This from Nicholas Neumann:
Fire Replicas has announced the CFD 1954 Autocar Squads to CFD members, retirees, family, and friends. Qualifying orders can be placed by calling the 1-800 number. The project will be released to the general public later in October on www.firereplicas.com
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#1 by Bill Post on October 2, 2016 - 2:01 AM
Fred M, here is a link to an article with photos of an extra alarm fire at Ford City during April of 1968. If you scroll down to the bottom there’s a photo with two of Chicago’s 1954 Autocar squads throwing water on the fire from their turrets. To their left is one of the original Snorkel squad rigs. It was most likely the one assigned to Snorkel Squad 2, but could have also been Snorkel Squad 1’s rig. The two original Snorkel squads were using 1955 International Harvester chassis and cabs which had new Erhlinder squad bodies retrofitted in 1961/62 with 40-foot Snorkels. The 1955 International Harvesters were originally delivered as two of five high pressure wagons, which were really hose wagons with permanently mounted deck guns on them.
http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/2016/02/historic-5-11-alarm-fire-at-the-ford-city-shopping-center-in-chicago-4-2-68/
#2 by Fred M on October 1, 2016 - 3:19 PM
Are there any pic’s out there of the Autocar’s in action??
#3 by Bill Post on September 30, 2016 - 6:15 PM
The first squad that went out of service was Squad 12 which was located with Engine 129 and Truck 50 at 8120 S Ashland on July 9 1964. This was done so that Truck 62 could be put in service without having to add more men to the payroll.
The next squad to go out of service was Squad 7 on May 16, 1965 however that was done in order to make room for the new Snorkel Squad 3. As the house at 2858 W Fillmore only had room for two rigs, Engine 66 was relocated to Engine 44’s old house at 3138 W Lake Street on the same day.
Squad 2 became Salvage Unit 1 on December 5, 1966 but it was assigned about 2 months later as Salvage Squad 2. Squad 1 was redesignated Salvage Squad 1 on the same day. While Salvage Squad 1 continued using Squad 1’s 1954 Autocar, Salvage Squad 2 by then was using one of the 1955 International Harvester former high pressure hose wagons as it’s regular rig. It actually took eight years from the time the Chicago Fire Salvage Patrol was disbanded in 1959 until the CFD’s first salvage squad was created late in 1966. Squad 3 was taken out of service when on April 17 1967 they were totaled in an accident. On June 16, 1967 Squads 6 and 13 were taken out of service. On the same day Squads 8 and 10 had become one-man companies that would respond with only a driver on Still and Box alarms and extra alarms up to a 3-11. This was indicated on the box alarm running cards.
A month later on June 26th, Squad 10 was taken out of service while Squad 8 remained a one-man company until January 16, 1968. Squad 11 remained in service as a fully manned company until February 16, 1968 and then became a one-man company until they were taken out of service on March 7, 1968. By mid 1968 the only squads to survive were Squads 4 and 9 plus Salvage Squads 1 and 2. Of those four companies only Salvage Squad 1 and Squad 9 was still using their 1954 Autocar.
Sometime around 1966/67 Squad 1’s Autocar was retrofitted with an Aurora Borealis light in place of the red “football” light on the roof of the rig.
When the Flying Manpower Squads were created in 1969, Salvage Squad 1’s Autocar went in service as Flying Manpower Squad 4 on May 1, 1969. That was replaced by a spare engine which had then become Flying Squad 4’s regular rig. So Squad 1’s rig was the only Autocar that had served as a squad, a Salvage Squad, and a Flying Manpower Squad. It was in front line service for about 15 years. Squad 9’s Autocar might also have served as a Flying Manpower Squad for a very short period of time but did not serve as a Salvage Squad.
#4 by Matt on September 30, 2016 - 12:51 PM
The squads saw a lot of street time as they had inhalator districts in addition to still alarm responses. Just like today, they spent a lot of time on salty, wintery road every year and were well used fighting fires all over the city.
The last few in service were used as Salvage Squads after the Insurance Patrol went OOS and then as spare squad rigs. Several were refurbished but did not last long after that as the squads morphed into either Snorkel Squad or FMS Companies.
#5 by Mike Mc on September 30, 2016 - 8:44 AM
No Crabby, they did not. The Y gate was an intake for the deck gun (multiversal).
Bill, thanks for the info on the artist that developed it. Your knowledge of the old squads is priceless. Not everyone knows that the 1952 squads were slightly different and even fewer know that Squad 6 ran with an old Mack for the last 12 years they were in service (with the exception of a brief period when they used Squad 7’s old rig).
#6 by CrabbyMilton on September 30, 2016 - 8:36 AM
Thanks Matt. I had a feeling they didn’t have pumps but I just wanted to be sure.
In other reading, it looks like they didn’t last all the long. I think one or perhaps more were destroyed in an accident but how long did they last to “die of natural causes”?
I did see a picture of one with a 1968 caption.
#7 by Matt on September 30, 2016 - 8:19 AM
The squads did not have pumps. They only had siamesed intakes and a manifold to support the deluge gun mounted behind the cab.
The reason why you have not seen these models before is that these squads were unique to Chicago and thus the production tooling and resources could not be used to build models for other towns and fire departments.
With Fire Replicas and the production techniques used, they can do small batches of specific models. This does mean the models are more expensive but they are well worth the price as the details are very fine and the models come ready to display.
#8 by CrabbyMilton on September 30, 2016 - 6:56 AM
Now I’m curious. Did these things have pumps?
#9 by CrabbyMilton on September 30, 2016 - 6:30 AM
I have several of the CORGI fire apparatus and buses but these replicas are well above and beyond that.
I can’t justify spending that much for those but they sure look great and a nice tribute. At least those that remember rigs of yesteryear can see them thanks to the internet.
#10 by Mary on September 29, 2016 - 8:23 PM
Mike Mc, I have been able to visit with the gentleman who builds these fire trucks. He has only had this business for about a year. His stories are amazing and the time and detail he puts into each prototype is unbelievable. I am thrilled this is available for those whom wish to purchase. Wouldn’t it be great if the children and grandchildren of the squad men who are no longer with us were able to purchase this?
#11 by Bill Post on September 29, 2016 - 7:55 PM
As a matter of history, the eight 1954 model Autocar squads (which were the last of Chicago’s famous “double cab” design with a permanently fixed turret on the body) were assigned to Squads 1,3,4,5,8,9,10 and 11.
Chicago had an all time high of 13 conventional squad companies in service. Of the five remaining squad companies that weren’t assigned the 1954 models, Squads 2, 6, and 7 were assigned 1952 Autocars which were slightly smaller. Squads 12 and 13 were assigned the two original 1949 Autocar squads. The 1952 model that was assigned to Squad 6 was totaled in an accident on October 15, 1955. After that it was assigned one of two 1949 Mack squads.
The Chicago Fire Department’s first squads of this basic double-door crew cab design were ten 1940 Mack squads. They received two additional Macks in 1949 along with two Autocar squads. They received three additional Autocars in 1952 and when the eight 1954 models were delivered, the remaining 1940 and 1949 units were taken out of service. One of the 1949 models was put back in service in 1955 as mentioned above. A few of the Mack squads were later used as high-pressure wagons and spare squads.
#12 by Bill Post on September 29, 2016 - 7:23 PM
Mike Mc ,I believe that the reason that it took so long to build and develop this very good and accurate replica of the 1954 Auto Car Squads is because it was built by a single fire apparatus hobbyist and probably within the last few months was able to set up plans to replicate it.
At the annual Fire Buffs of Illinois and 5-11 club swap meet and Muster that was held at the Fire Academy this past June a few of us were lucky to meet the person who built the original prototype and were actually able to get a look at it.
In other words this was really the undertaking of a single individual and not necessarily a corporate undertaking.
#13 by Mike Mc on September 29, 2016 - 5:24 PM
Why did they wait so long to do this? I think of all the hundreds of squad men, now no longer with us, that would have loved to buy one. Many of whom passed on in just the last few years. Not that may old Autocar squad men left. You have to be at least 54 years old to remember having seen a real one. About 15 years too late. I don’t get it.