- Joined
- Aug 7, 2012
- Messages
- 61
I bought a copy of Jack Calderone's fine book titled "Mack C-Model Fire Apparatus of the NYC Fire Department".
FAJ publications have such great photos that sometimes no matter how many times you thumb through them, you can miss the text because of the pix.
Reading more about the C-series, it dawned on me that FDNY's MAck C-Series rigs truly were landmarks in many ways:
1. First engine equipped with an automatic transmission (Reg. # 1046 in 1958)
2. First rear mounts with ladders > 100' (The Mack/Magirus rear mounts were 146' long and had an "elevator")
3. First FDNY engines to use the "Rapid Water" system (Reg. #1146 @ E283 in 1962.)
4. First FDNY diesel apparatus (Reg. # 1154 @ E65 in 1962.)
5. First fleet of FDNY engines delivered with diesel engines and automatic transmissions (beginning in 1965).
6. First FDNY tower ladder (TL1, Mack/Truco 75' "Aerialscope" in 1964.)
7. First satellites for the Super Pumper in 1965.
8. Last 750 GPM engines purchased by FDNY.
9. First FDNY towers equipped with external waterways (in 1969.)
I grew up in Queens in the 1960's, and I don't ever remember seeing any C-rigs assigned to my 2 local houses (E315/L125 and E299/L152).
Nevertheless, many of the important FDNY innovations that helped make the later Mack CF-Series rigs so valuable during "The War Years" actually were proven in the C-rigs.
FAJ publications have such great photos that sometimes no matter how many times you thumb through them, you can miss the text because of the pix.
Reading more about the C-series, it dawned on me that FDNY's MAck C-Series rigs truly were landmarks in many ways:
1. First engine equipped with an automatic transmission (Reg. # 1046 in 1958)
2. First rear mounts with ladders > 100' (The Mack/Magirus rear mounts were 146' long and had an "elevator")
3. First FDNY engines to use the "Rapid Water" system (Reg. #1146 @ E283 in 1962.)
4. First FDNY diesel apparatus (Reg. # 1154 @ E65 in 1962.)
5. First fleet of FDNY engines delivered with diesel engines and automatic transmissions (beginning in 1965).
6. First FDNY tower ladder (TL1, Mack/Truco 75' "Aerialscope" in 1964.)
7. First satellites for the Super Pumper in 1965.
8. Last 750 GPM engines purchased by FDNY.
9. First FDNY towers equipped with external waterways (in 1969.)
I grew up in Queens in the 1960's, and I don't ever remember seeing any C-rigs assigned to my 2 local houses (E315/L125 and E299/L152).
Nevertheless, many of the important FDNY innovations that helped make the later Mack CF-Series rigs so valuable during "The War Years" actually were proven in the C-rigs.
