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Recent (from 2013?) New Zealand-assembled 9800i's had a unique grille treatment. Note the cab sits higher.....the headlamp/side fender panels are taller. And now the latest grille mimics the LoneStar (Intertruck 9870). And note the new step arrangement. .

What had been planned to be the 9800i's replacement in the global market..........AeroStar. .

DT466, DT570 and HT570. Great engines. Navistar's mis-guided (Dan Ustian) EGR direction gave all their engines a bad reputation, and being proprietary they needed volume to be viable, as well as justify future investment for tightening emissions. Ustian is to blame for the premature demise of these engines. Redesigned in 2014, I feel these are still great engines, particularly set up for SCR. But the Cummins ISB is universally loved. I personally never cared for the ISL in a heavy truck application, but they're selling.

Hendrickson Press Release / August 1, 2017 The ULTRAA-K® system is engineered with an optimized strength-to-weight ratio making it stronger than comparable standard and heavy duty 40K slider models in the market today. It is the lightest slider system in the industry by nearly 100 pounds .

T950 LEGEND OF LAWRENCE TRANSPORT Warren Caves, Power Torque Magazine / August 2017 When Kenworth Australia decided on releasing the limited-edition T950 Legend, essentially making old new again, I suspect that even their own management team was taken aback a little by the demand. All 75 units sold out within 48 hours of release announcement, in fact they were oversubscribed. A real plus for the sales team for certain. Originally released in 1992 and running through to 2007, the 950 was a solid performer, equally at home pulling triple road trains as it was on East Coast highway duties. The nostalgic appeal must have been substantial to generate the kind of excitement caused by the announcement of the T950 Legend. Perhaps it was the lure of a limited edition, creating a sort-after classic in the future, or the chance to grab a truck of “Legendary” heritage amalgamated with all the modern advancements in technology to create that perfect partnership of old and new. Previous limited-edition models, such as the T909 Director, were dressed up versions of their original stablemate, with extras and bolt-on bling. Not so with the T950 Legend. A genuine stand-alone Limited Edition was designed, created and built at the Bayswater manufacturing facility. With its High, setback modular cabin with no engine intrusion into the firewall, the 950 is a unique beast with old-school credibility, modern-day compliance, and safety, appealing to obviously a large spectrum of purchasers and more than a few disappointed bidders. From a cabin interior styling perspective the Legend gets a flat dash panel with white background gauges, air-operated windows, custom wood-grained gearstick knob and retro badging on the doors and gearstick boot surround, plus custom seating. This is all embellished by the studded red vinyl trim providing styling accents dating back decades. Externally, the stainless-steel infill panels below the air cleaners give away the limited-edition status, as does the Cummins Diesel, black on gold insignia recreated for this release. Laser cut identification of the model is also carried over into the Mr Bullbar side wings, adding a nice blended touch. There also must have been a few cans of Cummins beige spray paint left on the shelves from the eighties, which was used to paint the usually red ISX engine. Retro external steel door handles are also included. Our featured truck is owned and operated by Lawrence Transport and has the title of #72 out of the 75 sold. Lawrence Transport was started by John Lawrence 38 years ago and is still very much a family oriented business, still operated by John and his two sons, Kel and Blake. Currently operating 18 prime movers and 70 trailers, the company utilises up to ten subbies, as needed, out of its Ingleburn NSW depot. “We are a family business and pride ourselves on old fashioned personalised service,” said John. “We have customers that have been with us for 35 years. We do quite a bit of wharf work in containers as well as generalised work in curtainsided trailers. A lot of the work we specialise in is dangerous goods, and we operate all over NSW as well as interstate as demand dictates”. The Lawrence men have always been loyal to the Kenworth brand; however, John said that this is the first Kenworth he has had that is Cummins powered, being an ISXe5 @ 615 horsepower. With the absence of Caterpillar power as an option, John admits to having a little trouble getting used to its mannerisms. But, being only eight months in service and with 45,000 km on the clock, it still has time to get on his good side and prove it can match it with the Caterpillar engines he has previously been accustomed to. Interestingly, John said, “It (the Cummins) seems to work best at 64 tonnes, more so than when it’s running lighter”. An 18-speed Eaton manual transmission and 4.1 Rockwell differentials round out the driveline. Purchased in late 2015, the Legend was ordered in the company maroon paint as a base, with the final painting to the company scheme, and then given to Max Smash Repairs in Smithfield. Blake Lawrence explained that, “We feel very privileged to have been lucky enough to be a part of this limited-edition model, particularly with such demand”. A good deal of customisation was also carried out on #72 before it was put into service as Johns Truck. Blake explained that it went to Klos Custom Trucks for the bulk of this work. “On the outside, we wanted to keep with the old 950 feel, so we changed the original roof bullet lights for some more period-styled lights and swapped the round bonnet blinkers for square ones. Stainless steel rock guards around the headlights, stainless steel elephant ears on the front of the air cleaners with LEDs and a stainless steel mid-drop sun visor were also installed”. John is the first to admit that, “I’m not that keen on polishing, which is why we went with stainless steel wherever possible. It costs a bit more initially, but is worth it in the long run”. The fuel tanks have been stainless wrapped, cleverly incorporating the wrapping around the AdBlue tank, making it look as one. Stainless wrapping was also used on the alloy wheels, ensuring a long-lasting durable shine, without the polishing. Stainless steel was used on the battery box covers and guards, which utilise low mount brackets hidden from view. Seven-inch exhaust pipes reach skyward. The inside of the cabin didn’t miss out either, with Custom Air in Melbourne fitting a diesel-powered heating and cooling unit with dual-zone control. Other luxuries include an upright Waeco fridge, TV and DVD player, and, wait for it, a fully-automatic espresso machine, for those mornings when you just can’t get going without your morning heart starter. All power is distributed by the 2000-watt pure sine-wave inverter. Occasionally a two-up run is needed, or John’s wife or grandkids might go for a run, so a double-bunk is also featured in the cab. The legacy of the T950 has well and truly been revived, albeit in limited numbers, much to the chagrin of some. The T950 Legend will no doubt be a sought-after acquisition for years to come by way of its limited availability, so, if you missed out on this one, perhaps you got in quick on the recently released T900 Legend. If not, you’ll just have to be content crying over your beer in the pub, and dreaming of what might have been. .

Chris Mullett, Power Torque Magazine / August 2017 Technology has not necessarily improved efficiency, and, for those with long memories, today’s experts could learn a lot from yesteryear December 25th, 1938, H.W. Crouch Pty Ltd, the NSW distributors of Federal Motor Trucks, published Volume 4, Number 11 of the Federal News. This Christmas Day issue led on page one with the “Sylvan Beauty of Bathurst”. Never mind that World War II was looming ever closer, the importers and distributors of Federal Trucks published Federal News on the 25th of each month to inform Federal Truck owners of news and progress as a service and courtesy, and it was therefore duty bound to publish on Christmas Day. The lead editorial feature on page two was titled “Federal Fleets Grow” and announced proudly the receipt of an order from Messrs. Lopez Bros. of Victoria Road, Gladesville, Sydney, for its eighth Federal Truck – this latest one being a two-tonner: “In this particular instance, the first Federal Truck purchase was made as far back as July 1929. The second order came along in August 1935, and the third in April of the following year. In 1937, Lopez Bros. purchased three more Federal Trucks, and this year (1938) they have purchased two. A fleet of eight Federal Trucks is a splendid advertisement for the enterprise and industriousness of the Lopez Bros”. Based in Detroit, Michigan, the Federal Motor Truck Company manufactured its products between 1920 and 1959. Federal outsold Diamond T in 1927 and 1928, but thereafter lost the lead to its rival and never recovered, dropping sales to just 1300 units in the depression years before picking up during the war through US Defence Force purchases. In those days it was impressive to speak of truck engines managing to produce 90 hp at 3000 rpm from a 4.3-litre, six-cylinder hauling a GVM of 7.7 tonnes. But while the name of Federal Trucks is a passing memory, its staunch supporter at that time, Messrs. Lopez Bros., still exists today, hauling containers and general freight with its fleet from its base now in Enfield, and run by Phillip and Anne Lopez, joined in recent years by their son Ben. PowerTorque caught up with Phillip’s brother John Lopez and his son Danny on a winter Saturday morning, not to reminisce, but to discuss Danny’s 2007 Western Star 4800, the focus of attention for a photographic feature by Steven Foster, who, as well as heading the MMMG graphic art team, is also acknowledged for the high quality of his creative photography. John Lopez explained that the family had always been involved in trucks, and, with a history dating back to 1929, the link between those early days of the company and today is how the company maintained virtually its exact livery through nearly 90 years, complete with hand signwriting of the Lopez name and scroll work. “In those early days my grandfather started off doing general freight, and in the war years they used to cart the entertainment around for the soldiers. My grandfather died when my father was just 15 years old, and even at that young age he then joined the company. In those days they used to do engine rebuilds at the side of the road and had a wide range of skills that nobody seems to possess today,” said John. “When you look at the ways trucks were loaded in those days, the idea of load restraints was virtually unknown. The yard was in Gladesville, and as housing and shops encroached on the yard they restricted the available space to such an extent that the decision was made to move to Enfield, where the company remains based today,” John added. John still fills in occasionally for driving duties, but, predominantly, runs a property in Yass, NSW. Meanwhile, his son Danny runs country NSW and occasional interstate runs mainly on drop-deck work hauling farm equipment. With his 2007 registered Western Star 4800FXB, resplendent in the Lopez Bros. company livery, Danny has notched up over 1.4 million km without any major rework, with the exception of a new camshaft and followers. Opening the door of the Western Star, now some 13 years old, gave a good indication why the truck with its Detroit Series 60 was performing so well. The interior could be considered to be as new, an amazing tribute to the way the family looks after its assets, and, in particular, how Danny looks after his truck. The fleet totals some 12 vehicles, with 4 prime movers being Western Star for the longer haul work and UD for use around town hauling containers to and from the Sydney ports. The Western Stars have a variety of engines, including the Cat C13, the 12.7 Detroit and a DD13, and the 14-litre Detroit Series 60 in Danny’s truck. Maintenance is handled in-house with the assistance of a mechanic. Oil is always BP, as John believes an engine benefits from the use of the same lubricants through its life. “We’ve been with BP for over 20 years and we run our oil drain intervals at 15,000 km. The other benefit we have noticed is with the Eaton Auto Shift transmission. When we change the oil there’s never a hint of metal in the lubricant. We standardised on the automated manuals some years ago and it’s been an ideal choice,” said John. “For tyre choice the Western Star 4800 runs Bridgestone 150s in 295/80R22.5 on the steer axle with Firestone 11R22.5s on the drive axle. The Firestones are performing well with tyre life of around 100,000 and 140,000-150,000 km on the steer tyres. “In terms of fuel economy, we regularly get well over 2.0 km/litre, although some days running over the mountains if the weather is bad we may drop to 1.8 km/l with the drop-deck,” commented John. .

Scania Group Press Release / August 3, 2017 Red Pearl and Chimera wow the crowds at Convoy in the Park. Two of Svempa’s spectacular customised trucks – Red Pearl and Chimera – wowed the crowds at the recent Convoy in the Park truck festival in England. The trucks have been on show at various events around Europe over the summer, and the dynamic duo were driven to the event by Robert Bengtsson and Jan Gisslén from Scania. Both Robert and Jan were inundated with questions about the trucks, with enthusiasts wearing out their phone batteries taking photos and movies. And of course, there was the opportunity to hear these magnificent machines’ distinctive roar, which, as our film shows, had people swarming round them like bees to a honeypot. . .

Navistar to drop its medium duty engines by next year Jason Cannon, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / August 3, 2017 Navistar announced Thursday plans to cease engine production at its Melrose Park, Ill., plant by early next year as the truck maker continues that facility’s transformation into the company’s technical center. The move will bring the company’s medium duty 9/10 liter engines to an end. “Our N9/10 engine family was updated in 2014 and since then has served as a competitive niche offering for specific medium-duty vehicles,” says Persio Lisboa, Navistar chief operating officer. “As we approach future regulatory requirements, the low volume nature of the platform could not justify further product development investments on it.” Navistar reintroduced the 6.7 liter Cummins engine as an option for its Class 6/7 medium duty vehicles in 2013, and in 2016 made available a 9 liter Cummins engine option. The Cummins ISL and ISB, which now take standard position in those trucks, are manufactured in Indiana and North Carolina, while Navistar’s big bore engine plant in Alabama will continue to make engines for International Class 8 trucks. The cessation of engine manufacturing at Melrose Park is expected to affect about 170 employees, many of which are retirement eligible, and reduce Navistar’s operating costs by approximately $12 million annually. Assistance and opportunities for retraining will also be offered to affected employees. “Ending production anywhere is a difficult decision because it affects employees,” Lisboa says. “We continue to be committed to investing in our Melrose Park facility as we complete its transformation into a technical center that is integral to our product design, engineering and sales teams. Given the investments we’ve made, we expect to have a significant presence in Melrose Park for years to come.” Navistar began the transformation of its Melrose Park facility in 2010 by adding a state-of-the-art truck testing and validation center on the 80-acre campus, which complemented an existing engine test center there, all of which is in close proximity to Navistar’s product development teams in Lisle and to the company’s New Carlisle, Ind., proving ground. Over the last several months, the company added a used truck evaluation and reconditioning facility and its flagship Used Truck Sales Center to Melrose Park. Additional consolidation in the former manufacturing space is possible in the future, Navistar says, which would allow even more employees in product design, engineering, service and sales units to work alongside each other.

Heavy Duty Trucking / August 3, 2017 Volkswagen has quietly purchased a significant number of shares in Navistar International Corporation, parent company of International Truck and Engine, during the month of July, according to reports in various international financial news sources. Volkswagen has been a major shareholder in International since purchasing a $250 million stake in the Lisle, Ill., company in September of last year and the two companies have collaborated on diesel engine technology for commercial trucks for over a decade. According to a report in the financial journal Week Herald, Volkswagen acquired 43,501 shares of International stock on Monday, July 17th at an average price of $29.25 per share, for a total transaction of $1,272,404.25. That transaction was followed closely by four additional Navistar stock purchases by Volkswagen in July, ultimately netting the German car and truck manufacturer an additional 341,663 shares in the company for approximately $9,991,085. All told, Volkswagen invested approximately $11,263,489 in Navistar International stock last month. According to additional reporting by the United Kingdom’s Press Herald, as of July 21, 2017, Volkswagen owns approximately 16.4 million shares of Navistar International stock, which is approximately 17% of the company’s overall market capitalization. .

Making ELDs pay in trucking Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner / August 3, 2017 So obviously the talk continues apace within the industry regarding the possibility of delaying the still highly controversial electronic logging device (ELD) mandate via legislative action by Congress. Right now, the betting is that this effort to delay the implementation of the mandate by two years isn’t going to fly – largely because, hello, Congress is the one that forced this mandate to be established to begin with. “There is a lot of discussion going on and a lot of conversation going on,” noted Joseph Beacom, vice president and chief safety and operations officer for Landstar System, in the carrier’s second quarter earnings call. “We're trying to get the guys [contracted owner-operators] to move towards implementation of ELDs by the deadline in December. We currently believe … the deadline is going to hold. We're confident that they will get them installed.” Beacom noted, however, that the proposed legislative delay cited above coupled with a request from Congress for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to conduct a review of the mandate is creating what he dubbed “a little hesitation” in the industry. “I do think there's been some speculation as to whether or not the deadline will hold and I think there's been some indecision based on that,” Beacom pointed out. “[But] my opinion would be is that it probably doesn't [get delayed]. And I base that on the fact that it was Congress who asked them [FMCSA] to implement it,” he stressed. “So unless there's something that comes out as to trouble with enforcement or something along those lines, I would be hard pressed to think they would defer it further.” Interestingly, Beacom pointed out that 20% or so of Landstar’s contracted owner-operators – whom the carrier calls “business capacity owners” or BCOs – haven’t installed ELDs as of yet and are doing so largely to avoid cost and “inconvenience” issues. “It's not a fear factor. It's not a productivity issue, I don't believe,” he explained. “It's just why incur the cost or the inconvenience before I have to. And so there's that deferring the decision. It isn't something that they're not willing to do," Beacom emphasized. "It's just more a factor of seeing it as there's plenty of time and hope and maybe there's this slight chance that it gets deferred. So why go through the expense and the hassle if it does, in fact, get delayed two years? It's more of that kind of mindset that we're hearing.” Indeed, James Gattoni, Landstar’s CEO, noted on the call that BCO productivity this year has been better than it has been in the past two years – and that’s with 75% to 80% of Landstar’s BCOs using ELDs. “We have to go back to 2014 [as] the last time they were running the way they are running today,” he noted. Thus it clearly seems this group of independents, at least, isn’t suffering too great a business impact from adopting ELDs. And that’s really the key to making the mandate work for truckers, according to Jason Goodrich, product manager of technology solutions at J.J Keller & Associates. “Using is believing,” he told me. “The key is to how to find the proof in the pudding; where you can advantages by using ELDs.” First, Goodrich stressed that there is cost of not being in compliance. For if and when the mandate goes into effect, if it is discovered that a motor carrier doesn’t have one during a roadside inspection, you can placed out of service – expensive downtime any trucker, large and small, can do without. During a conference last year, Bill Quade, the FMCSA’s associate administrator for enforcement and program delivery, noted that there’s going to be very little wiggle room for truckers regarding ELDs. If a motor carrier is discovered without an ELD or issuing one deemed “non-compliant,” the agency plans to only provide an eight-day window from the time of the initial notice that they install compliant ELDs. “But eight days isn’t much time to select, buy and install a new ELD, especially for a large fleet,” he noted. “The regulations, however, do contain provisions that allow for waivers, and FMCSA would take such circumstances into consideration.” Yet rather than think solely about the possible “negatives” associated with ELDs, Keller’s Goodrich told me the key is look at the short- and long-term positives they can offer. And when he said “short-term” he pointedly meant costs savings, such as with fuel tax reporting. “Think about it: with paper logbooks, you have to reconcile the log with paper fuel receipts,” Goodrich explained. “Many times receipts get lost over the course of a 600 mile length of haul, so you end up ‘guesstimating’ the right amount.” With ELDs, however, now you have an exact mileage count. Marry that up to electronic receipts from a fuel card program and, presto, you have far more accurate fuel tax records. Goodrich said the return on that improved accuracy alone can pay for an ELD in a year or two. “We’ve had some customers gain a return [on fuel tax reporting] in a much shorter time frame, too,” he pointed out. Then consider the reduction in time spent on the administrative needs of paper logbooks. “Think about a driver that’s making 20 stops in a day,” Goodrich emphasized. “That’s a lot of time spent noting duty status changes by hand. With an electronic log, that goes away.” Finally, there’s the long-term to think about, especially in terms of recruiting a new generation of drivers – ones who’ve grown up in an electronics-based world. “My grandfather was an OTR [over-the-road] driver, so mobile apps would never have worked for him,” Goodrich said. “But today, mobile apps make sense for the younger generation. They are ordering their groceries online, order Uber via their phones. They send texts; they don’t send letters. So setting up electronic technology to collect [logbook] data automatically appeals to them. This is part of what allows [carriers] to attract a new generation into trucking.”

Class 8 orders continue to roll Fleet Owner / August 3, 2017 Medium-duty truck orders dipped in July, though they remain up year-over-year. Class 8 net orders remained strong in July, while medium-duty truck orders took a significant mid-summer dip, though order levels remain higher compared to 2016. Class 8 orders increased 4% in July versus June this year and are up 81% year-over-year. “While down on a nominal basis from the 2017 order trend, seasonal adjustment brings July’s order intake in-line with recent activity," one analyst said. "Over the past six-months, Class 8 net orders, seasonally adjusted, have averaged 21,900 units per month." According to data from FTR Transportation Intelligence, Class 8 net orders for July hit 18,300 units; a month-over-month improvement of 5% and 79% better than the same month one year ago. Orders increased for the second month in a row, a positive sign during the summer, with order volume over the past 12 months indicating an annual Class 8 production total of 224,000 units. “This is a great sign to see orders rising, even slightly, in mid-summer,” noted Don Ake, FTR’s vice president of commercial vehicles, in a statement. “This is the beginning of a positive trend that we expect to continue the rest of this year, right into 2018. Freight is on the upswing and industry capacity is tightening. The equipment markets, both Class 8 and trailer, are starting to respond to this environment.” By contrast, North American Class 5-7 medium-duty orders dropped 26% in July versus June, though they remain 2% higher on a year-over-year basis. After a seven-month stretch of Class 5-7 net orders averaging 22,100 units per month, preliminary orders dropped in July, declining to a 13-month low. Still, taken together, even though heavy- and medium-duty orders were lower month-over-month based on July’s numbers as a group, they are up a combined 33% from last year, which highlights the significant improvement in demand that has occurred over the past twelve months. Truck OEMs themselves remain confident regarding the current commercial truck order and sales trends as well. Paccar, for example, noted in its second quarter earnings report that U.S. and Canada Class 8 orders increased 44% in the first six months of 2017 compared to the same period last year. “Kenworth and Peterbilt’s medium- and heavy-duty truck deliveries increased in the second quarter of 2017 by 25% compared to the first quarter of this year,” said Gary Moore, Paccar’s executive vice president, in that report. “Class 8 truck industry retail sales for the U.S. and Canada are expected to be in a range of 200,000 to 220,000 vehicles in 2017. The truck market reflects the good economy and high levels of freight tonnage.”

Daimler Produces its First 3D-Printed Metal Part Heavy Duty Trucking / August 3, 2017 In Europe, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has printed its first spare part made of metal that has passed all stages of the company’s quality assurance process. The 3-D printed part was a thermostat cover for older series Mercedes-Benz truck and Unimog models. Daimler said this was the first time the company was able to print a strong metal version in original quality. Printing parts that are made of metal could lead to cost-effective, rapid, and flexible production of parts in small batches. Producing metal parts directly from digital records saves money on special tools, storage, and transport costs. "With the introduction of 3D metal printing technology, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is reasserting its pioneering role among global commercial vehicle manufacturers," said Andreas Deuschle, head of marketing and operations for customer services & parts at Mercedes-Benz Trucks. "We ensure the same functionality, reliability, durability, and cost-effectiveness with 3D metal parts as we do with conventionally produced parts." The parts division of Mercedes-Benz Trucks began using 3D printing with increasing success for aftermarket and replacement parts about a year ago. Since then, the customer services and parts division has worked with researchers and pre-developers at Daimler to improve and expand the use of the latest 3D printing processes of plastic parts. Metal components produced through 3D printing processes are an extension of this program, allowing metallic components to be produced on demand. The process was initially used to produce rarely ordered aluminum parts, but in the future it could extend to peripheral engine parts made of metal, in-engine parts, or parts in cooling systems, transmissions, axles, or chassis. “The particular added value of 3D printing technology is that it considerably increases speed and flexibility, especially when producing spare and special parts,” said Deuschle. “This gives us completely new possibilities for offering our customers spare parts rapidly and at attractive prices, even long after series production has ceased.”

Working smarter and harder: Metal 3D-printed parts for trucks Aaron March, Fleet Owner / August 3, 2017 As 3D printing technology continues to find real-world applications in automotive and trucking, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has opened new possibilities with an announcement yesterday that it's now printing metal spare and replacement parts. That follows up on the OEM's plan to begin 3D printing plastic or composite spare parts for certain European market trucks in late 2016. It may have seemed a move that would have limited applications or advantages, but the company's expansion into new materials could offer more. For example, Mercedes-Benz noted that the first metal parts it's printing are aluminum, and "these excel with almost 100% density and greater purity than conventional die-cast aluminum parts." The 3D printing process could deliver items with a material/ structural advantage, which has also been touted in using the technology to make things from plastic and similar materials. 3D printing — especially if it can use and produce items from a wider range of materials — can offer a better way to provide spare parts and faster service for older model vehicles. That might seem counter to manufacturers' continual push to sell new ones, and more of them, but older vehicles are a diminishing fraction of their business that can tie up significant capital. Consider large investments needed in traditional manufacturing runs; shipping, distribution and storage of parts; and maintaining and storing production tooling to make those parts. What's more, Mercedes-Benz noted that 3D printing can adeptly handle more complex items and may have very broad applications for vehicles indeed — so long as the production needs match the technology's capabilities as they currently stand. "Especially when they have complex structures, 3D-printed metal parts in small numbers can be produced cost-effectively as infrequently requested replacement parts, special parts and for small and classic model series," Mercedes-Benz stated. "Conceivable areas of use are peripheral engine parts made of metal, in-engine parts and also parts in cooling systems, transmissions, axles or chassis." Size matters The scope of what can be 3D printed has grown with the introduction and broader use of larger printers. What began with desktop 3D printers — which were good for affordability and "oohing and ahing" the public, but limited in practical automotive-type uses to actually compete with traditional manufacturing — suddenly opened up with the potential to print parts more of a size that trucks and other vehicles require. You can even print an entire vehicle body, such as companies like Local Motors and Cincinnati Inc. have demonstrated using that latter firm's Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) technology, for example. "Additive manufacturing" is the somewhat more clinical term for 3D printing. Computer-designed parts going back for years essentially provide a built-in blueprint that could be used with such printers. Ford Motor Co., another automaker that has pioneered the use of 3D printing, said earlier this year that it was testing out the use of large-scale 3D printers from Stratasys in vehicle production. "Imagine a 3D printer as big as a room, capable of printing auto parts of practically any size," the manufacturer said — and the technology also has the potential to make equivalent parts lighter, a major strategy OEMs use to increase vehicle efficiency. Notably, Stratasys has been expanding other transportation applications as well with its printers. In July, the company said its machines were chosen for an Airbus project to 3D print parts such as brackets for planes to "achieve greater supply chain flexibility and improve cost competitiveness, while leveraging on reduced material consumption and waste." Back in spring, McLaren Formula 1 Racing announced it had increased its use of Stratasys 3D printers in making similar parts for faster design, installation and testing at the track. Siemens Mobility, a branch of Siemens AG, has used Stratasys printers in making some custom "one-off" parts for trains operating in Ulm, Germany. A 3D-printed part for the nose of trains, for example, can be made to exact specifications and holds its shape when exposed to the elements better than the equivalent part made from fiberglass plastics. Thus 3D printing can even produce items with characteristics that are "simply not achievable to the same degree" with traditional manufacturing, according to Siemens Mobility. In those and other uses, 3D printing appears to be finding its niche, though currently somewhat narrow, even as printer size and materials range are widening it. The technology makes most sense when limited quantities of items are needed, and traditional production and distribution is comparatively slow and costly. What's been emerging are more applications, whether it's specialty situations like racing parts or various kinds of prototyping or vehicles found in limited numbers — perhaps classic cars or late model heavy trucks. .

Navistar to End 9/10L Engine Production by 2018 Heavy Duty Trucking / August 3, 2017 Navistar announced on Aug. 3 that it will cease production of its medium-duty 9L and 10L engines at the company’s Melrose Park, Illinois, facility by the second quarter of 2018. The change is part of Navistar’s transformation of the Melrose Park facility into a technical center that conducts truck and engine testing and validation as well as used truck sales and reconditioning. The majority of engines produced at the facility are 9- and 10-liter engines used in International Class 6 and 7 vehicles. Alternative engines are currently offered in all applications. “Ceasing production of engines at Melrose Park is a difficult decision, but represents another important step on our journey to strengthening the company’s competitiveness,” said Persio Lisboa, Navistar chief operating officer. “Our N9/10 engine family was updated in 2014 and since then has served as a competitive niche offering for specific medium-duty vehicles. As we approach future regulatory requirements, the low-volume nature of the platform could not justify further product development investments on it.” Navistar reintroduced the option of a 6.7L Cummins engine in 2013 and a 9L Cummins engine in 2016. The Cummins engines that are used in the medium-duty Class 6/7 segment are manufactured in Indiana and North Carolina, while Navistar’s big-bore engine plant, which makes engines for Navistar’s Class 8 trucks, is in Alabama. The cessation of engine manufacturing at Melrose Park is expected to affect about 170 employees and reduce Navistar’s operating costs by about $12 million annually. The company will take an approximate charge of $43 million as a result of the action, including around $8 million in cash-related charges. .

Navistar to Cease Engine Production at Melrose Park Plant Transport Topics / August 3, 2017 Manufacturer Navistar International Corp. is phasing out the production of engines at its Melrose Park, Ill., plant and will turn the facility into a technical center for truck and engine testing. The company said Aug. 3 that the production shutdown will be completed around February to April and affect about 170 employees. The company uses Melrose Park to make its 9- and 10-liter N-Series engines, mainly for Classes 6 and 7 trucks and buses. The original equipment manufacturer, based in Lisle, Ill., said the move will reduce operating costs by $12 million a year, but it will cost $43 million at the start of the process. “Ceasing production of engines at Melrose Park is a difficult decision but represents another important step on our journey to strengthening the company’s competitiveness,” Navistar Chief Operating Officer Persio Lisboa said. The N9 competes with the Cummins Inc. ISL engine, which also has 9 liters of displacement. The Navistar statement said the transformation of Melrose Park began in 2010, when the company added a truck testing-and-validation center at the 80-acre campus. Engine testing was done there for years prior to 2010. The company also has a proving ground in New Carlisle, Ind. Navistar is a major builder of smaller Class 8 trucks. Often called Baby Eights, these heavy-duty trucks have engines smaller than 10 liters. During the first half of this year, Navistar ranked second behind Freightliner Trucks in sales of Baby Eight trucks, according to data from WardsAuto.com. There was a major change, though, in that Navistar truck buyers in the segment switched overwhelmingly to Cummins engines from Navistar engines. .

Fleet Owner / August 3, 2017 Company said it will end production of medium-duty 9/10L engines by 2018 and will continue transformation of Melrose Park facility. Navistar announced that it will cease all engine production at its plant in Melrose Park, IL, by the second quarter of fiscal 2018. The company said it will continue the facility’s transformation into Navistar’s technical center, including truck and engine testing and validation as well as used truck sales and reconditioning, continuing the process that started in 2010. The majority of engines produced at Melrose Park are medium-duty 9/10 liter engines used in International Class 6 and 7 vehicles, for which alternative engine options are currently offered in all applications. Once completed, the cessation of engine manufacturing at Melrose Park is expected to affect about 170 employees and reduce Navistar’s operating costs by approximately $12 million annually. The company noted it will take an approximate $43 million charge as a result of this action, including approximately $8 million of cash related charges. “Ceasing production of engines at Melrose Park is a difficult decision, but represents another important step on our journey to strengthening the company’s competitiveness,” said Persio Lisboa, Navistar chief operating officer. “Our N9/10 engine family was updated in 2014 and since then has served as a competitive niche offering for specific medium-duty vehicles. As we approach future regulatory requirements, the low volume nature of the platform could not justify further product development investments on it.” In 2013, Navistar reintroduced the option of a ISB 6.7 liter Cummins engine [200-325hp] for its Class 6 and 7 medium-duty vehicles, followed in 2016 by a ISL 8.9 liter Cummins engine option [260-380hp]. “Ending production anywhere is a difficult decision because it affects employees,” Lisboa said. “We continue to be committed to investing in our Melrose Park facility as we complete its transformation into a technical center that is integral to our product design, engineering and sales teams. Given the investments we’ve made, we expect to have a significant presence in Melrose Park for years to come.” The transformation of the Melrose Park facility began in 2010, when the company added a truck testing and validation center at the 80-acre campus. Truck and engine testing are now being conducted at Melrose Park, in close proximity to Navistar’s product development teams in Lisle and to the company’s New Carlisle, Indiana proving ground*. * https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40066-navistar-buys-668-acre-indiana-proving-grounds-from-bosch/ .

The Wall Street Journal / August 3, 2017 North American fleet owners ordered more big rigs used for long hauls Trucking companies stepped up orders for new big rigs in July for the second consecutive month, signaling optimism that the freight market is recovering from last year’s prolonged downturn. Last month, North American fleet owners ordered 18,300 Class 8 trucks, the heavy-duty vehicles used for long hauls, a 5% increase from June and 79% more than the same month during a depressed period for orders last year, according to preliminary numbers from FTR, a freight transportation research firm. Commercial truck orders tend to slow down in the summer, bottoming out in July before picking back up in October, when large carriers typically make plans to expand fleets or replace older units. This year’s early uptick bodes well for the fourth quarter, when truck orders are expected to accelerate, paving the way for increased demand in 2018, said Don Ake, FTR’s vice president of commercial vehicles. “Freight is growing at a stronger pace than it was last year,” Mr. Ake said. Cargo volumes at U.S. seaports were up in June, buoyed by surging imports at the start of the shipping industry’s peak season for demand. U.S. manufacturing activity expanded in July for the 11th month in a year, and unemployment remains low. Cummins this week upgraded its earnings forecast for the year in part because of what it said was stronger orders in North America. Trucking firms that pared back their fleets when demand was weak appear to be reversing course. Capacity is expected to shrink further at the end of the year, when truckers will be required to electronically record their hours behind the wheel. Other factors bolstering orders this year: a rollout of more fuel-efficient trucks in late 2016, as well as a rebound in commodity prices, said another analyst. “There’s probably twice as many heavy trucks operating in the oil patch as there were a year ago,” he said.

US tax reform hopes become mired in foreign cash piles The Financial Times / August 3, 2017 Lawmakers cannot agree on how to tackle tax on company worldwide earnings Republican attempts to make progress on tax reform after the party’s failure on healthcare are being undermined by a lack of consensus on handling US companies’ offshore earnings, an issue set to spark fierce lobbying and discord. The White House and Republican lawmakers want to scrap the US practice of taxing American companies on their worldwide earnings rather than domestic income alone, which is loathed by multinationals and marks the US as an odd one out globally. But congressional aides and independent experts agree there is no problem-free way to move the US from worldwide to domestic-only taxation, also known as a territorial system. “I don’t think the thinking is well formed at the moment,” said a Republican aide. The current system has resulted in companies led by Apple and Microsoft stockpiling hundreds of billions of dollars of “locked out” earnings overseas, because America’s 35 per cent corporate tax rate only becomes payable when the income is repatriated. At the same time, it has inspired other businesses such as Medtronic and Mylan to escape the US tax net by using so-called “inversion” deals to move their tax addresses overseas, drawing scorn from both Republicans and Democrats. Bemoaning the system of worldwide taxation, an approach abandoned by most of the US’s biggest trading partners over the past 30 years, the tax chief of one big US manufacturer said: “We would take any other country’s system over the US.” While the White House, Senate and House of Representatives are yearning to notch up a big legislative achievement — and see tax as their best hope — the most concrete part of a joint tax announcement made last week was a step backwards on ending worldwide taxation. Policymakers said they were ditching a plan for a border adjusted tax, which would have created a quasi-territorial system by imposing a tax on imports to the US while exempting exports. For Republicans, offshore earnings need to be tackled in three steps. First, they need to work out how to treat companies’ existing offshore earnings. Second, they must decide how to exempt future foreign earnings. Third, they need to ensure an end to taxing foreign earnings does not trigger a new surge of tax avoidance to other countries. “You are going to have cheerleaders and opponents no matter what path you pick,” says the Republican aide. Apple revealed this week that its offshore stash of cash and marketable securities had grown to $246bn. The next largest in 2016 was Microsoft’s $116bn, followed by Cisco with $62bn and Google parent Alphabet with $52bn, according to the rating agency Moody’s. Jim Carter, who was head of tax for the Trump administration’s transition team, says it was a “foregone conclusion” that the earnings would be subject to some form of mandatory one-off tax. The Trump campaign tax plan proposed a levy of 10 per cent, a generous giveaway in the eyes of Democrats given the standard 35 per cent rate. One fight with companies will be over whether there is a single blanket rate, or a “bifurcated” rate, with a higher tax on cash and a lower tax on earnings that have been invested in M&A deals or facilities. The tax chief at the manufacturer, which has reinvested a big chunk of its overseas earnings, said: “We don’t have the option of just saying we’ll write you a cheque. We don’t want to be forced into a situation where we actually have to sell assets.” On future foreign earnings, eliminating US taxation is less simple than it sounds. “It is not clear that a ‘perfect’ or pure territorial tax system exists,” said the Tax Foundation, a think-tank, in a report this week. France, Germany and Japan exempt only 95 per cent of foreign income from taxation, not the 100 per cent exempted by the UK and Australia. How to measure that percentage is another potential source of disagreement. Mr Carter said: “I’d imagine in negotiations on the Hill Democrats would want something less than 100 per cent, but there would need to be trade-offs and compromises.” It remains to be seen, however, whether Republicans will try to make a tax deal with Democrats or go it alone. Worries about a move to domestic-only taxation backfiring are real. The fear is that if policymakers cannot lower the headline US corporate rate enough to satisfy executives, a territorial system would give them more incentive than ever to shift US profits overseas as a means of tax avoidance. One anti-avoidance idea is a so-called minimum tax on foreign income, which was at one point advocated by the Obama administration. Sullying the purity of a territorial system, it would require companies to pay US tax immediately on foreign earnings if they had not already been taxed up to a certain level by foreign tax collectors. The Obama era threshold was 19 per cent. Another alternative would focus on the use of intellectual property in tax avoidance — common in the technology and pharmaceuticals sectors — by imposing a tax on foreign income derived from IP. This was proposed in 2014 by Dave Camp, the then Republican chairman of the tax-writing House ways and means committee, but it prompted an outcry from business. The Republican aide said: “What is not yet fully in bloom is the political opposition we will face to whatever the committees come out with.”

How the CIA Came to Doubt the Official Story of JFK’s Murder Politico / August 3, 2017 Newly released documents from long-secret Kennedy assassination files raise startling questions about what top agency officials knew and when they knew it. After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963, the CIA appeared eager, even desperate, to embrace the version of events being offered by the FBI, the Secret Service and other parts of the government. The official story: that a delusional misfit and self-proclaimed Marxist named Lee Harvey Oswald killed the president in Dallas with his $21 mail-order rifle and there was no evidence of a conspiracy, foreign or domestic. Certainly, the CIA’s leaders told the Warren Commission, the independent panel that investigated the murder, there was no evidence of a conspiracy that the spy agency could have foiled. But thousands of pages of long-secret, assassination-related documents released by the National Archives last week show that, within a few years of Kennedy’s murder, some in the CIA began to worry internally that the official story was wrong—an alarm the agency never sounded publicly. Specifically, key CIA officials were concerned by the mid-1970s that the agency, the FBI, the Secret Service and the White House commission led by Chief Justice Earl Warren had never followed up on important clues about Oswald’s contact with foreign agents, including diplomats and spies for the Communist governments of Cuba and the Soviet Union, who might have been aware of his plans to kill Kennedy and even encouraged the plot. (There is no credible evidence cited in the documents released so far that Cuban leader Fidel Castro or other foreign leaders had any personal role in ordering Kennedy’s murder.) The CIA documents also offer tantalizing speculation about the chain of events in late 1963 that explained Oswald’s motives for killing Kennedy, which have previously never been established with certainty—how he may have become enraged after reading a detailed article in his hometown newspaper in New Orleans in September suggesting that his hero Castro had been targeted for assassination by the Kennedy administration. According to that theory, Oswald, who had rifle training in the Marine Corps, then set out to seek vengeance on Castro’s behalf—to kill Kennedy before the American president managed to kill the Cuban leader. If that proved true, it would have raised a terrible question for the CIA: Was it possible that JFK’s assassination was, directly or indirectly, blowback for the spy agency’s plots to kill Castro? It would eventually be acknowledged the CIA had, in fact, repeatedly tried to assassinate Castro, sometimes in collusion with the Mafia, throughout Kennedy’s presidency. The CIA’s arsenal of weapons against Castro included a fungus-infected scuba suit, a poison-filled hypodermic needle hidden in a pen—and even an exploding cigar. The Warren Commission, never told about the CIA’s Castro plots, mostly ducked the question of Oswald’s motives, other than saying in its final report that he had expressed a “hatred for American society.” JFK historians and the nation’s large army of private assassination researchers are still scrambling to make sense of the latest batch of tens of thousands of pages of previously secret CIA and FBI documents that were unsealed last week by the National Archives. The documents—441 files that had previously been withheld entirely, along with 3,369 other documents that had been previously released only in part—were made public under terms of a 1992 law that requires the unsealing of all JFK assassination-related documents by October, the law’s 25-year deadline. Since the release last week, researchers do not appear to have identified any single document that could be labeled a bombshell or that rewrites the history of the assassination in any significant way. Many of the documents, which were made public only online, are duplicates of files that had been released years earlier. Other documents are totally illegible or refer to CIA and FBI code names and pseudonyms that even experienced researchers will take months to decipher. Several documents are written in foreign languages. Still, the newly released documents may offer an intriguing glimpse of what comes next. The National Archives is required to unseal a final batch of about 3,100 never-before-seen JFK-assassination files by the October deadline, assuming the move is not blocked by President Donald Trump. Under the 1992 Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act, the president is the only person empowered to stop the release. (Congressional and other government officials have told us in confidence that at least two federal agencies—likely the CIA and FBI—are expected to appeal to Trump to block the unsealing of at least some of the documents. Even after 54 years, some government officials apparently still want to keep secrets about this seminal event in U.S. history. The CIA and FBI acknowledged earlier this year they are conducting a final review of the documents, but have been unwilling to say if they will ask the president to block some from being released.) None of the files released last week undermines the Warren Commission’s finding that Oswald killed Kennedy with shots fired from his perch on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas’ Dealey Plaza—a conclusion supported by 21st century forensic analysis—and that there was no credible evidence of a second gunman. But the new documents do revive the question of why the CIA, so skeptical internally of many of the commission’s other findings by the 1970s, never acknowledged those suspicions to later government investigators—or to the public. Documents released decades ago show that CIA and FBI officials repeatedly misled—and often lied outright—to Chief Justice Warren and his commission, probably to hide evidence of the agencies’ bungling in their surveillance of Oswald before the president’s murder. The CIA appears also to have been determined to block the commission from stumbling on to evidence that might reveal the agency’s assassination plots against Castro and other foreign leaders. In 2013, the CIA’s in-house historian concluded that the spy agency had conducted a “benign cover-up” during the Warren Commission’s investigation in 1963 and 1964 in hopes of keeping the commission focused on “what the Agency believed was the ‘best truth’ — that Lee Harvey Oswald, for as yet undetermined motives, had acted alone in killing John Kennedy.” But what if the “best truth” was wrong? According to documents made public last week, the CIA was alarmed by the mid-1970s to realize that no one had properly followed up on clues about an especially mysterious chapter in Oswald’s life—a six-day, apparently self-financed trip to Mexico City beginning in late September 1963, two months before the assassination. The reason for the trip has never been determined with certainty, although he told his wife, Marina, that he went there to obtain a visa that would allow him to defect to Cuba, much as he had once attempted to defect to the Soviet Union. The CIA acknowledged long ago that the agency’s Mexico City station had Oswald under surveillance during the trip, and that he met there with Cuban and Soviet diplomats and spies. The CIA station chief said later he was convinced that Oswald had a brief sexual relationship with a Mexican woman who worked in the Cuban consulate. Although there is no credible evidence of Soviet involvement in the assassination, Oswald’s other contacts in Mexico included—shockingly enough—a KGB assassinations expert who doubled as an accredited Soviet diplomat. A top-secret June 1964 FBI report, made public in the 1990s but apparently never seen by key investigators for the Warren Commission, suggests that Oswald was overheard threatening to kill Kennedy during his visits to the Cuban diplomatic compound in Mexico. The files released last week also show that the CIA and other agencies failed to pursue clues that Oswald, who publicly championed Castro’s revolution even while serving in the Marine Corps, had been in contact with Cuban diplomats years before the Mexico trip—possibly as early as 1959, when he was deployed to a military base in Southern California. The information initially came to the FBI and the Warren Commission from a fellow Marine who recalled how Oswald boasted about his contacts with Cuban diplomats in Los Angeles, where Castro’s government then had an office. The account from the fellow Marine was of “a lot more possible operational significance” than was realized in the months after the assassination but was never “run down or developed by investigation,” according to a 1975 CIA internal memo released last week. “The record of the beginning of OSWALD’s relationship with the Cubans starts with a question mark.” That 27-page memo, which does not identify its author, is among the most intriguing of the documents in last week’s batch unsealed by the National Archives. Copies of the document were found inside larger CIA files released last week, including thick agency files labeled HELMS HEARING DUPLICATE. That seems to suggest the memo was given to former Director of Central Intelligence Richard Helms, who led the agency from 1966 to 1973, when he was later summoned to testify secretly to Congress about his involvement in the CIA assassination plots against Castro and other foreign leaders. Similar documents about the Kennedy assassination and Oswald were written in the 1970s by a senior CIA counterintelligence official, Raymond Rocca, who had served as the agency’s chief liaison to the Warren Commission. Labeled “SECRET” and stamped “REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED” on each page, the 1975 memo lists several important clues about Oswald that went unexplored in the months and years after Kennedy’s death. (Versions of the same CIA memo were part of the flood of millions of pages of documents released after the 1992 law, although it has never attracted detailed attention outside a small circle of assassination researchers. Brian Latell, a respected former CIA analyst on Cuban intelligence, cited a version of the document in his 2012 book Castro’s Secrets, which suggested much closer links between Oswald and Cuba than had previously been known.) The 1975 document noted the failure of the CIA, FBI and the Warren Commission to interview a key witness in Mexico City—Silvia Duran, the Mexican woman who worked in the Cuban consulate and was reported to have had the affair with Oswald. She is the “sole live witness on the record regarding Oswald’s activities,” yet her testimony “was taken and presented, solely, by the Mexican governmental authorities,” the CIA memo said. Duran, who is still alive, has repeatedly insisted she had no sexual relationship with Oswald, although she readily acknowledges that she helped him with his unsuccessful visa application for Cuba. It was that same CIA memo that offered a detailed theory of the chain of events that led Oswald to kill Kennedy—how Oswald, who lived in his hometown of New Orleans for much of 1963, may have been inspired to assassinate the president if, as seemed probable, he read an article on Monday, September 9, in the local newspaper, that suggested Castro was targeted for murder by the United States. The article, written by a reporter for The Associated Press in Havana and then published prominently in the Times-Picayune, was an account of an AP interview with Castro two days earlier, in which the Cuban strongman angrily warned the Kennedy administration that he was aware of U.S. assassination plots aimed at Cuban leaders, presumably including him, and was prepared to retaliate. The article quoted Castro as saying: “U.S. leaders would be in danger if they helped in any attempt to do away with leaders of Cuba.” The CIA memo suggested that if Oswald, who was known to be an “avid reader” of the Times-Picayune, saw the article, it might have put the idea in his head to kill Kennedy as retaliation for the threat the United States posed to Castro—an idea that would have been in his mind as he left for his trip to Mexico that month. The possibility that Oswald read the article “must be considered of great significance in light of the pathological evolution of Oswald’s passive/aggressive makeup” and “his identification with Fidel Castro and the Cuban revolution,” the CIA memo said. Immediately after the assassination, the CIA’s Mexico City station warned CIA headquarters that the AP article might contain a vital clue about Oswald’s motives for killing Kennedy—and even about possible Cuban involvement. But according to the 1975 analysis, “There is no evidence in the files on the Kennedy assassination that the Castro interview was considered in following up leads or in dealing with the Warren Commission, although Mexico Station specifically directed headquarters to the AP story very shortly after the Dallas killing.” Previously released internal documents from the Warren Commission show that one of the commission’s most aggressive staff lawyers believed that Castro’s remarks to the AP—and the possibility that Oswald read the article—might be of great significance in explaining Oswald’s motives. But the internal files show that more senior staff members decided against any reference to the AP article in the commission’s final report for fear of feeding conspiracy theories about a possible Cuban link to Kennedy’s death. It does not reflect well on the legacy of either the CIA or the commission that, half a century after those gunshots rang out in Dealey Plaza, the newly released documents suggest that at least some of those conspiracy theories might be true. http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB493/docs/intell_ebb_026.PDF http://www.politico.com/magazine/f/?id=0000015d-a54b-d494-a77f-e75f2a570001 http://www.politico.com/magazine/f/?id=0000015d-a4cc-dd39-a75d-afdfd18d0001 http://static.politico.com/e9/d5/e052c650448ea8576d922d1657d0/timespicayune.JPG

Big Rigs / August 3, 2017 Caught filling in for our old mate "Jacko”, it was great to catch up with Ben Allen from Westbury when we dropped in to the Epping Forest Caltex on our way to Bridgenorth. He was driving a distinctive RBA Line Haul 2002 Mack Magnum with a 600 Signature up front, (with almost three million on the clock) and towing a B-double at the time, and he was on his way to Hobart, and then return. "I've been with Bruce for 12 months now, and am really enjoying the job,” he said. "In fact I have been working as a diesel mechanic now for 15 years, interspersed with driving off and on for the last six of them. "It's all good, but I admit I enjoy the driving too, especially working for Bruce, you couldn't get a better boss, and he keeps all his gear in top nick as well. "Yes, I am happy, as long as I am working around or in trucks, wouldn't swap it for quids!” Asked about his spare time, he said it's all devoted to the family, and the four kids. Oh and a heap of animals as well! .

Vintage San Francisco Fire Trucks Seeking a Home Joe Rosato Jr., Bay Area NBC / August 2, 2017 A collection of historic antique San Francisco fire engines is slowly deteriorating beneath the rain and sun in an industrial parking lot, as a group historians sound the alarm to city officials. The group of more than a dozen trucks, one used to fight the1906 earthquake and fire, has been without an indoor home in years, after bouncing around between city warehouses on Treasure Island and Bayview-Hunters Point. Several years ago the Academy of Art donated space for the collection in a warehouse in the industrial Bayshore area, but bounced the collection to the parking lot about a year ago when it needed the space. “As you can see there’s extensive deterioration due to it’s being stored outside,” said James Lee, a retired San Francisco firefighter who is trying to find the trucks a new home. Lee said the collection, which includes water tenders, ladder trucks and other unique apparatus, is rotting in the elements — especially following a particularly wet winter which repeatedly blew off the protective tarps. Lee’s group, Guardians of the City, has been providing care for the trucks though they are officially city property. “What I see here now,” Lee said, “is there is a benign neglect with regards to the protection of this historical equipment.” Last week, Lee and his group issued a plea to the San Francisco Fire Commission to find shelter for the collection. Commission members said it was urgent the city find shelter for the beleaguered trucks — though they didn’t offer an immediate solution. They set an October hearing date to consider more options. Both San Francisco fire department officials and the office of Mayor Ed Lee said they support finding a new home for the trucks — though no specific plan is yet in place Lee and his group have proposed finding space for the collection on Pier 19 or possibly in the city’s vast storage space beneath Civic Center. “I believe there is space within the city,” Lee said, “and it could happen very easily.” During his first days in the fire department back in the early 1960s, Lee worked on one of the old ladder trucks now languishing in the lot. He climbed up on the truck’s running board and demonstrated how he would grip its wooden ladder for support as the truck responded to calls. He rode the truck for six months. “It was a great ride when it was pouring rain,” he chuckled. He’d also seen a water tender in the collection in action back in the 1970s just before it was retired. The truck, which hailed from the 1920s had reported to a large, stubborn fire in the city’s Tenderloin. “This thing drove up,” Lee recalled. “They put it up, turned it on, fire went out.” Lee eventually hopes to see the collection restored to its original glory. He wants to find companies and benefactors to sponsor the trucks’ restoration. But before that can happen — he said — they first need a home. “It brings a lot of memories,” Lee said pacing past the row of trucks. “There’s a lot of water under the bridge.” Video - http://www.nbcbayarea.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Vintage-San-Francisco-Fire-Trucks-Seeking-a-Home_Bay-Area-438225733.html

Land Line (OOIDA) / August 2, 2017 Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has issued a safety recall for certain Freightliner and Western Star trucks, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents. Recalls deal with tow hooks and battery cables. The first recall affects certain 2018 Freightliner and Western Star trucks equipped with tow hooks used for recovery purposes. Tow hooks may fail during use without warning, leading to a sudden release of the vehicle. Affected trucks include: 2018 Freightliner 114SD 2018 Freightliner 122SD 2018 Freightliner Cascadia 2018 Freightliner M2 Business Class 2018 Western Star 4700 2018 Western Star 5700 Owners will be notified and faulty tow hooks will be replaced for free. The recall is expected to begin on Sept. 14. For more information, call 800-745-8000 with recall number FL-742. The second recall affects 2014-2017 Freightliner Custom XCR chassis. A battery cable mounting bracket may not have been installed correctly. Consequently, the improperly routed and clipped battery cable can contact the frame rail, possibly causing chafing and short circuiting. Owners will be notified and dealers will inspect and revise the battery cable mounting bracket and cable routing for free. The recall is expected to begin on Sept. 14. For more information, call 800-745-8000 with recall number FL-741.

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