This from Dennis McGuire, Jr.
Here are some pictures of a 1956 Mack B-Model I recently found in Calumet City in March of 2012.The rig carries CFD Shop# D-307, Serial# B95F-1042.It’s CFD history is as follows:Delivered: 3-16-1956Engine 27: 6-8-1956 to 2-18-1963Engine 25: 2-18-1963 to 12-19-1969Engine 8: 1-1-1970 to 7-27-1970Engine 92: 11-25-1970 to 7-12-1973Engine 76: 12-31-1973 to 2-5-1976Engine 56: 1-26-1976 to 1-13-1977
Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo
Officer’s side. Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo
Driver’s side, cab interior. Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo
Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo
Mack production plate. Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo
Cab interior, officer’s side. Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo
Double front bumper. Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo
#1 by Phil Stenholm on August 20, 2012 - 11:51 PM
Shop numbers were first assigned to Chicago Fire Department vehicles in February/March 1923, just after the last horse-drawn apparatus (Engine 11) was replaced with a brand-new 1922 Ahrens Fox 750 GPM pumper, and about a year after the CFD Shops opened on Sacramento Ave.
#2 by Eric on August 19, 2012 - 2:59 PM
I second that! Do you also have any early G-series numbers? Thanks.
#3 by danny on August 19, 2012 - 8:07 AM
@dennis thanks is there any way i can get my hands on that list i would love to go through it
#4 by Dennis on August 19, 2012 - 7:28 AM
@Eric and @Danny, E-297 is a spare rig now, it was at Truck 42 but has since been replaced. Danny, the shops started the shop number program around 1927 (That’s why you see D-1 is a 1921 Seagrave at Engine 1 and then D-2 is a 1919 Seagrave at Engine 2). I have the numbers from then till now.
#5 by Eric on August 18, 2012 - 7:21 PM
@Dennis,
I mean I’m interested in all of it, but growing up on the far south side I’m interested in basically whatever was at 121’s house over the years. I see that Harold Washington (the main library downtown) has a copy of the Little & McNalis books, so next time I’m in town I’ll have to pop in and take a peek.
@Danny,
I believe E-297 is Truck 42.
#6 by danny on August 18, 2012 - 5:45 PM
@dennis how up to date is your list and is it something you have online or is on old ink and paper cause i have a list 1966-1995 on engines and trucks i need 1995 on! and also who has e-297 thanks
#7 by Dennis on August 14, 2012 - 5:30 PM
@Eric I can help with any shop number you might have a question about, also the Fire Museum of Greater Chicago has a data base of all shops rigs and there assignments.
#8 by Eric on August 14, 2012 - 3:29 PM
DMc77:
That’s incredibly helpful. Thank you!
#9 by DMc77 on August 14, 2012 - 12:57 PM
Eric – check the Little/McNalis History of CFD Firehouses books. They have lists of rigs, shop numbers, etc. I don’t know offhand how far back the lists go.
#10 by Eric on August 13, 2012 - 11:30 PM
Great find. I’m wondering if anybody has a list that encompasses the shop numbers of the rigs throughout the years.
#11 by Bill Post on August 13, 2012 - 8:59 PM
Thanks for putting up the link Phil. I remember the rig when it was Engine 25. I know that they gave that rig to Engine 25 because it was off of the new Dan Ryan Expressway. Engine 27 was still in service for another few years with a 49 Mack like Engine 4’s.
#12 by Bill Post on August 13, 2012 - 8:48 PM
What an interesting find. In another way we are lucky as we know what a rig like that would end up looking like as the rig that was set up to look like Engine 87 is based on that model of Mack.
I know that someone did have a well preserved 1949 Mack Engine somewhere on the southwest side. That was sometime ago (like the 90s or 80s). Something tells me that the 1949 had belonged at one time to a local political ward organization. But that’s all that I know and I haven’t heard anything since. I’m sure someone here would know alot more about it, then what I know.
I would assume or (at least hope) that somebody would have some records of the final disposition of more such rigs like those.
If Engine 25’s old rig was out there rusting then perhaps there could be more.
I wonder if anyone may know of the dispositions of any of the Auto Car Squads?
#13 by Phil Stenholm on August 13, 2012 - 7:51 PM
D-307 as Engine 27 in its hey-day, with Engine 4 on Division Street. HERE
#14 by Martin on August 13, 2012 - 7:12 PM
Bill, I agree with you. It would make a nice project. I’d like to get my hands on a few rigs myself. Was there an engine in this rig?
#15 by Bill on August 13, 2012 - 5:25 PM
I would love to get that and restore it
#16 by Dennis on August 13, 2012 - 3:38 PM
It is owned by a guy but he didnt seem like he wanted to sell it. He did tell me he has owned it a few years and he got it when he bought some land ( didnt say where) and it was on the land and came with. He said he junked the body on it because it was all rusted out.
#17 by Bill on August 13, 2012 - 12:16 PM
Is this rig owned by someone. If so are they willing to sell?