Car Show Photos

Posted on July 26, 2008 by Sara Etten

Check out some photos of the Classic and Custom Car Show at Central Terminal at buffalo.com or our flickr account

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5 Responses to Car Show Photos

  1. Paul G says:
    August 1, 2008 at 12:46 am

    I hope there was a good turnout, looked like a fun time for all. Maybe we can get an RV, camping or boat show (outdoors show) in there sometime.
    I’d like to see some of the Buffalo area amateur radio clubs put on a “hamfest” at the terminal too! They can get word out fast on the restoration efforts, and many would probably be eager to help out.
    I hope someday the ceiling lights in the concourse will be working again, maybe re-lamped with metal halide bulbs and ballasts. That would certainly brighten things up inside there. Make it a lot more cheerful for many events to come.

  2. Ozzy says:
    August 1, 2008 at 11:38 pm

    Well Paul, I dont think an rv would fit through the door we to let cars/trucks in the building. We also do have some ceiling lights up. They might not be the orignal art deco ones, but they do light up the concourse for events.

  3. Paul G says:
    August 3, 2008 at 1:05 am

    I know about the white wall skonces, Ozzy. They were lit up when I was last there for cleanup on May 17. (Did they come from the Lehigh Valley station on Ogden St. that was torn down 4 years ago?) I’m talking about the 18 big square lights in a rectangular pattern on the arched ceiling. Those suckers, retrofitted with metal halide’s would REALLY light the place up! Like stadium lighting. You probably wouldn’t even need to have ‘em all turned on at once. I saw the photo of the appliance sale there back in the 1980′s. They would be much brighter than they were then. ( I don’t know what they had then, incandescent or high pressure sodium. Hard to tell from the tint in the photo.)

    I used to work with industrial lighting at a General Motors plant in Rochester, now closed, after first being sold to ITT, then Valeo. I took care of the HID lighting in the 80 foot tall AS/RS warehouse building until it was torn down in 2002. I was an industrial electrician, and apprentice program graduate there. I was offered an early retirement package after 25 years there, so I took it. I would be willing to come up and help out with the retrofit, as long as the wiring to the fixtures was still intact, and some kind soul would provide the components needed, and a means to get up there to do it. If the wiring is not intact, I could help pull in new feeds too. Back in May, somebody told me there were catwalks inside the ceiling where those lights could be accessed from above. Looking at the terminal’s construction photos of 1928, looks like there was quite a crawl space between the inner ceiling and the outer roof. I can’t judge the spacing inside the steel roof trusses from the photos.

  4. Derek J. Punaro says:
    August 3, 2008 at 9:30 am

    The CTRC has added two fluorescent arrays at the apex of each vault on each end of the concourse. The idea of relighting all the square fixtures has come up before, but task lighting (and price) is always the priority over something more decorative. We don’t reuse any existing wiring in the building due to it’s age and deteriorated condition, everything would have to be run new. There is a large space between the ceiling and roof with catwalks which affords access to the lights and the entire length of the concourse ceiling.

  5. Paul G says:
    August 3, 2008 at 4:35 pm

    Thanks for the info, Derek.
    I wondered what the shiny aluminum was at the top of the ends where the chandeliers used to be. Wasn’t sure if there was temporary lighting there or if it was roof patches. I thought I saw fluorescent bulbs up there, but wasn’t sure.
    Anyway, if donated materials become available for any rewiring job in the terminal, I can offer my volunteer services with running raceways, wire pulling, wiring, etc. if the need becomes available, and the job is not subcontracted out. I don’t know if anyone has started putting together a materials list of what is needed now, and what will be needed down the road with projects already in the works. I realize the CTRC has items prioritized, and a limited budget to work with. I would be glad to assist in whatever way I can.
    In my industrial experience I have worked with 460v, 3 phase circuits up to 1000 amps. I do not, however have an electrician’s license, and I do not know if the local laws there require that, but I could be of assistance to someone up there who does have one, if required by law.
    I could only be available on weekend days, since I have a regular weekday job again. Email me if the need arises. Thanks again!