World's Fair anniversary Festival in Queens

This year was the 50th anniversary of the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing Meadow Park, Queens. Kevin was at the first one, as a babe in arms. I wasn't born yet, and of course, neither was Mikro, though he loves the Unisphere and the Pavillion, largely due to the Men in Black movies and trips to the NY Hall of Science and Maker Faire. So it was nice to take a guided tour of the artifacts of the Fairs, and learn a little more about them together. We also saw the amazing NYC panorama in the Queens Museum of Art, and their exhibit of World's Fair memorabilia. And because we seem to do nature study wherever we go, it was awesome to see the red tailed hawks nesting in the Unisphere. We even got a quick glimpse of one hatchling!

Grand Central Terminal Centennial Parade of Trains

This is what we did on Mothers Day (we actually celebrated on Saturday, which I'll post about later...) We went into GCT expecting a light turnout due to the holiday, but the pace was jammed packed with rail fans.

Trains on display included: a NY Central RR FL-9 locomotive, Metro North 1962 ACMU, Metro North 605 Engine (retired diesel locomotive), Metro North M-8s (the future train cars on our commuter line), Metro North BL14 Engine, Tonawanda Valley 1928 NYCRR Pullman Observatiom/Sleeper Lounge Car), U.S. Railway Car Post Office (built in 1910 for Pennsylvania Railroad); Phoebe Snow (tavern & lounge car built in 1949 for Erie Lackawanna, repurposed as an inspection car by Metro North), NY Central Passenger Car, Hickory Creek (1947 NYCRR sleeper observation car), New York Central 43 (1947 lounge/business car), Wisconsin (1948 business car for St Paul & Pacific RR's Wisconsin train), NYCRR 448 (1947 business lounge car), Ohio River (1926 Pullman Sleeper/Observation Lounge), Kitchi Gammi Club (1923 Pullman sleeper car), Birken (1954 diner/lounge car). Babbling Brook (1949 observation lounge car), Dover Harbor (1923 Pullman baggage car), Tioga Pass (1959 business car), Overland Trail (1949 Pullman), Pacific Sanda (1950 sleeper car). Salisbury Beach (1954 Pullman Sleeper), Berlin (1956 sleeper), Cimmaron River (1948 Pullman Sleeper), Montanta ( 1947 businesss lounge car). There were also LEGO and model train displays.

Lots of pictures below...





















Can you tell Mikro had fun?