bulldogboy

Nashua, NH Public Works Department's Ford "Transit Connect" van with a CNG conversion. I don't think that I have seen one of these before. bulldogboy

When I was a kid in the early 1950s I remember all the Ahrens-Foxes that my city's fire department operated. Then there were the Mack "L" and "B" models when I started my career. When I started on the fire department, Pierce was a small, mid-western company that built on commercial chassis. In the early 1980s there were only a few Pierces in this area, one on a '70s Chevrolet chassis in Tyngsborough, MA and two '80s Ford "C" model chassis in Litchfield, NH. Other departments mostly used Farrars, Moodys, and a few Maynards. How times have changed!! Red Horse: Don't feel too bad about your Rosenbauer; seems like most of the new Pierces around here spend time in the mechanics' shop or at the dealer before all the bugs are worked out. Just the way it is today. bulldogboy

LFD1935: That's the early "B" model that used to be Meadowood, NH's muster truck? I read somewhere recently that it was originally from Lunenburg, MA and that LFD reacquired it. If you need advice, two other MA fire departments that have early "B" models are Barnstable, a 1935 model and Three Rivers (Palmer), a 1933 model. I put a picture of Meadowood's truck on the "New Hampshire Macks" thread. bulldogboy

A few Law Logistics Macks sitting in the Nashua yard a year or so ago. A couple set up for plowing. bulldogboy

For years Law Motor Freight warehoused and delivered liquor to the state owned NH liquor stores. Since they lost the contract they have scaled back quite a bit but they are still in the logistics business using Mack "Pinnacle" tractors. Recently, they moved into the former Nashua Corporation building (also a former Mack user, had a nice baby blue "R" model tractor) on Route 3 in Merrimack, NH. They still own these buildings in Nashua and I guess the "A" will stay there for now. This is their "A" model stake truck with the original name of the company, Law and Ingham Transportation Co. bulldogboy

Hudson, NH Public Works Department has a fleet of these Mack "Granite" dump trucks. bulldogboy

Bolton, MA has received its 2016 Rosenbauer "Commander" 1500/750/30A, 4X4 pumper. This new Engine 5 replaces the 1981 Mack "R"/Moody pumper. Another Mack and one of the last surviving Moody fire trucks rides off to that big fire station in the sky. bulldogboy

Don't see too many Flex's here in New England. It looks like a modern version of my family's 1959 Ford Country Sedan station wagon. Is the new vehicle coming out of Wayne going to be a Bronco? If so, what's the difference between a Bronco and an Everest? bulldogboy

If your VIN includes "6BG", the 6 refers to a fire truck and "BG" is a "BG" chassis. Fire "BG" chassis were also referred to as a "Type 50" model fire truck. "Type 50"s had a 500 GPM rotary pump. bulldogboy

This former DSNY Mack is now semi-retired in Dunstable, MA. bulldogboy

Yeah, I guess I was wrong on the "F-850"; must have been an "F-650" and I didn't read it correctly. Sorry for getting anyone's hopes up. bulldogboy

I don't recall if it had tandems, I just took a quick look at the cab as I went by. I don't think that I will be down that way any time soon. bulldogboy

On Friday, March 24, I was driving in downtown Boston. Sitting at a traffic light next to the Longfellow Bridge construction site I looked over to see a new style Ford medium duty flatbed at the site. It appeared to me to be larger than an "F-650" so I took a quick look as the light turned green and I thought that the emblem said "F-850", definitely not "F-750". Is this possible? Keep in mind that I was driving in downtown Boston where you not only have to steer but also look forward, backward, to your left, to your right, above you, and below you all at the same time while also watching out for joggers, jay walkers, Marathon trainees, double parked cars, trucks making deliveries, wrong way drivers, snow banks, MBTA buses, and duck boats among many other perils. Therefore, I couldn't spend too much time looking at the Ford. I know that I have seen a few Ford "E-550" cut-away vans. They appeared to have beefed up front ends and axles but I never saw the "E-550" on Ford's website. Is there really an "F-850" or maybe I just read it wrong? bulldogboy

Dave: Good luck and have a great trip. As I sit here looking out on our predicted 1' to 2' of snow I wish that I was down in Lee County, FL today. There probably aren't too many Mack fire apparatus still in service in Florida. Lots of relatively new Sutphens in the Lee and Collier areas. bulldogboy

This information is from the Connecticut Trolley Museum's website: The 1927 Mack "AP" 1000/150 was delivered to the Willimantic, CT Fire Department, one of two "AP"s delivered to WFD that year, the other being a 75' TDA. In 1954 it was sold to the Willington Hill, CT Fire Department. It was WHFD's first truck. CTM acquired it in 1968. The 1936 Mack is a "BM", 600 GPM model. It was originally purchased by the West Springfield, MA. Fire Department. Its last assignment was at WSFD's station at the Eastern States Exposition. This station is only open during the exposition's fall show. CTM also owns a 1947 Mack "Type 45" semi-cab pumper that originally served the Hingham, MA Fire Department. CTM looks like a nice place to visit; has anyone been there? The Eastern States Expo is a great take in the fall but try to visit on a weekday; weekends are "wicked" crowded with traffic backed up to I-90. bulldogboy

This particular engine is an early "B" model, not an "AP". The "AP" model was a more powerful version of the "AC" model including the famed sloped "Bulldog" hood. According to Harvey Eckart in his book, "Mack Fire Trucks, 1911-2005", the Type 19 used a Mack "BQ" chassis with a 150 HP "AP" motor and a 750 or 1,000 GPM pump. I guess that would make it a hybrid, "BQ" chassis with an "AP" motor. Early "B"s were built from 1928 to 1937. I often reference Harvey Eckart's work because it is so thorough and knowledgeable and I don't want anyone to think that I actually know what I'm talking about. bulldogboy

Amthor also built fire truck bodies. Their selling point was that they would supply the body, mount the pump, and then the fire department would do all the finish work to its specs. It was a way to get a new body at a cheaper cost. Years ago, my department looked into replacing a Mack "CF" body with an Amthor but eventually went to a local shop. bulldogboy

Still the department antique but there are few current firefighters who can drive it so it just sits at headquarters. Once in a while a retired firefighter who had operated it is allowed to take it to parades and funerals. I'm hoping that it sticks around but as time goes by, who knows what will happen to it. Fantastic old truck that put in a lot of hard working years. bulldogboy

There is no doubt that if you stay in the fire service long enough you will wrinkle some sheet metal (or worse). I think that just about every fire department has a similar story. Years ago, after a major fire in my city we found some tools that belonged to a neighboring call department. I arranged to meet one of the members at his station and when I arrived one of the engines was parked on the apron and workers were fixing the overhead door. I remarked about work being done on the door and the firefighter said, "Take a look at the engine", so I walked around and, sure enough, there was the missing compartment door. Also, how many times did someone back into the pillars between the doors. Needed a G.O. to get a backup man in place. bulldogboy

Waterville Valley, NH Fire Department once operated this Mack "Type 45", 500/500 pumper. There is a another picture of it on page 69 of Harvey Eckart's book, "Mack Fire Apparatus". bulldogboy

Re: Reedsville Fire Rescue; in March, 2014 while responding to a reported house fire, one apparatus left with a compartment door open, struck a support pillar, and brought down the front of the fire station. The trucks were trapped under the collapsed roof but Tanker 6-1 and Rescue 6-1 are still in service according to RFR's Facebook page. A new station opened in 2016. bulldogboy

One unique roll-off, hook-lift truck in the fire service is in the town of Granville, MA. The fire department has Tanker 2, 1980 Mack "RB" chassis, painted green, with a roll-off body and a 3000 gallon water tank, painted red, mounted on it. Once or twice a week highway department workers drop the tank and use the truck to haul dumpsters from the transfer station to the landfill. Afterwards, they bring the truck back to the station and remount the tank. Not to worry, Tanker 1, a 2001 Mack "RD"/US Tanker, 1250/3000, is still available for full time fire service. bulldogboy

Joe, I know what you mean. I don't like seeing "CF"s, "R"s, and "MC"s rehabbed with four rectangular headlights in place of the original round ones. The trucks are still nice but the wrong headlights detract from their appearance. Sometime, how about photos of your tankers and stations. Thanks. bulldogboy

One of two "MB"s delivered to Derry, NH in 1978. Somewhere along the line it was rehabbed by Valley Fire Equipment Co. in Bradford, NH. bulldogboy bulldogboy

I think that ALF called this the "Fire Queen" model airport crash truck. There was a later model called the "Airport Chief". Back in the '50s, ALF built the USAF's O-10, O-11A, and O-11B crash trucks. The one on CL has a front ground sweep nozzle but looks like the roof turret is gone. Nice old ARFF vehicle. bulldogboy