fsw1970

You said something about Norwalk soon to have a tiller again??? Any details

Nice day downtown. old style light tower?

Um are those condos on the Byram side??? If I'm right that would be the old Hoffman Fuel site on S Water?

Some of the larger building's in the downtown responce area.

My God Ang,the waterfront has changed since I was there last! Is that Costco where the old Daily Item and Arnolds building was? (Curious to see how many know that)

Nice ride for sure, but it sure as hell isn't a Mack or an Oren; but then again nothing ever will be again. Are you guys going to put any lettering/logos over the compartments? I think it looks a little plain up there.

I also just did the math, and realized that the Grumman has served the longest of any of the paid engines! Never would have figured that 23 years ago. I thought that rig was a mistake when it was bought; guess I was wrong.

I really hope to be back there again over Thanksgiving. I finally have a job where I can take off around holidays, and want to take my kids to the Macys parade.

From the looks of it, that is an old ambulance from The Island. Possibly Levittown or Wantagh? Any idea?

Hell there were some pretty concrete plans to build the UN on a large campus in backcountry Greenwich too! Now try and imagine that one! Needless to say the powers that be shot it down quickly.

Hell Angelo, I was told that Washington's Fox was cut up for a scrap metal drive! Just goes to show, you never know. Who's Fox is up on the Cape?

I know that Mellors 54 Fox and Put's 53 ALF floated around the muster circuit for a number of years, and then seemed to have disappeared. Know what happened to those, or any of HH's tillers? Last I heard the old T2 was still sitting at the Sutphen plant with a whole bunch of old trade-in's. Have you ever run across any of 58 or 59's old rigs?

The 49 Seagrave is privately owned. its about 65%complete I installed the engine two weeks ago. The 53 Ward Lafrance pumper is owned by the Old Faithful Antique Fire Engine Association. Its repainted and the Tank removed and seating installed to give rides. They also have a 1922 Seagrave 750 pumper. Former New Canaan E-1. A 1924 American Lafrance pumper from Nutley N.J. A 1928 Seagrave hose car from Malden Mass. I personally have former New Canaan Emergency Squad 4 a 1941 Diamond T with a Woods Engineering body with a 250 GPM pump. Another NCFD member has former New Canaan E-2 a 1959 Seagrave 750 GPM pumper. The Fire Cats have whats left of the 1960 Maxim former NCFD E-5. And the 1975 American Lafrance 100' ladder. Norwalk Fire Dept has former T-8 a 1973 Ward Lafrance 3000 gallon tanker with a 1500 GPM pump. They also have former R-6 a 1978 Ford C cab with a Saulsbury body The body is now on a Pemfab as Norwalk R-3 the cab and chassis is in storage. Scrapped NCFD Appartus include E-1 a 1969/1984 American Lafrance pumper. 1946 Seagrave 500 GPM pumper with an enclosed cab. 1926 International city service truck. 1966 International Loadstar brush unit (caught fire under DPW ownership.) 1929 Lincolon touring car converted into a lighting unit. Thats all I can remember for now.

Thanks for the info. I had no idea that so many old NCFD rigs were still around. I knew about the WLF, the 22 Seagrave, and 24 ALF. One of those older one's was in pieces the last time I saw it(about 1993). Is the WLF relettered or still plain? Also I vaguely remember, as a kid, a small utility body style rescue living behind the ladder. This was before the Ford C/Saulsbury rescue came in, so I always assumed it was a rescue. This wasn't the 41 Diamond T, was it?

And how long did the IHC brush rig serve? I don't ever remember seeing in person, just in that old station pic.

Is the dept restoring the 49 Seagrave aerial? And are all the other antiques still floating around? If so, has any work been done to the 48(?) WLF engine?

The truck is a 1975 model. The cab is original. This ladder replaced a 1949 Seagrave 65 foot aerial wich is currently undergoing a full restoration. The American LaFrance is a 100 foot model. The last section of the ladder was replaced in 1988 as it was damaged when a burning dormer fell on it. The aerial was taken out of service around 2002 when it failed its ladder test, but it was still used to carry ground ladders. I took it to one of its last big fires and parked it in a neighbors driveway. We used some ground ladders and tools off it. This rig maneuvered well and ran great. I found that I had to get it as close as possible to the objective as the tip load was very diminished at a low angle usualy 15 degrees at about 85 feet out that was about you could safely put a guy on it. I'm so glad to see this rig being well taken care of as I was asighned to it the last three years we had it. The repairs I could remember were a rebuilt transmission, new fly section, new gauges on the pump pannel, and repairs to the front of the cab for collision damage. Keep her going she was a great rig.

It is a 1975. It replaced a 1947(I believe) Seagrave quint.

This company from Totowa has been coming since at least the late 70's.

Engine and tower from Larchmont.

Nice pair of Pierces from "out of town": Totowa, NJ and Levittown, NY (Nassau Co.)

I started going to the parade in the late 70's, and never once saw them march. I once watched the parade from the turntable of the Seagrave rear-mount, when it was parked on one of the sidestreets right downtown. The guys told me that because of the congestion in the village during the parade, they were better off stationing rigs in different areas around the parade, then to march in it. Plus they said, there was just so much to do, this was easier.

As promised, I will now begin adding my own pics to the thread. I found it tiresome to try and re-size the entire 80-odd shots I took, and didn't see the need to duplicate everything that was already here anyway, so I just did a bunch of the better ones, and ones that I liked the most.

Didn't have to worry about being lonely (not that I would have been, what with a large - and rapidly increasing - crowd gathered on the sidelines), but then this beautiful Seagrave turns up to join in keeping me company. Seems that Turn of River arrived just a tad bit late to get to their designated spot in the lineup, so the nice cop who was keeping traffic away from the parade allowed them to back into the closed off side street right next to me. The crew then set about putting the finishing touches on the rig while they waited for thier turn to jump in line.

I was somewhat disappointed.....second time I've attended this parade (first was '02 or '03?) and once again, no home town engines. The first time, I was told they were running numerous calls, including a working incident, in addition to shuttling people back and forth from the park. Not sure what the story was this year? Oh well, at least the tiller showed.....even if it was imitating one of it's Bergen County counterparts' "bad" habits.

ok, now that you clue'd me in, its Terryville E5A-4-2. there's one difference between the two rigs. see if you can find it. lol.

I really don't know Mike. I scoured over my pics to try and tell you which it was, but I couldn't see any difference, other than the street sign on the bumper. I'm sure that was removed before they sold it though. My pics were from 1994, so they may have done something different to one of them between when I shot them, and when you shot them Mike.

I give up otherwise!

ummm, its not a Former FDNY rig. for one, its a 4 door conversion kit on it, not a factory 4 door rig, like FDNY, East Meadow and Westbury(that one is owned by a prvate owner in PA). it might have been done by Ranger, its got those "crooked" paddle handles like they used to install. second, its got a horizontal pump handles, indicative of a hale pump? they have not been on an FDNY rig since I believe 1965. FDNY used pullout handles on their CF's. there are about 6 other factory installed things from that pic which show its not from FDNY

if its got the original horn button, it will tell you where it came from. if you get the serial number from the drivers door plate or the pump panel I will tell you where it came from.

Well Mike I can tell ya. I knew I recognized the truck, but it took a while to register. It's from Terryville LINY. They had 2 identical 1981 Mack CF 1500/500 pumpers. E5A-4-2 was 4dr'ed by Greenwood Fire Apparatus in 1993, and E5A-4-11 was 4dr'ed by Greenwood in 1992. I've compared my pics of them both, and aside from a street sign on one bumper, they were completely identical. All that was done by Greenwood was the 4 door conversion, and from the looks of it, that's still the case. That is original Mack bodywork.

I remember seeing pictures of one of these years ago, but then it was about comparing cab heights. One end was the low profile cab that was popular in the early 1980's and the other was a full height one. If I remember correctly, it could be set to drive either way, so that potential customers could compare the two cabs.

You're thinking of the old PemFab double-ended cab, w/ the "wedge" cab on one end, and their full custom on the other.

Where are the rest of Suffern's rigs? Looks like Mawah had as much equipment there as Suffern.

Just curious, why does it have an indian on the cowl? I don't think I've ever seen one on a PC rig before, and definately not on a Reliance engine.

#1 Abbey Richmond Amb, they were sold to Transcare

#2 Westchester Amb. which has become Westchester EMS (not the same company, but there CON, I believe) in Mt. Kisco.

Yep those sound right. Thanks. I'm thinking the West Amb garage was in the shadow of either 287, or the Saw Mill.

Now does anyone have any poics of their ambos, and when did they go out of business?

I remember 2 private ambulance services in Westchester county, that I haven't seen or heard any mention of them on this site or any other. I'm assuming they are probably out of business. I can't remember the names of them(I burned up too many brain cells in my younger days!), but hopefully someone will be able to tell who I'm talking about.

One was based out of White Plains, over by old sta 4 I think, and provided weekday services to the Port Chester-Rye VAC coverage area(amoungst others), when PCR was still all volunteer. The other was based out Elmsford, or right around there, and was white w/ gold & blue stripes(I think). I used to have some pics of rigs from both, but, alas, I decided at one point, that I didn't want to keep pics of private ambos anymore, and gave them away. Yes I know, dumb move.

OK Well that explains it. Thanks. I figured it was something along those lines, because I know it's a really good run for them. I always thought it'd make more sense for FDNY, but I guess they can't just send a single piece on mutual aid everytime someone wanted one.

UMM, Sorry for asking, but what was White Plains doing at a fire all the way in Pelham? Wasn't there anyone closer to resond w/ an aerial?

Really nice looking truck, for sure. Good luck w/ it. I'm willing to bet it won't be able to go all the places the old GMC could though.

Also. and I've asked this of many depts here in the midwest, WHY put chrome wheels on a brush truck?????? Sorry, but to me this makes no sense at all.

OH yea, I'm sure you guys have room in that big, beautiful, new firehouse to add to your antique collection(right)?

Wouldn't it be cheaper and easier to just build a new fire headquarters? Then again, I guess land is scarce in Port Chester for that type of project.

Being the history buff that I am, the last thing I want to see is that great, old building replaced and torn down. It's right up there as one of the oldest firehouse's in the entire area. Having grown up in Byram, I've seen enough classic buildings go the way of the wrecking ball in the name of "progress". It broke my heart when I found out that the old South Main firehouse was being given up on.

Oh Yea if you guys think that building is tight, you've not been to some of the firehouse's I have. Hell, some your own Sound Shore neighbors were in MUCH worse shape than that at one time.

Well Hell! I didn't even know the hospital closed. I was born there many moons ago!

Rekindle is not a term that should be utilized. Let's consider this:

If fire is discovered after the FD has left it is due to one of the follwing:

1) The arsonest came back to finish the job (and this is a new fire not a rekindle)

2) The FD did not put the fire out in the 1st place, because they could not get to the seat of the fire (due to collapse or some other issue) and felt it was safe to leave or just leave a fire watch. If this were the case it would not be a rekindle since it was never out.

3) The term rekindle implies that the FD screwed up and left without doing proper overhaul and did not know that it was still burning.

I hate to break it to you, but #3 IS entirely possible. No one's perfect.

It is a smart idea (on Greenwich's part) for them to be part of the department. Even though their station 8 is a straight run 5 or so miles away, Banksville can get to the Stanwich, Taconic sections alot quicker. I would think that this would be an influence on the town's ISO ratings as it's no secret that Greenwich's real estate is top $$$$.

You have to remember also, that sta 8 was only built a few years ago. For decades, all there was in the "back country" was Round Hill, and Banksville.