Random Old TL Question

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I picked up these off ebay

What was the reason that some older TLs had the jack on the bumper

FB2AF6F0-0692-4C79-B2CE-BCE383CF1327.jpeg
 

RCL

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Different design idea I think. When I compare the 100' Sutphen that was demoed for us just before I left, to a Seagrave 95 that FDNY runs, they have 2 outriggers, similar to what FDNY has, but 2 jacks that push down on the front springs instead of going to the ground, like the FDNYs, and the backs go to the ground but under the truck and behind the rear tandems instead of outside of the frame. Im sure theres a few other design ideas from different makers out there.
 

RCL

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The other thing I noticed is that the trucks with the single front jacks are FWD/Saulsbury/Baker, so it could be something that FWD came up with. Looking to see if the 95s had it also or just the 75s.
 
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RCL

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Your Welcome. I could be wrong but thats my guess. Looking at Mike Martinellis page, there only seems to be a handful of them, and there all 75s, and all from roughly 90 to 97ish. And all FWD. ( which is/was owned by Seagrave or the other way around)
 
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From what l read, the single were a flop, they caused the windshields to come loose or something because the cab twisted a bit or something. Someone here will be able to provide thorough details l'm sure.
 

RCL

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I wouldnt be a bit surprised if they did, and didnt tweek the frames, when they were set up on uneven ground. Just looking at it, I can see where it would cause issues. I think it was 79s picture I was looking at and there was at least 2 different styles of bumpers. 1 with the 45 corners and the other with an extended square bumper, which is similar to the standard 95 bumper. Wonder if they tried to beef something up by changing the bumper around
 
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I would venture a guess that it was a selling feature that having one in the middle instead of 2 on the corners, could allow for an angled bumper and more maneuverability on tight/crowded NYC streets
 
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definitely wasn’t during the 97 model years ( had some time in a 97 😉)...that might have been the year they went back to two jacks on the front. If I recall ,the seating was different too …all four member in the back road facing backwards. Very tight quarts back there. The cab was smaller. Definitely was a issue with the front windshield cracking and or popping out as the rig was twisting. Also with just one front jack the LCC has to be aware of manhole cover …didn’t want to lower the single front jack on a manhole , subway grate or electrical box.…way to much weight.

Drove a few on details.…shorter wheelbase and the mitered corners made for tighter turning radius. They used that same cab on the engines for a few years too. Shorter wheelbase but absolutely no room in the back of the rig for the Brothers.
 
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RCL

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definitely wasn’t during the 97 model years ( had some time in a 97 😉)...that might have been the year they went back to two jacks on the front. If recall ,the seating was different too …all four member in the back road facing backwards. Very tight quarts back there. The cab was smaller. Definitely was a issue with the front windshield cracking and or popping out as the rig was twisting. Also with just one front jack the LCC has to be aware of manhole cover …didn’t want to lower the single front jack on a manhole , subway grate or electrical box. way to much weight.

Drove a few on details.…shorter wheelbase and the mitered corners made for tighter turns. They used that same cab on the engines for a few years too. Shorter wheelbase but absolutely no room in the back of the rig for the Brothers.
I went back an looked again. Only ones I could find were 94s and 95s. I saw enough years probably got confused after a while.
 
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Posted on this site by "R1SmokeEater" are photos of several FDNY Tower Ladders, as well as other FDNY apparatus starting with page 2, and onto pages 3, 4, and 5, which includes several various Tower Ladders over the years that the FDNY had in service.
Page 6 also includes other apparatus of the FDNY within this link below.

You can also go to the photos posted on this site in the "Apparatus Section", the topic, "FDNY Rigs (Bill D's photos)", posted July 15, 2011, reply # 2.

"R1SmokeEater" did a GREAT JOB posting them, and THANKFULLY these photos have been preserved on this website.

Although this link is the correct link, when I re-posted it here, it didn't seem to work for me.

www.flickr.com/photo's/64984462@N06/page2
 
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RCL

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According to FAJs TLs of the FDNY, 12 1994 FWD/Saulsbury/Bakers, 6 1995, and 1 1996. All were single front jacks.
I forgot about FAJ. I was going thru each Boro, and every truck looking. He has each rig captioned with size, year, maker etc. Didnt get to the Bronx. Yes I was that bored at work. As far as I could tell, and I'm guessing I'm in agreement with FAJ, in that those 19 rigs were the only FWDs ever purchased. There were some other 1 off rigs, like the ALF Towers but nonetheless FWDs I could find
 
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As far as I could tell, and I'm guessing I'm in agreement with FAJ, in that those 19 rigs were the only FWDs ever purchased. There were some other 1 off rigs, like the ALF Towers but nonetheless FWDs I could find
Not quite. In the '20s and '30s, FDNY had a fair number of FWDs pulling tillers. There may have been other FWD non-fire apparatus trucks serving FDNY over the years.


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The picture in reply # 14 above looks like 121 backing into the Qtrs they in the past shared with 266 & 267 & BN*47 ....the bldg to the left is the NYPD 100 Precint.
 

BCR

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I was told the single jack towers all originally came with the straight bumper. They were catching a lot of things backing up and modified them to the angled bumpers
 
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I was told the single jack towers all originally came with the straight bumper. They were catching a lot of things backing up and modified them to the angled bumpers
l know l heard something similar. Yet all the photos in the Fire Apparatus Journal FDNY Tower Ladders book show the angled bumpers, of course there's only one representing each year, 94, 95, 96, so l'm not sure what was what.
 

RCL

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l know l heard something similar. Yet all the photos in the Fire Apparatus Journal FDNY Tower Ladders book show the angled bumpers, of course there's only one representing each year, 94, 95, 96, so l'm not sure what was what.
Go to Mike Martinellis page. FDNYtrucks.com. He has several pictures of just about every FDNY unit, from the current back 1 or 2 previous rigs with the stats for the rig. Look at TL 79, under the Staten Island page and I forget the others but it shows some of the 1 jack towers with a straight bumper, and another with the angle.
 
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