Fact: NYC Has an Airship Dock

A friend of mine visited New York City recently and sent me this very important information along with photo evidence.
"The top section of the Empire State Building, including the spire, was actually designed  to allow dirigibles to dock at the building and passengers to disembark at the top. The interior of the spire has a massive winch installed where a drag line from the blimp could be attached and reeled in, then a small walkway would be extended to the bridge of the ship."
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 Apparently the only reason it was never used was due to high wind speeds at that height.

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Such a freaking shame. We were just a few gusts away from a steampunk utopia.

11 comments:

fairyhedgehog said...

Such a shame! I wonder how we could have baffled the winds.

Sage Ravenwood said...

Cool surreality! (Hugs)Indigo

Hepius said...

I imagine transferring from ship to building could have been a very uncomfortable experience. And given bad weather conditions it would have been incredibly dangerous.

For a steampunk novelist - perfect!

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

I say if we can land aircraft on a big flat aircraft carrier pitching in the heaving seas, we can dock an airship at the Empire State Building. All we're lacking is the will.

Er, and an airship.

Sarah Ahiers said...

This makes me so happy

Charles Eubanks said...

Yeesh, I think I'd rather disembark closer to the ground!

Jenilyn Collings said...

That's awesome! How very, very cool!

Steve MC said...

Had to read up on that, and it seems one reason for the spire was an excuse to make the tallest building (which ties in with adding those extra stories as well).

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/realestate/26scapes.html

But hey, it did make it into "Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow."

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17m0sua4ukvqjjpg/original.jpg

Matthew MacNish said...

Killer. Really missed you in San Antonio, buddy (Sue too). We need that Pacific Rim hyperloop thing going.

Unknown said...

Did not know that - so cool.

Jack said...

Oh, now I am sad. The only thing that stood between Steampunk was wind.
I read in a book somewhere that they did land an airship at the top of the Empire building. (It was a fictional book.) I had no idea it was partly based on fact. I think I might have to use this now...