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Mt. Horeb:
http://www.fdmh.org/id4.html
Kentland MD:
http://www.kentland33.com/appartus/index/page_id/95
http://www.fdmh.org/id4.html
Kentland MD:
http://www.kentland33.com/appartus/index/page_id/95
Fire Apparatus Colors
- Thread starter firebuffkevin
- Start date
This is the full original text by Jack Lerch on FDNY apparatus colors carried in the Washington Post article of March 10 cited in reply #41.
"The first lime yellow unit in the FDNY was a 1979 WeldBuilt Wrecker on a GMC chassis, however that unit was used for towing damaged apparatus and was not used for firefighting purposes
"In 1980, American La France, at that time a major manufacturer of fire apparatus was the low bidder on a contract to build and deliver eighty 1000 gpm pumpers to the FDNY. These were of their Century model, equipped with fully enclosed four door cabs. They were the first American La France pumpers for the FDNY since 1947, with most of the then FDNY fleet consisting of Mack fire apparatus. The first of the eighty new pumpers were delivered in January of 1981. Of these, seventy-nine were painted red. The last one, assigned to Engine Company 65 located at 33 West 43rd Street in midtown Manhattan, was painted lime yellow, sometimes incorrecly called lime green. This was an experimental color favored by several career and volunteer fire departments within the USA. Enthusiam for this color, especially coming from a so-called vision and optical authority claimed better recognition of an emergency vehicle, etc.
"Opponents correctly stated that when the usual adult, or even a young child, when asked to describe a "fire engine", would state that it was a big RED truck. Most people had never seen a lime yellow fire engine in NYC and did not know what it was until they heard the siren and saw flashing red lights.
"The experiment continued with an order for ten 1981 Mack CF model 1000 gpm pumpers with delivery starting in May of 1982. They were originally assigned to Engine Companies 10 and 58 in Manhattan, Engine Companies 41, 42, 45, 46, 85 and 94 in The Bronx and Engine Companies 236 and 277 in Brooklyn. The experiment proved negative, as far as emergency vehicle recognition was involved and it was decided to no longer order any further pumpers in this controversial color. The 1980 American La France pumper served as Engine 65 only from July 21, 1981 until June 25, 1984 when it was replaced by a RED 1983 Mack 1000 gpm high-pressure pumper. The ten 1981 Mack pumpers served a normal length of service, however three of the ten were later repainted in a white over red color.
"During the transition period from horse drawn to early motorized fire apparatus in the FDNY, the gasoline powered and earlier steam powered pumpers were painted red, while the hose wagons, ladder trucks and water towers were all painted white. Beginning in mid 1915, all FDNY fire apparatus were painted red, with a few of the former white rigs remaining in that color until disposal. With the exception of the few lime yellow rigs described. FDNY fire fighting apparatus remained all red until 1984, when the current white over red color scheme was adopted. The red variation has changed slightly over the years and has been known as Chinese Red, FDNY Red, FD Red, NYFD Red, etc. Specifications for current pumpers and ladder trucks under construction call for DuPont, or similar B8241 Red and DuPont, or similar W8430 white."
"The first lime yellow unit in the FDNY was a 1979 WeldBuilt Wrecker on a GMC chassis, however that unit was used for towing damaged apparatus and was not used for firefighting purposes
"In 1980, American La France, at that time a major manufacturer of fire apparatus was the low bidder on a contract to build and deliver eighty 1000 gpm pumpers to the FDNY. These were of their Century model, equipped with fully enclosed four door cabs. They were the first American La France pumpers for the FDNY since 1947, with most of the then FDNY fleet consisting of Mack fire apparatus. The first of the eighty new pumpers were delivered in January of 1981. Of these, seventy-nine were painted red. The last one, assigned to Engine Company 65 located at 33 West 43rd Street in midtown Manhattan, was painted lime yellow, sometimes incorrecly called lime green. This was an experimental color favored by several career and volunteer fire departments within the USA. Enthusiam for this color, especially coming from a so-called vision and optical authority claimed better recognition of an emergency vehicle, etc.
"Opponents correctly stated that when the usual adult, or even a young child, when asked to describe a "fire engine", would state that it was a big RED truck. Most people had never seen a lime yellow fire engine in NYC and did not know what it was until they heard the siren and saw flashing red lights.
"The experiment continued with an order for ten 1981 Mack CF model 1000 gpm pumpers with delivery starting in May of 1982. They were originally assigned to Engine Companies 10 and 58 in Manhattan, Engine Companies 41, 42, 45, 46, 85 and 94 in The Bronx and Engine Companies 236 and 277 in Brooklyn. The experiment proved negative, as far as emergency vehicle recognition was involved and it was decided to no longer order any further pumpers in this controversial color. The 1980 American La France pumper served as Engine 65 only from July 21, 1981 until June 25, 1984 when it was replaced by a RED 1983 Mack 1000 gpm high-pressure pumper. The ten 1981 Mack pumpers served a normal length of service, however three of the ten were later repainted in a white over red color.
"During the transition period from horse drawn to early motorized fire apparatus in the FDNY, the gasoline powered and earlier steam powered pumpers were painted red, while the hose wagons, ladder trucks and water towers were all painted white. Beginning in mid 1915, all FDNY fire apparatus were painted red, with a few of the former white rigs remaining in that color until disposal. With the exception of the few lime yellow rigs described. FDNY fire fighting apparatus remained all red until 1984, when the current white over red color scheme was adopted. The red variation has changed slightly over the years and has been known as Chinese Red, FDNY Red, FD Red, NYFD Red, etc. Specifications for current pumpers and ladder trucks under construction call for DuPont, or similar B8241 Red and DuPont, or similar W8430 white."
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According to "Wheels of the Bravest" TCU 732 was an ALF demo rig. May explain the color change. Just being GG.
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.......Thats a fact..... it was a demo that was Maroon from the manufacturer....after awhile the Job did repaint it a regular red.....it was a unique rig & it had a 4 speed (which was not unique back then) but it also had an engine brake & the big Federal mechanical siren (both were unique then).....one night the TCU Chauf got hurt & i was detailed to drive for the remainder of the tour....one thing about the engine brake was that the noise itself when it activated was like a warning signal in itself at least to pedestrians.grumpy grizzly said: