This from Wayne Stuart for #TBT:
The Gary Fire Department operated this 1947 American LaFrance Series 700 pumper with a 1,250-GPM pump and a 150-gallon tank. It carried ALF serial #9063. It was assigned to Engine Company 2 and Engine Company 5.
wayne stuart collection cc
The Gary Fire Department operated this 1947 American LaFrance Series 700 pumper with a 1,250-GPM pump and a 150-gallon tank. It carried ALF serial #9063. It was assigned to Engine Company 2 and Engine Company 5.
wayne stuart collection
#1 by matt on September 12, 2019 - 11:43 AM
The right side pump panels date back to when many fire apparatus were built with the steering wheel on the right side of the vehicle. Thus the pump controls were next to the driver. The standardization of the steering on the left for trucks and fire equipment took time to develop and it maybe the late 20’s when that occurred which led to more pump panels being on the left side of the vehicle. The 800 Series ALF pumpers were the first to have the left side as standard but the right side was still available as an option.
Many felt that the right side was safer as it put the operator on the curb, out of the street and closer to the hydrant.
#2 by CrabbyMilton on September 12, 2019 - 11:26 AM
The ALF 700 had that as standard until it was replaced with the 800 in 1956. I would imagine that you could have ordered a 700 with the panel on the left side but who knows?
I have no idea why they did it that way but that’s one of the things that made ALF unique.
#3 by John Antkowski on September 12, 2019 - 10:20 AM
What year did American LaFrance move the pump panel from the right side to the left? Was it always an option? John