purepressure2004

I definately agree that its great to see you younger guys getting into this. It makes me think there's some hope coming up the line. With the technoligy we have at hand its cool that you young guys are into a more mechanical hobby. When I was a little squirt the only way I could invision myself as an adult would be behind the wheel of a DM800. Even then it was kind of frowned upon. Its kinda like that bumper sticker that reads,"if I have to explain, then you wouldn't understand". The early eighties for me were great. There was still a huge variety of U models and DM's. Not to mention all the Brockways and A-Cars. I remember driving up 91 in North Haven in the early eighties and looking down at Stop and Shop's wharehouse and gazing at the rows and rows of U-Models parked for the weekend. I wish I had pics of back then. When you are a kid you think everything is going to be around forever. It's great there are alot of guys here that are into preserving the history of our industry, but it's better that there are young guys to preserve our history now. I think its cool that there still kids out there that are into trucks and equipment and working with their hands. I'm proud of how I make my living and if I could go back in time I wouldn't change HOW I make my money, but what era I would do it in. I feel honored that you young guys are interested in not only the equipment but the history of the companies and all the guys that made they're living from them as well. And for that I Thank you ALL!

Unions are at all time lows though, and they're not bringing new members in. I think the unions had they're agenda's also, why else would they have pushed so hard for him.

Where did you haul the sand from? They got kinda busy late last summer and fall, but I guess not busy enough to warrent hiring guys. Although, my buddy that worked in Saybrook told me two weeks ago that they shut the plant down, and they where shuffled into the senority list in Norwich. Saybrook was always a money making plant.

I haven't seen the 81 around New Britain or Newington (where they keep all they're road equipment). Most of the traffic trucks are ex-Balf tractors, older KW's and Internationals. I was told a couple months ago that Tilcon is starting to unload alot of trucks and equipment. I know for fact that they're only running 30-35 mixers statewide. They used to run over twenty out of New Britain and at least 25 out of Granby. When they get busy they rent out trucks from other union companies like Suzio and O and G if they're not busy. Something is up because they're cleaning house.

That was the first brand new truck that they bought. That truck looks better then his newer stuff, they do a good job keeping that truck nice. About a year ago I saw it hauling a D8 sized dozer up 91.

Marquardt unloading at Tilcons Hartford plant

They had a nice Brockway fleet back then. They're mostly Mack now with the exception of a couple Pete's. They still do alot of cement for Tilcon Ct. Gas seems to be they're bread and butter now though.

There's a dude on flickr that has alot of Soneco and old school A.P. Marquardt pix. He goes by bemymack.

Those 275's were working machines. Michigan was a top notch company then. Right up there with Cat. We still run a 475 as spare quarry loader. Mean looking machine! It has alot more class then the komatsu.

A couple pics I took this while working with the city of Meriden.

I remember hearing that. I was told they didnt have power steering either. They just use those R-Model's for jockeying trailers, right?

They used to have a quite a few U-Models.

Scott Hiney

I think that was WFSB. ABC news just said the storm was going g to sit and spin

I'm already getting sick of listening to the news build this storm up. We live in New England, we've been dealing with it our whole lives! If it weren't for Sonia I wouldn't watch the news at all.....You guys in CT should know what I mean!

I'll ask my buddy tomorrow to see what's up with it, and I'll let you know what the fate was or is.

Ct public television had a pretty elaborate special on it like a year or so ago. I bet if you go on they're website you can probably buy a copy.

I don't think so. When my grandmother passed Jackie was the only one from that part of the family who showed up. They do have a big family though.

Im pretty sure Mallico construction from Milford bought it over the summer. They ran it for a little while and didn't like it's lack of power. They're used to 5 & 600 hp Pete's. They might have already unloaded it to some overseas broker in Jersey. I hope they still have it, but I have my doubts. Would be a damned shame if they did indeed sell it.

The Camerota's where my grandmother's cousins. There was Jerry who was at one time VP of Blakeslee. Jackie who was President of the Operating Engineers. Mike and Frank where his sons. I was told Jerry wanted to buy the ready mix side of things after Westinghouse took over. I think he wasn't going to have the cash flow to buy a fleet and aggregates, so it never worked out for him. In the early seventies Foxon leased or rented the Chapel St. plant in order to complete the Rt. 40 connector. Clark and Barone was bought out by Len-Crete. The plant in Westville or Woodbridge was closed and everything was moved to Leonard's Mather St. yard in Hamden. I think one of the Barone's stayed on with Leonard as a salesman for awhile. I remember Leonard Pipe manufactured so much pipe, they rented empty lots up and down Dixwell Ave. to stage pipe before it was shipped.They actually had two sales offices.One in NYC and the other north of Albany.