bulldogboy

When I was a kid (1950s) there was a series of books about trucks and other equipment. I can't remember the name but they featured actual photos. The fire truck one had a picture of Grosse Pointe Farms, MI Fire Department's Mack "L" model quint. I can't find a picture of that truck anywhere.

A nice fall day, October 9, 2024, on Mt. Washington, NH. We left the base station on the Cog Railway where it was sunny; got to the top and it was snowing with a wind chill of 12 degrees. While there were no mountain views at least we got to experience a little of what its like on the mountain in winter time.

Jackson, NH Fire Department's former Engine 4, a 1989 Mack "R" pumper/tanker, is being used this year in the annual town of Jackson's "Pumpkin People" display.

I've been lurking around for years.; just not many old Macks left around here to photograph. Everybody is now buying FL and IHC. I will say that I'm seeing more and more Mack "MDs" lately.

I attended the Hillsborough County Forest Fire Wardens' meeting in Hancock in 1971. We met at the Hancock Inn and then went to the old fire station. Saw the '45 Mack there. I like this old picture of Hancock's 1930 Ford brush truck, 1941 Mack "Type 45" pumper, and the 1945 Mack "Type 45" pumper. Credit to the photographer.

Last Thursday, February 29th, was very windy in the northeast, wind gusts on Mt. Washington reached 147 miles an hour. The Mount Washington Observatory has a FB page, they post some fantastic photos from the top of New England.

Usually departments buy a new tractor to replace the original, worn out tractor but keep the ladder and trailer. In this case the 1966 "B" model tractor was attached to a 1937 Pirsch aerial ladder. In 1984, the old Pirsch ladder was replaced with this 106' LTI ladder. It made for an unusual looking rig, a big, new trailer and an older semi-cab tractor. Gloucester, like many old, seaside communities, has very narrow streets in a compact downtown. The ladder truck is privately owned and shows up at various truck shows.

The "Tunbridge" Mack "B" model sedan cab is currently listed for sale on the SPAAMFAA "FB" page. Located in Syracuse, NY.

Brooksville's (Port Chester) "B" model was sold to the small town of Alexandria, NH. AVFD photo.

Was that where the chicken barn burned the other day?

I was at Cumby's this morning to pick up the newspaper, buy some lottery tickets, and a cup of coffee. It's right next to Dunkins but DD doesn't sell newspapers. There was a Cumby's tanker delivering gas, they now have Pete tractors. I remember when they and Friendly's Ice Cream had all Mack tractors.

In 1956 Mack Trucks bought the C.D. Beck Company of Sidney, OH. Beck built buses and also Ahrens-Fox fire apparatus. The new A-F cab forward chassis became the Mack "C" model fire truck. Mack built both the "B" and "C" model fire apparatus in Sidney until late 1958 when fire apparatus production was moved back to PA.

There was a "B-21" for sale on e-bay several years ago. It was located in Barre, MA along with a 1947 Mack "Type 85F" pumper.

A question was asked on another FB page, "Did the grill louvers on "B" models open and close due to the temperature?" We had five gas "B" models in our fire department and none had movable louvers. Were they available on the larger "B" models or diesels?

I read that Ballard Mack from Worcester, MA bought McDeviitt. Also, Allegiance Trucks from Walpole, MA, a IHC, Ford, and Pierce dealer, bought Liberty International in Manchester, NH.