New 137-foot aerial ladder for Chicago

Fire service inc has been awarded a contract to deliver 1 137 ft ladder.

Chicago FD orders E-ONE 137-foot aerial ladder fire truck

drawing of E-ONE 137-foot aerial ladder fire truck for the Chicago FD

thanks Danny

Tags: Chicago FD orders 137-foot E-ONE aerial ladder, Chicago Fire Department, new fire truck for Chicago

This entry was posted on November 27, 2018, 6:00 PM and is filed under Fire Department News, New Apparatus Order. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

24 Comments

#1 by rich S. on December 2, 2018 - 11:42 AM

Marty I’m not sure what the dispatch protocol will be. They may make it a automatic 2-11 response in order to free up a Tower Ladder on the card. or it may be a special call at a 2-11 and above per the incident commander. Anything is possible really there will be many changes I’m sure now that new bosses are in.
#2 by Marty Coyne on December 2, 2018 - 4:06 AM

rich S, will this be special call at 2-11 + alarms like RS1 was or will this be regular dispatched on any 2-11? RS1 was rarely called out so it would seem sending AT-7 on all 2-11’s would be a waste. TIA
#3 by Mike on December 1, 2018 - 3:05 PM

So are they going to close Truck 24’s house if they make a Tower Ladder 24 and put it in the new house, or are they going to replace with an engine?
#4 by Chuck on November 30, 2018 - 12:16 PM

There’s the dumbest idea yet – put the 5th District Headquarters at the far south end of the District. Hell, why not put it in the swamp at Engine 80? That way the DDC will never get to any fires.
#5 by rj on November 30, 2018 - 12:02 PM

The CR 137′ has a 245″ wheelbase, same as the E-One towers the same as or very similar to the Pierce 105’s so maneuverability should not be an issue as compared to any current rigs. The waterway only extend to the 4th fly (110′) so your only gaining 10-20′ waterway reach over current aerials. The main difference in the CR 137′ is a 5th fly on the ladder, otherwise body and frame are similar to other E-one ladders. With a city that has +/- 60 trucks it’s not a bad idea to have a 137′ in the fleet. When talking aerial use and reach at high rises dont forget about the county building fire …
#6 by rich S. on November 29, 2018 - 8:52 PM

Guys, we don’t put aerial ladders up at high rise fires. we don’t break windows in high rises and most of them do not open, the first four trucks at a fire in a high rise have very specific jobs, all interior and AT 1 is way to big for down town as it is. The house is tight and the streets are a nightmare. AT 7 will be right off the x-way to go west, east, north and south. and will be a much better place for such a rig. we no longer have the reserve 85′ snorkel so this will take the place for extra alarm fires in addition to 2 TL’s.
#7 by Luke Jackson on November 29, 2018 - 6:07 PM

That’s what I’m thinking as well. Hopefully that doesn’t cause maintenance problems for the rig though.
#8 by Brian on November 29, 2018 - 4:37 PM

Wow, being due on every 2-11 citywide will put some miles on that baby fast
#9 by Luke Jackson on November 29, 2018 - 2:50 PM

I honestly figured the new 137′ ladder truck would have went to AT1. Reason being is AT1 is more downtown where there are multiple tall buildings and skyscrapers. It will still preform and function just as well just under the title “AT7”.
#10 by CFD Guy on November 29, 2018 - 11:39 AM

From a very reliable source…… the new aerial tower from E-One will go in service at Truck 7. Truck 7 will then be due on every 2-11 Alarm city wide and every Still & Box in a high-rise. AT1 will become a regular truck. Reason being, Truck 1 is either first or second truck to most still in high-rises. So they would have to pull them out of the building to be put to work. Also, new firehouse to be built at 119th and Morgan. Four-bay firehouse for Engines 115 and 75, new Tower Ladder 24, and at least two ambulances. It will also become the new District 5 headquarters. That is all I know for now, the plans for the AT-7 have been in the works for a while. Also the firehouse at 119th and Morgan is underway in the development stages. The building commission secured the land and is now looking at what the footprint of the firehouse will look like.
#11 by Matt on November 29, 2018 - 8:01 AM

Smeal makes a 125′ ladder as St. Louis has ordered a few over the years. They are assigned to the H&L Companies in an even split with the towers.

The 1988 E-One had a 135 ft. ladder and several others were delivered in Northern Illinois. Naperville ran one for many years. The current Pierce is only a 105 ft. but is the heavy duty aerial vs. the medium duty used on the other ladders. The 135 ft. ladder disappeared for quite a few years then re-appeared as the 137 ft. design.

I doubt you will see tillers here but you can never say never. They have seen a resurgence on both coasts.
#12 by Luke Jackson on November 29, 2018 - 5:37 AM

Does anyone know when production of this truck will start? And if Chicago is getting anything else? I think Chicago should get some tillers for the downtown stations so they can maneuver through traffic easier.
#13 by Marty Coyne on November 29, 2018 - 3:39 AM

I believe the original AT-1, a spare now is a 135′ model. I don’t think they made a 137′ before.

The taller ladder is for downtown where those extra feet allow higher reach where skyscrapers dominate. Though the current. AT-1 is only five feet taller, it is the only HD and prepiped truck in it fleet.
#14 by Luke Jackson on November 28, 2018 - 5:49 PM

Hello everyone, I was just wondering if there were any better photos of the spec sheets for this truck. I’m trying to draw this truck and I would appreciate more photos please. Thanks.
#15 by Jim on November 28, 2018 - 4:43 PM

So does anyone but E-One make a 137′ straight stick? I’m guessing not too many bids on this one. Is there an NFPA or ISO status benefit to have a ladder or two with that length in the fleet? It’s not fun being on those last few ladder sections that make up the extra 30 or so feet and really limits the usability and practicality.
#16 by John Antkowski on November 28, 2018 - 12:40 PM

I don’t don’t think so I believe it was Pierce’s 105 foot rear mount with a pre piped waterway. I could be wrong
#17 by rich S. on November 28, 2018 - 11:22 AM

Yes it will be a tandem axel rig, yes the original AT 1 was 137’ ladder. The metro single axel has up to a 110’ aerial. And this rig may not go to AT 1. It may go to truck 3 or truck 7 . Or anywhere else they want to put it.
#18 by Michael m on November 28, 2018 - 10:47 AM

Looks like it is going to be a nice looking truck! The 1988 E one that the 2006 pierce replaced, was that a 137ft ladder?
#19 by Craig Mack on November 28, 2018 - 7:50 AM

I believe you can only get the 137′ on a tandem axle chassis. The metro (single axle model) is only for the 100′ stick
#20 by John Antkowski on November 28, 2018 - 7:37 AM

Is it going to have tandem rear axles? It’s hard to tell from the scmatics. Can you get the cyclone II chassis with a tandem rear end?
#21 by Danny on November 27, 2018 - 8:21 PM

Delivery in 300 330 days
#22 by Danny on November 27, 2018 - 8:21 PM

It’s the new rig for AT 1
#23 by Mike C on November 27, 2018 - 7:49 PM

Who wants to speculate where it’ll be housed? Is this the only apparatus purchase for the 2019 fiscal year for CFD? HA!
#24 by Rich on November 27, 2018 - 7:42 PM

Well I guess this answered all questions.