Another set of Squad546 images from Martin Nowak:
More on the Truck companies over the years at CFD. Thanks to Squad546 for allowing me to post these.
Former Tower Ladder 10 -1985 Federal-E-One 95′Former Truck 4, 1970 Seagrave (refurbished in 1991) headed out on a still alarm.Truck 18 – 1995 Seagrave 100′Former Truck 20 – 1969 Seagrave before removal of the booster pump & line.Former Truck 35 – 1967 FWD/Seagrave, formerly Truck 9.Former Truck 52’s 1975 Seagrave 100′ in the early 1980s
Former Tower Ladder 10 -1985 Federal-E-One 95′. photo by Squad546
Former Truck 4, 1970 Seagrave (refurbished in 1991) headed out on a still alarm. photo by Squad546
Truck 18 – 1995 Seagrave 100′ . photo by Squad546
Former Truck 20 – 1969 Seagrave before removal of the booster pump & line. photo by Squad546
Former Truck 35 – 1967 FWD/Seagrave, formerly Truck 9. photo by Squad546
Former Truck 52’s 1975 Seagrave 100′ in the early 1980s. photo by Squad546
#1 by Bill Post on March 15, 2013 - 12:11 AM
How the mighty have fallen. Seagrave has been loosing a lot of ground lately, and not only in Chicago at least when it comes to rear mounted aerial ladders. Until about 2 year ago New York City’s aerial ladder fleet was 100% Seagrave and had been since at least the late 1980s. Two years ago the NYFD started taking delivery of an order of 20 Ferrara rear mounted aerial ladder trucks and since then they have added on to that contract for an additional 34. By the time they are all in service their fleet of Seagrave rear mounts will be a minority. The New York City Fire Department operates a fleet of 143 ladder companies, 69 of them are rear mounted ladders, 13 of them are tillered aerial ladders, and 61 of them are what they call tower ladders, but are really 75-foot and 95-foot Aerialscopes (telescopic snorkels) which are mounted on Seagrave chassis. Even though there will only be 15 Seagrave rearmounts left in their rear fleet, the tillered ladders and tower ladders will still be Seagrave, and they will be getting more Seagraves delivered for those type of trucks.
The Los Angeles City Fire Department is an even better example. Until the early 1990s their aerial ladder fleet consisted mainly Seagrave tillered ladders. Since the 90s they have been ordering LTI tillered ladders, many of which are mounted on American LaFrance Eagle chassis except for a few of the early models that were delivered with Simon/Duplex cabs and chassis. Los Angeles City no longer is running with frontline Seagrave aerial ladders.
Washington DC is one of the few exceptions to the rule where their aerial ladder fleet is just about entirely Seagrave.
#2 by Mike Mc on March 14, 2013 - 11:08 PM
Thanks for the posting and photos. Truck 35’s 1967 FWD/Seagrave was one of the first rear mount aerials to go in service with a major metropolitan fire department. Seagrave called the truck “Rear Admiral” and within a few years ALF, Pirsch, WLF/Grove, and Crown followed their lead with rear mounts.
It is a shame Truck 35’s old rig was not preserved because it was of historical significance. A couple of years later the FDNY began purchasing a large fleet of Seagrave rear mounts and many cities throughout the country began replacing tillers with rear mounts. Even tiller loving LA County had a few rear mounts, although they probably deny it now. It also brought a quick end to mid mount aerials that were being manufactured in the mid 1960’s. Truck 35’s rig set the standard for the design and style of truck companies for nearly a half a century now.
I have to give credit to Walter McCall’s excellent book “American Fire Engines Since 1900” that I referred to refresh my memory.
#3 by DH on March 14, 2013 - 5:28 PM
They have been replaced in frontline service…many are still spares, the E-One tower ladders are the only spare tower ladders. And the spare towers see a lot of action still.
#4 by Josh B on March 14, 2013 - 12:36 PM
All of the seagraves have been replaced, there is only a couple E-Ones left, I want to say 5 left.
#5 by Sebastian on March 14, 2013 - 11:04 AM
how many first line seagraves are still operating?