This from Eric Haak:
For #TBT. I wanted to share these great color images taken in the Summer of 1963 of Truck 49 and Engine 126 outside of their quarters. No idea who the lucky young man is.
photographer unknown
photographer unknown
Tags: #TBT, 00, Chicago FD Engine 126, Chicago FD H&L 49, Chicago FD Truck 49, Chicago Fire Department history, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage Chicago fire trucks, vintage Pirsch tractor-trailer fire truck
This entry was posted on May 9, 2019, 7:00 AM and is filed under Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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#1 by CrabbyMilton on May 10, 2019 - 9:13 AM
That picture was taken one year before I was born but I remember many of the rigs built in that time frame still being in frontline service growing up in the ’70’s and 80’s.
They has often loud exhaust systems and the first generation diesels started coming in around the late ’60’s and early ’70’s and they were even louder that the gasoline versions especially the one’s around here they repowered with the old DETROIT DIESESL 2 cycle engines.
#2 by CrabbyMilton on May 10, 2019 - 9:06 AM
Not stupid at all and perhaps just the angle of the camera.
You can GOOGLE any number of pictures of apparatus to see how they are in proportion to other objects.
Take in a muster if you can to see them close and may even witness them pumping.
I would love to go to the big one they have had in PA. forever but timing and work gets in the way. Oh well, perhaps another year for that.
#3 by Austin on May 10, 2019 - 8:44 AM
Ah, I got you Crabby. Yeah engine 126 looks huge, but that makes sense since it isn’t a tilt cab. Like I said, a stupid question lol. On a side note I wish I was that kid, would have loved to seen those when they were active.
#4 by CrabbyMilton on May 10, 2019 - 6:25 AM
Actually, most apparatus these days are a bit larger given the sedan cabs and incorporating more rescue equipment on the typical pumper. Those old PIRSCH and FWD had a bulk of their size in the front since in the case of PIRSCH, didn’t introduce their cab forward model until 1959 I think.
Milwaukee had several FWD’s and PIRSCH rigs.
#5 by Chuck on May 10, 2019 - 2:30 AM
It was said when those FWD’s started up the firehouses literally shook. Amazing pictures – thanks for the post.
#6 by Austin on May 9, 2019 - 7:45 PM
Kind of a stupid question, but is the kid really short, or is the apparatus massive? It just seems to be huge pieces of equipment compared to today. Sorry I don’t know much about apparatus before the 80’s.
#7 by CrabbyMilton on May 9, 2019 - 3:06 PM
You could never get away with straight exhaust pipes now.
Some of the rigs today are almost as quite as a family sedan.
I remember seeing part of an ALF 700 series brochure listing mufflers as optional equipment.
#8 by MABAS 21 on May 9, 2019 - 2:05 PM
Both are beautiful rigs! Everything this era had tons of chome and great body curves on the hoods, fenders and cabs. Too bad no area collector has either one like these.
Question, as I’ve seen this decal on this era of Chicago apparatus. What does the decal say that is on Engine 126’s door above the CFD scramble? Does anyone have a close up photo of it?
#9 by Admin on May 9, 2019 - 2:55 PM
Chicago Civil Defense Corps
#10 by JBavitz on May 9, 2019 - 1:19 PM
Gotta luv that straight exhaust pipe that you can see beneath Engine 126. If you listen real good one can hear it coming from a block away!
#11 by CrabbyMilton on May 9, 2019 - 12:28 PM
Nice pictures and one lucky youngster there.
I wonder if he grew up to either work as a firefighter or at least a fire apparatus nut. He could even read this board who knows?
#12 by Mike L on May 9, 2019 - 8:43 AM
Fantastic pictures, Eric! Thank you for posting them.