bulldogboy

About thirty years ago there was a guy who sold shop tools using a Ford Ranger with a utility body and tandem axles. I often wondered, if he needed the extra weight capacity, why not move up to an F-250. Never asked him why but he probably liked that it was different. bulldogboy

Waterboro, ME Fire Department's former Tanker 5, a 1955 Ford F-600. It's almost pink, also. Perhaps we should start a Pink Ford thread. bulldogboy

Looking at the photo in Harvey Eckart's book, there appears to be some kind of contraption connected to the rails; can't tell what it might be. The cover photo doesn't show anything out of the ordinary; you can see one firefighter climbing the ladder halfway up. bulldogboy

Dunstable, MA Engine 2, 1986 Ford F-750/Boyer, 4X4, 750 FM/750. bulldogboy

That's true. According to Harvey Eckart's book, "Mack Model "C" Fire Trucks", there were two 146', seven section Mack "C"/Magirus ladders delivered to the FDNY in 1961. They were designated High Ladders 1 and 2, serial numbers "C85F1129/1130". They were later refitted with 100' Grove aerial ladders. Grove, the crane builder, was the forerunner of LTI. The "Fire Engineering" article from 1966 says that they are 144' so take your pick. bulldogboy

This is the cover from "Fire Engineering" magazine, July, 1966. It shows the FDNY 144' Mack "C"/ Magirus ladder in operation at a fire at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in April, 1966. The article refers to it as the "department's high aerial". I believe that it was later shortened to 100'. bulldogboy P.S. I get sweaty palms just looking at it.

Safety personnel stand by at a NASCAR race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 9/2014. Golden Cross Ambulance and its subsidiary, Speedway Safety Services, provide track protection at NHMS. bulldogboy

Saw this red 1949 (?) Ford F-5 oil tanker sitting in a Massachusetts car dealer's lot a few years back. bulldogboy

St. Louis' Engine 15, a 1968 "R" model pumper, 1000/400, was sold to the Indian Ford Fire Department in Bessemer, AL. Last year I saw it sitting in a salvage yard in Gill, MA along with a few other Mack fire trucks. bulldogboy

Too bad that neither the FDNY Museum nor the Mack Museum didn't obtain the Super Pumper and Tender when they were retired. Definitely, one of a kind trucks that should have been restored and put on public display. bulldogboy

Vlad: Is that "B" model the former Swanzey, NH fire tanker? I believe that it was sold to someone in Great Britain. The Swanzey tanker is a nice truck; lots of bling. bulldogboy

On page 102 of John Montville's 1973 book, "Mack", there is a photo of a 1940 Mack Retailer that was delivered to the John Wanamaker department store in New York City. In the brief description of the "MR" there is no mention of the chassis used only that it "had a specially designed chassis with forward control and gear shift lever mounted on the steering column". The body was built by Mack. "Mack" is 41 years old but there is a lot of historical information in this book. bulldogboy

Happy Fathers' Day to everyone in the land down under!! Enjoy the video. bulldogboy

I went to Ogunquit, ME yesterday, the "B" model wrecker is still sitting by Rte. 1 in York. It has been there for as long as I can remember. bulldogboy

Nashua, NH Public Works Department runs a fleet of these Mack "LE" CNG powered recycling and rubbish trucks. This particular one is a recycling truck; others are side loading rubbish packers. There is also an "MR" CNG front loader rubbish truck. In addition to the Macks, there are also CNG powered Freightliner rear loader rubbish trucks. The City of Nashua has invested greatly in CNG powered and hybrid vehicles for its municipal fleet. bulldogboy

John Montville's 1973 book, "Mack", has an appendix that lists model production up to that time. According to to Mr. Montville, the production list was provided by Mack Trucks. The list shows model, years of production, and number produced. For example, it lists: "B" Fire - 1954-1966, 908 produced; "C" Fire - 1959-1969, 1046; "N" Fire - 1960-1963, 5; and "F" Fire - 1965, 2. The "F"s, of course, were the Super Pumper and Super Tender. All other models are listed the same way. bulldogboy P.S. Harvey Eckart's book, "Mack Model C Fire Trucks" lists the years produced as 1957-1967 which I believe is the correct time frame. He also lists the production number as 1055.

Nice pictures, looks like they have a few more waiting for restoration. bulldogboy

1955Maxim: Thanks for the info on the "NO" brush breaker. I didn't know that there was an ammunitions depot in Hingham (now Bare Cove Park). Bethlehem Steel had a shipyard in Hingham where it built Navy ships during World War II. In 1942, Mack delivered two LS-80 coupe cab pumpers to the shipyard. After the war, one LS-80 was given to the Boston Fire Dep't where it served as Engine 54 at the Long Island Hospital Fire Brigade. The second LS-80 was given to the Paxton, MA Fire Department where it served as Engine 3. The Paxton engine is now owned and being restored by the Rhode Island Antique Fire Apparatus Society. Who knew that quaint, little Hingham was such a hubbub of activity during WW II. 41chevy: Good luck with restoring the "NO", nice save of a rare and historic truck. bulldogboy

Yes, I'm sure that it is a good thing. It will remind me of the multiple "CFs" that we had back in my firefighting career. bulldogboy

There was a recent article in the "Stamford (CT) Advocate" that reported on the donation of the former Cromwell, CT Engine 9, a 1976 Mack "CF" pumper, to the Yocum Creek Volunteer Fire department. Unfortunately, I can't get the link to attach here. It's a good story; congratulations to Don and Mark. Joe, we're going to need photos of Engine 1 and Engine 2 together when they are both back in service. bulldogboy

If that's The Vermont Country Store in Weston, next time in town stop by the fire department (if anyone's around). They are still running a nice 1976 Mack "R" model pumper. bulldogboy

BDA B125: A Mack "B" model fire engine and Bermuda; it doesn't get any better than that!! I saw the Mack "B" models when I visited Bermuda in 1979; they were still in service. Since that time, Bermuda combined the Hamilton and St. George Fire Brigades into one island wide fire service. St. George had a 1960 Mack "N" model fire engine. Do you know if it is still around? Gotta get back to Bermuda some day soon. bulldogboy

Joe: Congrats on your new Mack. Most Connecticut fire departments take good care of their apparatus so I assume that this engine is in great shape in spite of its age. We haven't heard any news from Yocum Creek in a while; did you get the '87 Mack repaired and back in service? Good luck with the new one. bulldogboy

On page 111 of Harvey Eckart's book, "Mack Fire Apparatus, A Pictorial History", there is a photo of this style Chicago Mack "B85F"/ Magirus ladder truck. According to Mr. Eckart, it is a 1959, 100' ladder, model #B85F-1384. To me, it looks like it has 5 or 6 sections so, perhaps, it is one of the 146 footers. On page 102 of his book, "Mack Fire Trucks, 1911-2005", there are two photos of 1957 Mack "B"/Magirus ladders delivered to Milwaukee, WI Trucks 2 and 18. These have the standard "B" cabs. bulldogboy

According to John Malecky in his book, "Mack Tilt Cab Fire Apparatus" (I seem to quote this book a lot), the window mechanism on the "MC/MR" was not an indicator of the model. Rollup or sliding windows were available on either chassis. My city's "MR" front loader rubbish truck has rollup windows. bulldogboy