AM I IN HEAVEN? Long Island City

by Kevin Walsh

One of these years I’ll win a trivia contest and, as the grand prize, get as long as I want to run around the Department of Transportation Street Light Yard (that’s what they call it) on 37th Avenue just east of 43rd Street, south of the Long Island Rail Road tracks. This is where all the octagonal posts, Flushing Meadows lamps, Bishop Crooks, Corvingtons, Henry Bacon lamps and all the newer models streetlamps are stored, awaiting installation somewhere.

What the DOT really should do is make a mint producing and selling scale model representations of NYC streetlamps. I’d scoop them up faster than I did buying all the Roman Pizza from the local Key Food when I heard the brand was going out of business in August 1975. My stash lasted me till January.

9/29/13

2 comments

Wayne Whitehorne September 29, 2013 - 10:58 pm

Make them in various model railroad gauges (HO, O, etc.). Did you see any type 24 Twins in there?

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Sandy Saltzman September 30, 2013 - 9:38 pm

When I first walked around the streetlight store yard (1974) it was much larger. It included the land now occupied by the large Church. Poles were delivered by freight cars via the rails that are dead ended at the Church. In those days before the street light scandals of the mid 70’s, lamps and photoelectric controls were picked up here along with the poles. Defective lamps and controls were returned by contractors to the stockyard so the City could get replacements under the warrantees. On my first walk I found several controls and lamps that had been dumped in a grassy area. They are still in my collection.

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