FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies - 2nd Section
- Thread starter mack
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When was R1 in with 55 engine?
R1 used to be Downtown. The moved to Midtown in 1960 at Engine 65. They move to Engine 2's old quarters in 1973 which was destroyed by a collapsed building fire next door. Their current firehouse was rebuilt at that location.
R1 was not located with Engine 55 but were close-by at the magnificent old firehouse on Lafayette St, still worth a visit to see.
John. They had Water Tower 1 located wth them. The firehouse on Lafayette St usually had multiple units because of its size and location in a busy fire district. Engine 20, Engine 32, Battalion 3, Water Tower 1, Div 1, Div 2, probably a few other companies, were assigned there. It seemed to be a good home for Rescue 1 for a long time.
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Coal. They could operate for lengthy periods of time resupplying their firebox with coal to burn. I believe they fired up their steamer leaving quarters on a run so they could pump at a fire location but I don't know how long before additional fuel would be addedto continue pumping.
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Excellent documentary on the Bellflower job. Thank you for making all these videos available.
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That's what I thought but in the video it showed 55 pulling out of quarters in front of the rescue rig. Unless 55 was a temporary stay at another house.
Hope our Boston Sparks brother had a good Thanksgiving, Grump. BFD finally has a new firehouse for R2 and E 42. A long time with mayors who put BFD last.
Good question with a lot of possible answere. Interesting to see tandem parking of rigs on apparatus floor. Engine in front of Rescue.
R.1 moved from 278 Spring St. to 243 Lafayette St. on Jan 1, 1947. This was the former qtrs. of E.20 which had just been disbanded. They moved to 33 W. 43 St., with E.65 on May 1, 1960. On Feb. 1, 1973 they moved to 530 W. 43 St. the former qtrs. of E.2 which had been recently disbanded. R.1 in their history has replaced two former engine firehouses.
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On Carlton Ave it was a single bay FH so 210 & R*2 were parked one in front of the other.....many years ago the Rescue would always park in the front half as the Rescue would respond together with 210 on their local street boxes but when I went there in 1977 it was generally whoever got back to Qtrs first was in the back as 210 often responded on ERS No Contact by themselves so always having the Rescue in front would require moving it out for them ....it was hit or miss whoever was in what position .....when I drove I did like being in the front though.
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Specifically, it was cannel coal, an easily ignitable, hot burning coal. Steamers had a fuel box as the rear step, in front of the firebox. If you have ever seen a fire engine steamer pumping or a steam railroad engine pulling up hill, you will see the fireman shoveling coal like crazy.
Note that the original crew of steam engines was Engineer and Fireman. The Engineer operated the boiler and the Fireman fed the fire. Only in the fire department did the title Fireman have two opposite job functions - keeping the fire burning in the boiler or extinguishing fires outside of the boiler.
In the firehouse, the boiler was prepped with cannel coal and kindling, ready to be lit before leaving to respond. The boiler water was kept warm by a quick connect to the firehouse boiler. There was enough fuel in the fuel box to start operations.
Fuel wagons responded to all fires. In some photos, you may see a pile of coal behind the steamer, that was dropped off by the fuel wagon. In Manhattan alone, there were as many as 28 Fuel Depots, alone or with fire companies. There were up to 35 Fuel Wagon companies that responded from the depots.
The Hostler (Driver, ECC today) would unhitch the horses and lead them away from the noise and excitement of the fireground and bring them to to a nearby firehouse or tie them off, covering them with blankets while they waited.
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243 Lafayette Street, at different times had:
Engine 13, Engine 20, Rescue 1, Squad 8, Squad 22, Division 1, Division 2, Battalion 3, Air Compressor 1, Tank Wagon 1, and Searchlight Engine 1
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Close up, the 55 could easily be 65, considering the angle of the shot and the film clarity. Or the shot was staged.