This from Mike Summa:
Hello,This is a 1978 Mack 1250/500. Very plain by today’s standards. Correct me if I’m wrong on any of the specs. Enjoy!Thank you,Mike S.
Oak Lawn Engine 25 – 1978 Mack 1250/500. Mike Summa photo
More from the chicagoareafire.com archives:
Photos from Larry Shapiro:
Oak Lawn Engine 26 – 1977 Mack CF 1250/500. Larry Shapiro photo
Oak Lawn Engine 30 – 1977 Mack CF 1250/500. Larry Shapiro photo
#1 by Bill Post on April 29, 2016 - 5:29 PM
There is no question that the Mack CF engines and trucks were popular as well as sharp looking. It’s a shame that Chicago only bought one pumper on a CF chassis while with trucks Chicago did a little better with six. I really wonder why Chicago never purchased more apparatus on CF chassis however I would guess that it would have been because of the cost. Ironically during the same time (the late 60’s through the late 80’s) the New York City Fire Department was almost exclusively purchasing Mack CF engines. Chicago’s Mack CF trucks were assigned to some of the busiest companies at the time such as Truck 15 (which for many years was the busiest truck in the city) and Truck 22 which was the busiest truck on the north side during the late 60’s through most of the 70’s. Apparently they stood up well to the wear tear. During that same time, the CFD was purchasing Ward LaFrance, American LaFrance and other brands built on Ford C chassis. I can’t help but wonder if Mack had bid on those contracts but lost to the other apparatus builders or if they just didn’t bid at all? Something tells me that the other builders gave Chicago a better price but it is only speculation on my part.
Engine 35’s 1972 Mack CF was a unique rig at the time and was the only engine with a built-in deluge gun, well before Chicago had begun retrofitting and ordering built-in deluge guns during the 1980’s. Too bad that was the only CF engine Chicago ever ordered.
#2 by Tom on April 29, 2016 - 1:27 PM
North Riverside had 2 or 3, still has 1 or 2. 1 was at the central steel fire in Cicero a few years ago
#3 by MABAS 21 on April 29, 2016 - 12:28 PM
Also Round Lake, Mundelein and Lake Villa.
#4 by MABAS 21 on April 29, 2016 - 12:18 PM
Heres some additional ones I thought of: Pleasantview had 2 CF engines, one of which becoming a hose wagon, Posen 2 engines, Melrose Park 2 engines, Kankakee had a few engines and CF/Pirsch RM quint, River Forest CF/Pirsch RM quint, Rockford had 3 CF/Pirsch RM quints, and Grove Village had 2 engines and a CF/Pirsch tiller.
#5 by B Murphy on April 28, 2016 - 11:37 PM
Regarding the Elmhurst rigs: Truck 1 was a 1977 Mack/Pirsch 100′ rear mount with rescue-type body and compartments, and Truck 2 was an identical 1982 unit with a Cinci cab. However, as far as I can remember (6th grade was a long time ago) when it was delivered in early ’77 Engine 1 was 100% Mack.
I also remember Mack CF engines serving with such DPC departments as Lombard and Naperville, and possibly Bensenville and Itasca. I’m sure someone will post a list…
A Mack CF was one of the first engines I ever pumped and pulled a line off of. Good memories.
#6 by Kirk on April 28, 2016 - 10:56 AM
how about some history on the old Seagrave (with skylights) and the Oshkosh/Howe ?
#7 by Matt on April 27, 2016 - 7:43 PM
Yes, the Oak Lawn Macks served well into the late 1990’s with two into the early 2000’s but they were extensively refurbed and had the jumpseats enclosed.
Most 1970’s Macks were refurbed as the bodies were made from bad steel which was prone to rust issues
#8 by FFPM571 on April 26, 2016 - 6:30 PM
Elmhurst only had one CF Pirsch 100ft truck. The other was a Pirsch with the Cincinnati style cab
#9 by grumpy grizzly on April 26, 2016 - 11:18 AM
In DuPage County Elmhurst had a CF engine and 2 CF/Pirsch aerials, which were both re-habbed.
#10 by JV on April 26, 2016 - 9:12 AM
These rigs were still being used regularly until the early 2000’s
#11 by Crabby Milton on April 26, 2016 - 6:31 AM
Indeed. Milwaukee had several MACK C and CF apparatus. The last CF was bought in 1988 and it served well into the early ’10’s though it was converted to the High Volume unit.
Not sure what became of it.
However, while it’s true what you say about the simplistic nature of those rigs, you can almost be certain that when these MACK gems were new, there were those that said that they were no good and that rigs built 30-35 years before that were better and then keep going back further to horses. The stalwarts were pretty much silenced when diesel engines and automatic transmissions became standard. I guess you have to ask yourself if products and services were better in the old days, then why don’t they still do it? You really can’t argue with the market.
#12 by Crabby Milton on April 25, 2016 - 5:25 PM
Although I’m not much of a MACK fan, the CF and it’s predecessor the C were rather sharp and distinctive apparatus.
I guess my big hang up with MACK is that other than the C and CF, the balance of their line was modified commercial chassis. Then even with their true customs, you had to get MACK engine hence, no choice of DETROIT or CUMMINS.
#13 by MABAS 21 on April 25, 2016 - 5:10 PM
I would take any one of those beautiful workhorses over today’s mass produced junk. These Mack CFs were simple to drive, easy to pump and maintain. They were very common in the former 1st Fire District, now MABAS Division 21. Besides Oak Lawn’s, Summit had 2, Burbank 3, Chicago Ridge, North Palos, Justice, Willow Springs, and Roberts Park each had 1. North Palos had a CF 75′ Squrt, Chicago Ridge and Roberts Park each had a 100′ Pirsch RM and MM respectively.