Posts Tagged Mack CF Pirsch aerial in Chicago

Chicago Fire Department: Truck Companies over the years. Part 2

Mar 10

Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus | Comments off

CFD Apparatus History – trucks with boosters

Mar 5

Posted by bgshap in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus | 9 Comments

Some additional information about the aerials purchased by the Chicago Fire Department in the late 60s and early 70s . Some have inquired about the fact that several aerials were delivered with booster reels and 300-gallon water tanks. There were several types of aerials purchased by the CFD during this time frame.

These included:

(3) 1968 Mack CF/Pirsch 100-foot aerials (with a red cab face) (300-gallon tanks)
(1) 1968 Seagrave aerial with an FWD chassis featuring rear steering for Truck 63 at O’Hare Airport
(8) 1970 Seagrave rear-mounts (250-gallon tanks)
(5) 1970 Ward LaFrance/Grove units assigned to Truck 7, Truck 12, Truck 18, Truck 21, and Truck 34 (300-gallon tanks)
(3) 1972 Mack CF 700/Pirsch 100-foot aerials (with a silver cab face) (300-gallon tanks)

At some point in time, the shops drained the water tanks and removed the booster reels as seen in some of the photos posted HERE and below.

Future posts will show more of these aerials, but the photos here show a few examples.

Chicago Fire Department 1968 Seagrave Rear Admiral O'hare Airport

This is a 1968 Seagrave Rear Admiral 100′ aerial with a 500-gallon booster tank and twin booster reels. It features an FWD chassis with rear steering and was assigned to Truck 63 at O’Hare Airport. Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago Fire Department Truck 5 1972 Mack CF Pirsch

Truck 5 was assigned one of three 1972 100-foot Pirsch rear-mount aerials mounted on a Mack CF chassis with a 500-gallon water tank and twin booster reels. Larry Shapiro photo

Previous posts in this series depicted CFD trucks with boosters from 1967 and CFD trucks with boosters from 1968.

Tags: American laFrance 900 series rear-mount aerial ladder, American LaFrance Ladder Chief, booster tanks on Chicago aerial ladders, Chicago ladder trucks with booster tanks, Chicago Pirsch ladder, Chicago Truck 1, Chicago Truck 12, Chicago Truck 18, Chicago Truck 21, Chicago Truck 3, Chicago Truck 34, Chicago Truck 7, Larry Shapiro, Mack CF Pirsch aerial in Chicago, Peter Pirsch & Sons, Seagrave Rear Admiral aerial, Ward LaFrance Ambassador, Ward LaFrance Grove aerial, Ward LaFrance in the CFD

CFD Apparatus History – trucks with boosters 1968

Jul 8

Posted by bgshap in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 1 Comment

As a follow-up to the recent article about the 1968 Mack CF/Pirsch 100-foot aerials with booster tanks, Bill Freidrich submitted these replications of Pirsch literature featuring a Chicago unit.

Vintage brochure from Peter Pirsch & Sons Company featuring a Chicago ladder truck. Bill Friedrich collection

Another page of the brochure showing the aerial raised and the jacks deployed. Bill Friedrich collection

Tags: Bill Friedrich, booster tanks on Chicago aerial ladders, Chicago Fire Department, Chicago ladder trucks with booster tanks, Chicago Pirsch ladder, Mack CF chassis, Mack CF Pirsch aerial in Chicago, Peter Pirsch & Sons, vintage Pirsch sales literature

CFD Apparatus History – trucks with boosters 1968

Jul 2

Posted by bgshap in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 10 Comments

The Chicago Fire Department purchased aerial ladder trucks with booster tanks and pumps for several years. Beginning in 1966 and spanning through 1973, 31 aerials were delivered from different manufacturers with on-board water. Seven of these were mid-ship aerials and the balance were rear-mounts. Units were built by Seagrave, Pirsch, Ward LaFrance (Grove), and American LaFrance.

This is the second of several posts that will highlight the progression of these truck companies in Chicago. The numbers listed above are revisions from what was originally included in the 1st post.

IN 1968, CHICAGO RECEIVED THREE PIRSCH REAR MOUNTED AERIALS …

These trucks were built on Mack chassis with CF Series cabs. Each truck had a 100-foot rear mounted aluminum ladder, 300 gallons of water, and a 60-GPM pump.

Chicago Fire Department 1968 Mack CF Pirsch aerial ladder

Pirsch delivery photo of a 1968 100′ rear mount on a Mack CF chassis for the Chicago Fire Department. Jack Connors collection

The first of these 1968 Mack/Pirsch aerials (Shop #E-170) was assigned to Truck 22. This unit was eventually reassigned to Trucks 47, 16, 35, and 34.

Chicago Fire Department 1968 Mack CF Pirsch aerial ladder Chicago Truck 22

Chicago Truck 22 was assigned Shop #E-170 in 1968. This was a Pirsch 100-foot rear mounted aerial on a Mack CF chassis. It carried 300 gallons of water and had a 60-GPM pump. Jack Connor photo

Chicago Fire Department 1968 Mack CF Pirsch aerial ladder Chicago Truck 47

Shop #E-170 was assigned to Truck 47 after it had been running as Truck 22. This photo shows a canvas cover for the rear jacks instead of the metal doors that were delivered in that area. Jack Connor photo

Chicago Fire Department 1968 Mack CF Pirsch aerial ladder Chicago Truck 35

This image shows the rear of E-170 after it was on it’s 4th assignment now as Truck 35. The booster reel is still mounted on the unit, but it is empty. Jack Connor photo