New York, Day 1, Into the Big City

 Day 1

Sunday, January 8, 2023

     Like I said, I've stayed at this Best Western numerous times.  I've had standard rooms and even upgraded to a suite once.  This was the first time I had seen mirrors and a platform like this in a hotel room.  The purpose is obvious.  But, for a guy in jeans, sweatshirt and hiking boots, it seemed a bit unnecessary.  There's also a third mirror one on the left.

   The Murray Hill train station is an easy walk from the hotel, even with bags.  

     One odd thing struck me as I was waiting on the train.  The rail ties on the left are wood.  The ties on the right are concrete. I ever knew this was a thing.

      As expected, I had to change trains in Summit, one town over.  Easy enough.  

     Along the outer wall, still sits this long abandoned monitoring office.  

    Before the system was computerized, this is where the commuter trains were monitored from, as well as the occasional freight trains.  
     Excuse the dirty window and glare.  This is the second stop in East Orange, named Brick Church.  That spire is the Temple of Unified Christians Brick Church.  Since I'm going down memory lane here, I spent a year commuting to this stop for my first paid job in television(okay, cable)  

     Back in the mid '80s, cable systems were still still monopolies, but unlike the giants like Comcast today, it was regional.  Suburban Cablevision was the largest in the state, and their main offices were a ten minute walk up Prospect Street.  

     Cable channels made deals with providers to allow local commercials at certain times of the day.  My job was to drop in the spots.  Some stations like CNN, A&E and Mtv were all within a regular window.  It got tricky when you had to keep track of games on ESPN and it was a certain point in the game.  

     Here's the twist, it was all done with 3/4" decks and stopwatches.  So yeah, it could get a bit tricky.  But, I loved it.  

      After yet anothe change of trains in Newark, it was off for the final stretch into the city.  Then everything stopped.   On the next track over, Amtrak also stopped cold.  There was an issue with a bridge up ahead.  Everyone sat for about a half hour while the probem was fixed.  I was in no rush.

     Once in Penn Station, it was time to find the subway.

   Just a few stops south, I changed trains at 4th Avenue, surprised to find the station so empty.

     My eventual goal for the next two nights was the Best Western, Coney Island.  Funny how it didn't look like a big walk on Google.  From the beach, it was just shy of a mile down Stillwell Avenue.  

      I chose Coney Island for one reason only, I'd never really explored here.  So, I booked the two nights.  Today, I'd hit the boardwalk.  Tomorrow, everywhere else.  
      So, after ditching my stuff, I walked back down Stillwell Ave. passing the subway station.

     At the end of the street sits Maimonides Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, one of the  Mets' minor league teams.  

     This was once the site of Steeplechase Park, an amusement park originally built in 1897.  Rebuilt after a fire, it remained open until 1964 when the park closed for good.  You can watch a promotional video from the 1940's for the park here:  As for the original Steeplechase Ride, you can watch film of the ride here: 

     I hadn't eaten since breakfast at the motel.  It was the prefect excuse to duck into the Coney Island Brewery for some lunch and a pint.

    From here, it was just a walk along the boardwalk, past the B&B Carousell, long closed for the winter. This carousel was built in Coney Island in 1909, but relocated first to Asbury Park, NJ and then Lake Hopatcong, NJ.  It was returned here in the mid '30s.  In 2005, there was a plan to auction it off.  A private donor purchased it and gifted it to the city.  After a major refurbishing, it was reopened in 2013.  

    Next to the carousel sits the original tower from the Parachute Jump ride.  Originaly built for the 1939 New York World Fair, it was moved here two years later.  Riders would be straped into a seat and lifted two hundred anf fifty feet, then dropped.  A parachute and cable slowed their decent to the ground.  Depending on the source, it either closed in 1964 or 1968.  You can see the ride in operation here:

   Down the boardwalk...

   

    The New York Cosmos were part of the former North American Soccer League from 1970-1985.  The late soccer legend Pele' played for the team from 75-77.  And yes, I did get to see him play once.

    Built in 1920, the Wonder Wheel was once one of seven Ferris Wheels here.  It's also very different.  Sure, you can choose to ride in a car that stationary like an ordinary ferris wheel.  Or, you can choose a car that slides inward, then back out again, the whole time swinging back and forth.  You can get an idea on what that means here:

    With the light waning and not much going on, I called it a day.  Besides, I had a big day ahead of me.

     

Coming Up:

A submarine, an abandoned ferry terminal and a wardrobe malfunction