Chicago FD Snorkel 6-6-1 history (part 2)

More photos depicting the Chicago FD Snorkel 6-6-1 history

vintage Chicago fire scene with Snorkel

8-1-87 5-11 615 W 81st St. Steve Redick photo

12-2-02 4-11 1819 Monitor. Steve Redick photo

still more photos coming from other contributors

Tags: 1982 Seagrave 85' Snorkel, Chicago FD reserve Snorkel 661, Chicago FD Snorkel 1, Chicago FD Snorkel 661, Chicago Fire Department history, chicagoareafire.com, Steve Redick, vintage 4-11 alarm fire in Chicago 12-2-02, Vintage 5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago 8-1-87

This entry was posted on March 14, 2018, 8:00 PM and is filed under Apparatus on-scene, Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, Historic Fire Photo. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

8 Comments (and one trackback)

#1 by Matt on March 20, 2018 - 6:07 PM

Some of the refurbished tillers were originally wood aerials that were removed and replaced with new steel aerials and then placed back into service. One of the tractors was used to move the trailers back and forth from Chicago to Seagrave before it was permanently mated with a trailer. CFD purchased some if not the last wood aerials built by FWD.
#2 by John Antkowski on March 20, 2018 - 4:09 PM

David, Thank you very much. John
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#3 by David on March 18, 2018 - 3:36 PM

John as far as I know there were at least 6 of the 1975/76 IHC/Seagrave tillers which were assigned to Trucks 14, 32, 41, 42, 53 and 54 plus several 1966 (or ’67) Mack MB tractors that were coupled with older tillers, not sure about the exact number of the Macks though.
#4 by John Antkowski on March 18, 2018 - 1:55 PM

David do you know how many of those rigs they bought? They used one in the beginning of Backdraft movie where their Dad dies. In fact that’s the rig that Brian gets a ride in. John
#5 by David on March 18, 2018 - 9:30 AM

John I’m not really sure, but I’d say that all of the 1976 IHC Cargostars came together with their Seagrave trailers, but the tillers which were used togeher with the 1960s Mack MB tractors were taken either from FWDs or some other older rigs. I think some guys here can give you much more detailed info about this.
#6 by John Antkowski on March 17, 2018 - 12:06 PM

I was looking at old pictures of Chicago trucks and I was wondering about those Seagrave and Pirsch trailers? Were the Mack and International Harvester tractors add on’s or were they purchased like that? Especially the rig Truck 14 had both the trailer and tractor look about the same time. Thanks John
#7 by David on March 15, 2018 - 7:08 AM

Wow, those are some amazing shots, good old 80s.
#8 by Fred M on March 14, 2018 - 8:41 PM

Thanks Steve for the posting. Good to see the rig in action. Seems like they got alot of use out of Snorkel 1 / 661.