probably Mike.
I Like Ike...... repeat several times
Overmod I can save you the trouble. Have fun! You will particularly appreciate some features of the maps at the end when you get there...
Cheers, thanks a lot for the links, Overmod."...There is a Trylong, a Trylong which has had its eye on you since the World of Tomorrow was only a dream and a dump...."
Reminds me of the fate of "my" dear PRR S1, the Train of the Tomorrow, a broken dream which became some pieces of scrape just ten years after the Worlds Fair...
By the way, people living in a remote area might not understand that when there is a world class event going to happen in a tier one city, hotel rooms and all kinds of the motel and cheap guest house must be fully booked months or years in advance. If the fair is open to the general public, some people would ask their relatives or friends who live in that city for accommodation. Not many people nowadays understand or remember that World's Fair used to be as important as the Summer Olympic in many people's heart who were living in the Western World.
Jones 3D Modeling Club https://www.youtube.com/Jones3DModelingClub
Looking around at info from the fair I went to, , I discovered that the whole fair site was created around the Louisville and Nashville Depot:
The depot housed a restaurant during the fair and the nearby L&N Hotel housed craft demonstrations sponsored by Stokely Van Kamp. Like much of the fair site buildings, it fell into disrepair, burned and was torn down. Lucky for us railfans the depot survives.
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Penny Trains Looking around at info from the fair I went to, , I discovered that the whole fair site was created around the Louisville and Nashville Depot: The depot housed a restaurant during the fair and the nearby L&N Hotel housed craft demonstrations sponsored by Stokely Van Kamp. Like much of the fair site buildings, it fell into disrepair, burned and was torn down. Lucky for us railfans the depot survives.
Looks like a nice place for a huge model railroad club. Let's build the world's largest layout inside it.
That stained-glass entrance to the L&N station is absolutely jaw-dropping! I tried a little research to see who made it (Tiffany? Maybe?) but couldn't find a thing.
I did find out the L&N built the station to rival competitor Southern Railway's station, and after seeing pictures of the SR's station for sheer elegance I'd have to say the "Old Reliable" didn't just rival 'em, they beat 'em!
The L&N station's now used as a "magnet" high school for STEM studies, i.e. "Science, Technology, Engineering, Math" and is quite successful.
That old station's still earning it's keep, which is excellent. That's the only way a big antique like a train station can survive.
Good idea for a model railroad club in that old station Mr. Jones, but unfortunately the building's spoken for. Maybe interested students could start one? Like Dave Klepper did when he was at MIT? Dave's old club is still there and still going strong.
There IS an old train station that I know of with a resident train club, it's the old Erie station in Hillsdale NJ, the Bergen County Model Railroad Club occupies the second floor.
Here's the station. www.subwaynut.com/njt/hillsdale/index.php
Click on any photo to enlarge.
Not as grand as that L&N station, but still charming. The club's not pictured but I can take care of that.
Here's a video of a BCMRC Christmas season open house. Nice!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhD0Qj87Fsg
New Jersey's got a pretty vibrant model railroad culture, which kind of makes sense, everything else is illegal up there!
Not a World's Fair, but Cleveland's Great Lakes Exposition of 1936-37 had an interresting railroad connection. Especially if you were a railfan!
For starters you had the Timken roller bearings exhibit in the Hall of Progress:
Travelling to the fair by rail? You could use the new (7 years old) Cleveland Union Terminal:
The Public Square exits would have put you just steps away from the expo's main entrance on Mall C:
Or, if you were more of a Pennsy fan, you could arrive at the old 1864 Union Depot, although modified a bit as loco development necessitated opening the roof so as not to asphyxiate everyone:
Here's where the railfanning would come into play.
The depot is at the bottom center of the photo above. The main expo grounds extend from the Horticultural Gardens just to the left of old Municipal Stadium to that large white rectangle above center right. And just look at all those bridges accross the tracks!
This one, which had the Court of the Presidents (one monument for each President who was born or elected from a great lakes state, 16 in all) probably would have had the grandest view:
If you worked at one of the concession stands that is!
Fascinating stuff Becky!
I wonder how many Ohio regiments went off to the Civil War from that old Union Station? I wonder how many came home there as well?
That Great Lakes Exposition must have been a sight to see. I wonder why we don't do anything like that anymore? Eh, why ask why? Who knows?
Lincoln arrived at the original 1854 Union Depot on his way to Washington in 1861 and passed through the under construction depot in 1865 (after the wood 54 station burned down) on his way to Springfield:
Company C of the 11th USA infantry regiment camped out at the Expo:
Their camp is on the right edge of this postcard view:
An "army" of a different sort. The Yeomanettes, Expo tour guides:
Most soldiers mustered out of the Central Armory:
It hosted the Cleveland Industrial Exposition of 1909:
And...
As you might expect:
Grand old building with classic architecture? Sure. RIP IT DOWN!
Terrific posting Penny. As an outsider peering through the looking glass this is America at its finest.
Popular opinion these days would condem and be highly critical of what's going on in those pictures.
Yeah, tear it all down, ... brilliant.
Thanks, Becky for the picture of the L&N's station in Knoxville. Now I know what it looks like--the only time I was in it was at night, back in 1963, after taking the Tennessean from Bristol and then taking the Flamingo to Atlanta.
And I'll be they had a hell of a time knocking that armory down, damn them!
Those old armories were built like medieval castles, and meant to last just as long.
What a waste! What a lousy waste!
Flintlock76 And I'll be they had a hell of a time knocking that armory down, damn them! Those old armories were built like medieval castles, and meant to last just as long. What a waste! What a lousy waste!
A bit over 20 years ago, the oldest Department of Defence offices in Canberra were demolished to be replaced by two new buildings. These were built in the mid 1950s and these were quite substantial. The outer walls were more than a foot thick of reinforced concrete with a sort of pebble finish The roofs were thick copper on steel trusses. The general impression was that after a non-direct nuclear blast, you'd replace the windows and get back to work. The contractors did get them down but I bet they lost money on the deal. The replacements are made from ticky tacky and wouldn't stand up to a really major storm. These weren't anything of architectural note but they were well made and would have lasted longer if someone had bit the bullet and rewired them for current IT systems.
Peter
Flintlock76 Good idea for a model railroad club in that old station Mr. Jones, but unfortunately the building's spoken for. Maybe interested students could start one? Like Dave Klepper did when he was at MIT? Dave's old club is still there and still going strong. There IS an old train station that I know of with a resident train club, it's the old Erie station in Hillsdale NJ, the Bergen County Model Railroad Club occupies the second floor.
I didn't know Mr. Klepper is a club member of the MIT's Tech Model Railroad Club! That is really cool. I bet I could see some rare experimental or vision engine and trains model in MIT's railroad club!
Penny Trains Not a World's Fair, but Cleveland's Great Lakes Exposition of 1936-37 had an interresting railroad connection. Especially if you were a railfan! For starters you had the Timken roller bearings exhibit in the Hall of Progress: Travelling to the fair by rail? You could use the new (7 years old) Cleveland Union Terminal:
It was such an amazing Art Deco adventure! Thank you Becky for leading us to visit the time tunnel, travel to the fabulous fair of America and epic history of them! I love all these fascinating pics you posted!
M636C Flintlock76 And I'll be they had a hell of a time knocking that armory down, damn them! Those old armories were built like medieval castles, and meant to last just as long. What a waste! What a lousy waste! A bit over 20 years ago, the oldest Department of Defence offices in Canberra were demolished to be replaced by two new buildings. These were built in the mid 1950s and these were quite substantial. The outer walls were more than a foot thick of reinforced concrete with a sort of pebble finish The roofs were thick copper on steel trusses. The general impression was that after a non-direct nuclear blast, you'd replace the windows and get back to work. The contractors did get them down but I bet they lost money on the deal. The replacements are made from ticky tacky and wouldn't stand up to a really major storm. These weren't anything of architectural note but they were well made and would have lasted longer if someone had bit the bullet and rewired them for current IT systems. Peter
In the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 the original B&O headquaters were turned to ashes. The B&O then built the B&O Building at the corner of Baltimore & Charles Streets was constructed in a period of 11 months. The B&O/Chessie System placed its Main Frame computers on the top two floors of the bulding. When Chessie Systme decided to move the headquarters a block up the street to the Meis VanDerRhoe designed 2 North Charles street building that was part of Baltimores urban renewal reconstruction of the 1950's & 60's it was discovered that the only place in that building the computers could be placed were either the ground floor or the basement of the building - the floor loading of the computers exceeded the the 50 pounds per square foot loading that was felt safe for the upper floors of 2 North Charles. The computers stayed on the top two floors of the B&O Building - even as the building was deeded to the City of Baltimore for redevelopment; the building is now being used as the Kimpton Monaco Hotel (the CSX computers have been removed in the intervening 40 years).
Totally highlights the difference in early 1900's engineering and post WWII engineering. Before - make it STRONG, strong beyond what we can calculate. After - make it JUST STRONG ENOUGH to do todays mission without worrying about the next day.
Having worked in 2 North Charles - during the period of time I worked there, the building was totally deficient in air conditioning capacity. When the AC systems for the building were designed no one had heard of office computers - in the middle 80's every employee in the building had one or more computers to be used in completing their work assignments - each one pumping out heat.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD ...When the AC systems for the building were designed no one had heard of office computers - in the middle 80's every employee in the building had one or more computers to be used in completing their work assignments - each one pumping out heat.
...When the AC systems for the building were designed no one had heard of office computers - in the middle 80's every employee in the building had one or more computers to be used in completing their work assignments - each one pumping out heat.
I love this sharing, Balt. I can imagine all those different kinds of electric fans were placed all over the office to help cool down the office.
A magnificent structure it was. Projected the power of the railroads.
WOW! What a beauty that B&O building is!
Thanks guys for the kind words about the Expo pics!
You know, strangely enough one of the most frustrating parts of researching the 1936-37 Great Lakes Exposition is the fact that so few pics from inside the shops, restaurants, attractions and pavillions exist. Obviously the one I'd like to know the most about was this:
This is what I know: http://digitalcollections.nyhistory.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A72709
I have a semi-blurry photo taken from across the 9 lakefront tracks that shows this train and 2 other woodburners parked on the staging tracks that you can see on this map, just right of center:
Unfortunately it wasn't brought back for the 1937 season. In 1936 the Expo featured a fair amount of nudity at the Streets of the World concessions:
That, coupled with the fact that it cost an average of 6 to 15 dollars (100 to 250 in 2019 funds) to spend a day at the Expo, not a lot of families came during the 1936 height of the depression season. The dancers were evicted however and more wholesome entertainment was added for 1937. But sadly for us the Parade of the Years was replaced with an ice skating show.
Penny TrainsWOW! What a beauty that B&O building is! Thanks guys for the kind words about the Expo pics! You know, strangely enough one of the most frustrating parts of researching the 1936-37 Great Lakes Exposition is the fact that so few pics from inside the shops, restaurants, attractions and pavillions exist. Obviously the one I'd like to know the most about was this: This is what I know: http://digitalcollections.nyhistory.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A72709 I have a semi-blurry photo taken from across the 9 lakefront tracks that shows this train and 2 other woodburners parked on the staging tracks that you can see on this map, just right of center: Unfortunately it wasn't brought back for the 1937 season. In 1936 the Expo featured a fair amount of nudity at the Streets of the World concessions: That, coupled with the fact that it cost an average of 6 to 15 dollars (100 to 250 in 2019 funds) to spend a day at the Expo, not a lot of families came during the 1936 height of the depression season. The dancers were evicted however and more wholesome entertainment was added for 1937. But sadly for us the Parade of the Years was replaced with an ice skating show.
I believe all of the equipment that you pictrured are items that were a part of the B&O's Centenial - Fair of the Iron Horse in 1927 at Halethorpe, MD - where I spent the last 8 years of my career as well as 4 years in the middle of my career (different postitions and job duties).
MiningmanA magnificent structure it was. Projected the power of the railroads. http://cdn.loc.gov/master/pnp/habshaer/md/md1500/md1569/data/md1569data.pdf All of the above brought to you by your friendly neighbourhood Mike
Several things -
In the picture following the 'color postcard' The Charles Center Building where all Chessie headquarters functions were move is visible as the 'glass faced building' directly behind the B&O Building, with the Main Frame computers remaining in the B&O Building for a number of years even after the formation of CSX. The Baltimore computers became the off site back up for the CSX computers in Jacksonville.
The bottom two color pictures show the building in its 'renovated' condition. The marble that is seen in the stair case in both the stairs and the wall facings is most likely some of the marble that was used to create Rest Room stalls on all floors of the building. During the renovation period I had a view that overlooked the North side of the B&O Building - I could see workmen breaking the marble and forcing it down the construction channels to the debris dumpsters that occupied the Northside alley.
The B&O staff that operated the building (elevator operators, freight handlers, janatorial staff etc.) had their own seniority district within the Brotherhood of Railroad and Airline Clerks - BRAC. When Chessie was disposing of the building, that seniority district, which had approximately 80 members, was folded into the other clerical seniority district in Baltimore. Problem was these individuals had never been required to do any 'clerical' work in their careers - in fact about 60 of them with 25 to 40 years of service were functionally illiterate and were unable to be trained to become the modern defination of clerks. The remaining 20 were put through a company training program to 'bring them up to speed' on being clerks - as I recall 14 of the succeeded. Those that didn't were given severance and well wishes for their next employment opportunity - harsh but the 'family' feeling of the railroad was quickly being extinguished, despite the Seaboard side of CSX considering themselves 'The Family Lines'.
Balt's mention of functionally illiterate people working in the B&O Building reminded of two men on my college's Building and Grounds Crew--they could write their own names, but nothing else. Each had as his primary responsibility the janitorial work in a building, and then performing such tasks as the superintendent assigned them daily.
Excerpt from The Last Great Railroad Show by Curtis Katz, Trains, Aug.1998
With the Chicago Railroad Fair, the nation's railroads threw a big party for one final time...
Thanks guys!
Here's the arena where the Parade was held, just behind the Standard Drug Building which is just behind the White Motors/Greyhound tram:
Another piece of Lost Cleveland:
Home of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers from 1910 to 1969.
And it's twin accross the street:
The unfortunately timed B.L.E. Bank building (opened just before the depression), which is still standing.
The Bank, as the "Standard Building" is now an upscale apartment complex. Thankfully! https://www.thestandardcle.com/
Penny Trains WOW! What a beauty that B&O building is! Thanks guys for the kind words about the Expo pics! You know, strangely enough one of the most frustrating parts of researching the 1936-37 Great Lakes Exposition is the fact that so few pics from inside the shops, restaurants, attractions and pavillions exist. Obviously the one I'd like to know the most about was this:
A fascinating collection of the Great Lake Exposition! Thank you so much, Becky.Henry Dreyfuss's “upside-down bathtub” streamlined K-5 appeared on two posters of the Expo, I guess she was one of the main focus of the event. the "Dreyfuss K-5 " was a good example of the idiom "Failure is the Mother of Success", although I actually think that the styling of Mercury wasn't that bad.
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