Crimson Fire Apparatus is one of several manufacturers that posts photos of units in production so that interested parties can see the progress of particular units being built. Their website lists Naperville and Chicago as having units being built which can be viewed in production.

Click HERE for the status of the new Naperville engine (slated for Engine 4 to replace the last remaining Freightliner in frontline service) – Spartan Gladiator chassis 1500/750

Click HERE to see the status of a new engine for Chicago – Spartan Gladiator 1500/500

Click HERE to see the status of the first Chicago 103′ rear mount Crimson aerial – Spartan Gladiator 103′ RM 0/0

As a side note, it appears that Crimson will have to accomplish quite a bit to get one of the new Chicago aerials to display at the International FIre Chief’s show in Chicago this August (FRI).

For those who never saw the Crimson press release in March about the Chicago aerials:

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Brandon, S.D., March 31, 2010 – Crimson Fire, Inc. has signed a three-year contract with the city of Chicago to build more than 30 custom aerial fire trucks.

The Brandon, S.D.-based manufacturer of custom fire trucks and other rescue vehicles has begun designing and building five 103-foot rear-mount aerial trucks for the Windy City. Chicago, which also has a three-year contract with Crimson Fire to provide custom pumpers, could purchase as many as 30 aerial units over the life of the contract.

Equipment Management Co., the Crimson Fire dealership serving Illinois, secured the aerial contract for Chicago and will sell and service the apparatus. EMC, which also has operations in Arizona, joined the growing family of Crimson Fire dealers in July 2009.

“Chicago is a long-standing Crimson Fire customer, and we are honored to provide its firefighters with our custom aerials,” said Jim Salmi, president of Crimson Fire Aerials. “The city faces some unique emergency-rescue challenges, particularly with overall height restrictions and maneuvering through older neighborhoods. The Crimson Fire aerial enhances maneuverability in urban settings and delivers rugged, dependable performance with each run.”

The 103-foot rear-mount aerials, the longest available in the Crimson Fire product suite, will be built on a Spartan Gladiator® cab and chassis. The aerial will feature a low-profile design with an overall travel height of 11 feet, making it more maneuverable in the city. An aluminum body and the unique tubular design enable Crimson Fire to build the strongest and most durable trucks on the market.

The new Crimson Fire aerials also feature the industry’s only “greaseless” ladder through the patented roller assembly system, X-style outriggers and a ladder lift cradle that provides enhanced range of operation.

About Crimson Fire – Crimson Fire is a leading manufacturer of custom fire trucks and other rescue vehicles. A subsidiary of Spartan Motors, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAR), Crimson Fire is committed to quality, value and innovation. Drawing on more than 130 years of excellence in fire truck manufacturing, Crimson Fire manufactures a full line of pumpers, rescues, aerials, quick-attack vehicles and other emergency-rescue vehicles from its facilities in Pennsylvania and South Dakota.

Tags: Chicago, Crimson, FRI, Gladiator, in production, International Fire Chiefs, Spartan