New Tillers

[johnd248]

I believe New Haven FD in CT has a few TDAs; not sure how many.

 

[mikeindabronx]

I sure agree Johnny. A great photo (as so many of Mike's Classic photos are).

In that photo is of course Ladder 59.

Also I can see what looks like Field Comm in the distant right, and those solid, tough Mack Pumpers and Tower Ladders that performed overwhelming well beyond any limits, during those Tough, Busy, FDNY War Years.

As a side note, some places like Providence, RI and Chelsea, Mass put them back to work into some of their busiest companies after some rehab work.

Regarding Ladder 27, I started hanging out around that firehouse in the early 1970s and at that time, Ladder 27 was already a Rear mount.

I guess when a young "Johnny Gage" was only One Year Old, it was around that time that a young, handsome, slim, merry mailman, named Willy D was one of the many buffs hanging out on that very famous Intervale Ave chasing fire trucks. As that handsome Merry Mailman remembers, then (1972-73) Ladder 31 was already a Mack Tower Ladder.

It was either 46/27 or 82/31 where the buff mobile spent most of it's time during those busy fire activity days.

Under the Cross BX Distressway across from 46/27 was a great place to hang out

 

[scoobyd]

L 59 was not a tiller when they moved in 1978. They had one for a period in the 80's then back to RM. When they did go back, L 39 took on the motto- "Busiest Tiller in the Bronx".

 

[nfd2004]

I believe New Haven FD in CT has a few TDAs; not sure how many.

That's True John.

In Connecticut also Norwalk and Meriden.

 

[Lebby]

That's True John.

In Connecticut also Norwalk and Meriden.

New London

 

[Bulldog]

The Town of Cary Fire Dept (North Carolina) where i reside , has replaced two of three Pierce Dash Platforms with Pierce Enforcer 107' TDA.
Two reasons were given for the switch, Cost and that its easier to get into narrow streets. A third TDA is on order.
Pictures at this link. https://legeros.com/blog/factory-photos-of-carys-tillers/

Sounds like you have a chief or other person in power that likes TLs and is pushing them. That seems to be the only place in the nation adding additional tillers. I know many places are keeping them but I don't love any other ones that are adding additional ones. Of course LA has quite a few of them, I know some of them are Pierce not sure who any of the other suppliers of them is, I wonder why there supplier doesn't bid for FDNY? I know everybody complains about the warranty etc. for FDNY but like LA would probably have something similar.

 

[CFDMarshal]

The FDNY spec is unique and complicated for many manufacturers to fulfill. The production requirement alone are daunting.

 

[Bulldog]

The FDNY spec is unique and complicated for many manufacturers to fulfill. The production requirement alone are daunting.

I know that most fire department have pretty strict specifications etc., what in the FDNY ones make them unique? It would seem like all the major department searches FDNY, FDLA, Chicago, Atlanta etc. would all have about the same degree of strict terms in their contract.

 

[CFDMarshal]

I know that most fire department have pretty strict specifications etc., what in the FDNY ones make them unique? It would seem like all the major department searches FDNY, FDLA, Chicago, Atlanta etc. would all have about the same degree of strict terms in their contract.

Some one local with FDNY can probably speak better to this but in the past it went beyond simply building the rig. It also included required spare parts like bumpers, cab doors, compartment doors, etc. My source came from speaking to reps of manufacturers while I was bidding and building apparatus for my department.

 

[Lebby]

I believe they also require a local service center which knocks a few manufacturers out

 

[Bulldog]

Some one local with FDNY can probably speak better to this but in the past it went beyond simply building the rig. It also included required spare parts like bumpers, cab doors, compartment doors, etc. My source came from speaking to reps of manufacturers while I was bidding and building apparatus for my department.

Thanks for the information, I understand how some of those items could exclude some manufacturers, especially the spare parts considering something for the FDNY are custom that used for other apparatus.

Obviously, the service in a requirement doesn't exist and wouldn't be practical for small orders (like the small quantity of tillers) but would be practical for engines and remounts.

Along the same lines is there any other type of TL that meets the FDNY bid requirements?

 

[baileyjeff]

Wasn't Ladder 84 a tower ladder for a while?

Yes

 

[FDNYSTATENISLAND]

Yes

When L84 was a TL, the entire southern half of SI were TLs (76, 87, 84, 85) with the exception of 82 which is a RM. I wonder if the move to make 84 a RM had something to do with that, add another RM to the south shore? Think TL84 was at 9/11 then they switched some time after?

 

[jtsjc1]

I could be wrong but I think at some point in the 70s L82 was a tiller. I didn't live far from 162/82 and I'm sure I remember they had an ALF tiller at some point.

 

[EdMc]

Agreed looks that way. I couldn't even find pictures of them (I was trying to double check as your memory is as we've seen is sharp as a tack and I figured I may have missed something or misread).

It may have been somethng to do with getting a rig into 39 Truck old quarters if you didn't have a tiller rig. Remember the sides of the building where not square to the front and almost impossible with as rear mount. Also getting around in Woodlawn they might have wanted backups

 

[AYoung]

Sounds like you have a chief or other person in power that likes TLs and is pushing them. That seems to be the only place in the nation adding additional tillers. I know many places are keeping them but I don't love any other ones that are adding additional ones.

Columbus Ohio is adding companies. They only run TDA’s and TL’s, so it goes back and forth between adding either or, but I see what you’re saying about others adding. They run Pierce for their TDA’s and Sutphen for everything else.

 

[Signal73]

I believe New Haven FD in CT has a few TDAs; not sure how many.

Truck 2 & Truck 4

 

[columbusfire]

True about Columbus, Ohio. Cut my teeth on a Simon-Duplex /LTI, 110 ft tiller there. Ladder-1, AKA ''TOP GUN''.

 

[mack]

Wasn't Ladder 84 a tower ladder for a while?

Yes - Ladder 84 was a TL.




TL 76 and TL 87 were adjacent to TL 84 - 3 TLs located side-by-side were Tower Ladders. TL 84 then received a 2001 Seagrave Rearmount in 2005.

 

[Len90]

When L84 was a TL, the entire southern half of SI were TLs (76, 87, 84, 85) with the exception of 82 which is a RM. I wonder if the move to make 84 a RM had something to do with that, add another RM to the south shore? Think TL84 was at 9/11 then they switched some time after?

Jogging my memory so some things might not be 100% correct on this:
TL84 became L84 around 2005. TL84s last truck was a 2003 Seagrave Arielscope 75' and went to TL85. TL85 known as Monster Truck as they are the 95' tower on Staten Island were for a time period downsized to a 75' ladder because their 2002 95' had a lot of issues with the chassis placing them in 1994 75' spares for prolonged periods of time. At that time I don't think the department really had any 95' spares. The 95' arielscope ultimately became BOT but later would serve at ladder 12 in Manhattan sometime in 2008/9 after their 1999 95' got damaged somehow. Ladder 84 received a 2001 Seagrave 100' rearmount in 2005 which was ex-BOT which they ran until 2012 when they got their current rig: 2012 Ferrara 100' rearmount. Ladder 85 ran Ladder 84's 2003 75' arielscope until it was replaced in 2014 by a 2014 75' Arielscope which was immediately replaced by a 2014 Seagrave 95' arielscope once again bearing the Monster Truck titles and is once again the only 95' arielscope on Staten Island.

I believe TL85 was at 9/11 operating with their 1991 Mack 95'. I still remember that truck and is still one of my all time favorite looking rigs.