From the RosenbauerAmerica Facebook page:
At Rosenbauer, we continue to innovate and the ACP55 is no exception. The ACP55, a 55′ articulated Cobra platform takes the Smart Aerial technology of our Cobra platforms that you have grown to love and packs it into a compact articulated platform! Check out the photos of the first four units that are currently in production! Check back with us soon for more info and updates on these units and follow along as we watch these units flow through the production process!
Rosenbauer America photo
Rosenbauer America photo
Rosenbauer America photo
Rosenbauer America photo
Rosenbauer America photo
Rosenbauer America photo
#1 by Tony on September 20, 2016 - 11:51 PM
Anyone know of any update? It’s September and those pictures are from April… they have to be at least done with 1 set.
#2 by Bill Post on April 14, 2016 - 1:24 PM
Yes , I know that I said this before but if you notice there are supposed to be a total 4 “Snorkel Squads” on order which includes one for O”Hare Field. Since they recently rebuilt O”Hare’s Heavy Duty Pierce, it really makes more sense for them to get the Snorkel Squad for O”Hare repainted in traditional CFD colors and put in service on the far south side where it will (including the Snorkel) be put to more frequent and better use. Squad 5 has the largest running district of the Squads and has been the busiest for a long time. They also run to the far south side ( the 21st ,22nd ,23rd and 24th Battalions) on a daily basis and have you noticed how almost every day the 22nd Battalion gets at least one or more working fires? It only makes sense to put that 4th Snorkel Squad where it will best be used and help cover the city. A few days ago there was even an industrial entrapment only about 2 blocks west of Engine 104 and Truck 61’s quarters. At the very least Squad 5 should probably be moved further south. If you recall they originally were put in serivce in October 1983 at Engine 122’s quarters which better covers the far south side of Chicago.However I know that it probably won’t happen even though it could be used on the far south side in what was until recently the 6th district before the districts were redrawn last summer.
#3 by harry on April 13, 2016 - 9:27 PM
also I heard from the guys at ohare there new sqds should be in in October 2016 then in service a couple months later
#4 by Marty Coyne on April 13, 2016 - 8:42 PM
Also interesting that the Squad 7a chassis had a somewhat different design for the boom base. I wonder if they’re doing something different for the airport
#5 by Brian on April 13, 2016 - 3:41 PM
Mike MC, there are 3 here so assuming squads 1,2 and 5. Interesting to see that the squad 7a chassis not in this photo but the chassis was seen in an earlier post.
#6 by Paul on April 13, 2016 - 2:41 PM
I would guess that since Smeal has the rights to Snorkel, which is a proven design, it would build quicker than Rosenbauer that had to design their own version without running into patent issues. Just a guess, would hope that successive trucks off of the line would get quicker. We have a Rosenbauer 79′ ladder that had a quick build. Had a good experience with the process and the product that we now have two engines nearing completion. Found it interesting that when we were checking on the progress of our engines, I saw these chassis and when I asked about them no one there would admit that they were going to have a snorkel type aerial on them. They told me that they were going to be telesquirt straight sticks. Ha
#7 by Mike Mc on April 13, 2016 - 1:35 PM
They are black and red, so would it be safe to assume they are going to Squads 1 and 5?
#8 by Brian on April 13, 2016 - 8:36 AM
Department size has ZERO to do with build time! The Frankfort snorkel has a pump and tank which would seem to take “longer” than a straight boom with body.
#9 by Bill C. on April 12, 2016 - 10:47 PM
Harry, I dont understand what the size of the Frankfort Fire Protection District has to do with the BUILD TIME of a Snorkel THAT WILL BE SHOWN at FDIC2016 . Ladder Tower Company ( SMEAL ) IS already working on a 2nd Snorkel Order according to their distributors. AGAIN , what does the Size of the agency have to do with the BUILD TIME ??
#10 by harry on April 13, 2016 - 9:24 PM
well it takes them longer to write specications big depts. tend to change their minds more than a smaller dept well think about it Frankfort ordered the snorkel not long ago and it is almost there but Chicago ordered the squads at least sqd 7 almost 2 years ago so what does that tell u for instance the town I live in near Chicago we ordered 2 new engines back in 2012 and got them in 13 only took about 6 months to build 2 but take a bigger city or town it always takes a long time
#11 by harry on April 12, 2016 - 10:11 PM
thy are looking good and as for the comment above saying smealbuilt one in 5 months but don’t forget it is for Frankfort that is a tiny town compared to the city of Chicago
#12 by Danny on April 12, 2016 - 8:19 PM
Well 3 years almost to this point so probably 18 more months lol
#13 by Adam on April 12, 2016 - 7:13 PM
I heard it was held up due to NFPA regulations there has to be a continuous ladder for egress.
#14 by Scott on April 13, 2016 - 9:05 PM
For a snorkel apparatus have not heard of such standard re: “Continous ladder for eggress”. Also, they are just recommendations and guidelines for apparatus. Without starting an entire NFPA debate about “accepted standards”, anyone town/city can sign off and waive a recommendation. It is done everyday.
#15 by Jacob on April 12, 2016 - 5:48 PM
why would the city refuse these on delivery? shouldn’t they be happy that they are finally getting built since the squads are in such bad shape.
#16 by Josh on April 12, 2016 - 8:51 AM
I’m surprised they look like Snorkels…I thought they were going to look like a T-Rex Boom. I’m glad they are building them finally and are making some headway because the current squads are beat up bad. It’ll be interesting to see the final product. If you read it, Rosenbauer is calling these the ACP55′. A whole new design and rig from them
#17 by Jim on April 12, 2016 - 8:25 AM
Crabby Milton, they’re supposed to be on Rosenbauer Commander chassis…..
#18 by Marty Coyne on April 12, 2016 - 8:15 AM
There was a long delay in the city signing off on the contract then a long legal delay as the city tried to get out of it. I don’t believe it was settled and Rosenbauer got the final go ahead till the second half of last year. That explains much of the delay.
#19 by Mike on April 12, 2016 - 7:41 AM
They will probably be done sometime in 2017. I still think the city is going to refuse them on delivery. It’s sad that they’ve had this order for years and this is how far they have gotten when Smeal has already built 1 unit and in almost 5 months has it complete.
#20 by Crabby Milton on April 12, 2016 - 6:44 AM
Forgive me if I missed something. Are these being built on the COMMANDER chassis or SPARTAN?
#21 by Bill Post on April 12, 2016 - 5:55 AM
David the Mack MB rig for SS1 was a 2 door Cab rig like you said and the International Harvester rigs which technically speaking were 1955 International Cabs that were retrofitted with Erhlinder bodies around 1962 were also 2 door cabs. Snorkel Squad 3’s rig which was the 1958 GMC/Pitman Original Snorkel 1 only had some modifications done to it such as to get rid of the large roof awning which it had while it was assigned to Snorkel One and some cabinets were added for the Squad equipment however it was still basically the same body without running boards on the rear. The Erhlinder bodies for Snorkel Squads 1 and 2 were totally new bodies that were remounted on the 1955 cab and chassis which were originally delivered as 2 of 5 International Harvester “High Pressure” hose wagons.
#22 by David on April 12, 2016 - 2:07 AM
Interesting to see the two door cab on the Squads again, I think the last purpose built Snkl Squad rig with this style cab was the 1967 Mack MB. Also this would be historically another different make between the numerous CFD snorkels – there was the original Pitman, Hi-Ranger, Snorkel and now Rosenbauer.
#23 by Michael M on April 11, 2016 - 9:54 PM
When are they expected to be done?
#24 by Michael M on April 11, 2016 - 9:53 PM
It will be interesting to see how they turn out! More importantly do they work or does the city have serious problems with them? It is sad that American LaFrance did not sell snorkel sooner!
#25 by Bill Post on April 11, 2016 - 9:36 PM
So finally, they decided to send us some evidence.