Virginia apparatus - miscellaneous

[mnsand]

Castlewood's Unit 506 is a 1976 Chevrolet that is used to carry a variety of different equipment. Prior to its life at Castlewood, it served as a catering truck.



Mike Sanders

Ashburn, Va

[mnsand]

Final picture at Castlewood is their second station.



Yes, the equipment truck has to pull in facing forward in order to fit into the station.





That will end it for tonight. I still have a variety of other apparatus to post from SW Virginia that I think you will find interesting. Stay tuned.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, Va

[mnsand]

[quote name='maxim' post='131424' date='Jul 20 2007, 22:01 ']<img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dreurotruck.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Wrong highway. How about the Rt. 50 corridor, sell some books to the home boys and stay a littlecloser to home.[/quote]





You got it. Sorry for the confusion Maxim. Not personally selling the Loudoun book - available at some Leesburg area stores and Amazon.



Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

[quote name='firemag' post='131461' date='Jul 20 2007, 22:45 ']Mike,



You posted five rigs from Pulaski. Is that all of them, or are there more?



Jerry[/quote]





Jerry,



Two antiques that could not be moved and a equipment truck which I did not get. I was told that was everything.



Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

[quote name='firemag' post='131471' date='Jul 20 2007, 22:51 ']Mike,



I'm sure there were two, and I believe there were four of these in Henrico. They were nicknamed the "Frog" because they were thought to be ugly. Here is the only one in my collection during better days.



Jerry[/quote]





Thanks for posting that Jerry.



Mike

[Roto-Ray]

Mike, thanks a ton for those Southwest photos. As you're well aware, Jerry and I hit Atkins during our trip a while back. Atkins were some of the best photos we got, and it was one of the many stations where I was employed to drive the apparatus from the station to the photo location. The ex Rugby rig was still white, and the Sutphen wasn't even thought of, so I think I speak for both Jerry and I when I say, "thanks!"



I am glad that you got better cooperation at Pulaski than I have on both of my visits. A handful of as-is photos is all I have been able to come away with. As you pointed out, they really have a lot of rigs to shoot, and some of them can be a pain to get pulled out and positioned.



Looking forward to some more of your fine work as always! I have to go check my "Air Pak" now. :-)

[Andrew2340]

Awesome pics Mike! I always enjoy reading your threads, you make them so interesting. Thanks for another great thread, and I'm excited to see what else you've found!



Does anyone out there happen to have any more photos from Farmville, VA? I have family that lives there, and in my pre-photography days (2004) I visited up there. We drove by the FD several times, and the bays were always up. Stupid me never realized that I should have stopped & got pictures of the trucks! I remember they had a Quantum, a Freightliner, and some kind of Snorkel in the bays, and they had several rigs parked out back. Specifically, I remember a white rear-mount platform of some kind and some kind of red or white/red engine. Any pictures would be much appreciated!

[Guest]

[quote name='mnsand' post='131500' date='Jul 20 2007, 22:13 ']Two tankers operate from the main station, and I am going to need some help from our Pennsylvania members.



505 is a 1975 Chevrolet/1974 Techweld that carries 1600 gallons of water and has a small portable pump.



On the inside of the cab is a FMC sticker that was ripped and torn, and there was no serial number. It appears that this Chevrolet was once a FMC pumper. At some point, a 1974 Techweld tanker body (obviously from another truck) was added to the Chevrolet. It was later sold to Castlewood.



Now the really big clue for the Pennsylvania members - the Castlewood members think that the Pennsylvania department that they purchased this tanker from was pronounced something like "Nippennose". No, I am not joking. One member even said he had a hat at home from the Pennsylvania station that had the name on it and he could drive home to get it, but it may take awhile to find it. No kidding - now is that hospitality!! I appreciated the thought but did not have the time as I wanted to get to Norton before dark.



Any ideas on "Nippennose"? Please try and keep wise cracks to a minimum.

Mike Sanders

Ashburn, Va[/quote]

Mike, the Nippenose Valley VFC is listed as Lycoming CO.,PA. Sta.6, although a map search for the station indicates that the station is actually in Clinton Co. at 4453 Pine MT. Rd. This area looks to be a fairly isolated rural area along PA.RT.880 south of Jersey Shore and Antes Fort,PA.

Further research from Dave Bowen's catalog that he went there many years ago and photo'ed a 1975 Chevy C/FMC/Bean that had a Bean HP pump and a 1000 gal. tank, so the rig could have been modified by them after Dave's visit. Perhaps Shoop,SR. or Darin Smith would know more about this VFC.

I'm becoming very envious of your new job! Nice work!

Warren Jenkins

[Roto-Ray]

[quote name='Andrew2340' post='131554' date='Jul 21 2007, 02:18 ']Does anyone out there happen to have any more photos from Farmville, VA? I have family that lives there, and in my pre-photography days (2004) I visited up there. We drove by the FD several times, and the bays were always up. Stupid me never realized that I should have stopped & got pictures of the trucks! I remember they had a Quantum, a Freightliner, and some kind of Snorkel in the bays, and they had several rigs parked out back. Specifically, I remember a white rear-mount platform of some kind and some kind of red or white/red engine. Any pictures would be much appreciated![/quote]



I have some more Farmville photos on my PC at home, i believe that I can get to them tonight.



The Quantum that you saw as you passed by is the main rig used within the town limits. The new Quantum that Mike and I posted is the primary rig for responding into Prince Edward and Cumberland Counties.



The red Snorkel that you saw was a loaner from the Pierce dealer. They had been running a Hahn 85' RM TL, but when it bit the dust, they were in the process of spec'ing a new Quantum 105' RM aerial. Therefore, they got the red Oshkosh/Pierce/Snorkel that you saw and ran it for about a year until the Quantum ladder arrived. It had previously served the Fredericksburg, VA FD and is now running as Truck 7 at the Zion Crossroads VFD in Louisa County, VA.



The Freightliner you saw is now the last remaining tanker in thier fleet. They had two "big water" tankers until recently. One was sold to a private firefighting agency in the midwest, and the other is going to another nearby VFD in Prince Edward.



I am sure that between Jerry and I, we can get some Famville photos posted for ya! <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/computer.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[Guest]

Mike,



If I had known you were coming to Abingdon, I would have had the station open for you. Let me know the next you or any Firepic Member is down this way and I will take you to all 10 departments in the county.



Tim.

[Andrew2340]

I'm willing to bet that all-white RM platform I saw around back was the Hahn then. Any idea if its serving anywhere today? Thanks Taylor, you're the man!!

[mnsand]

[quote name='Ashes' post='131619' date='Jul 21 2007, 11:09 ']Mike,



If I had known you were coming to Abingdon, I would have had the station open for you. Let me know the next you or any Firepic Member is down this way and I will take you to all 10 departments in the county.



Tim.[/quote]





Tim,



What a nice invite...thank you. You guys have a nice station and great equipment. I hope to be back at some point and would love to visit. Please email me at mnsand@comcast.net with contact info. Thanks again.



Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Picking up from the Castleton photos, time was beginning to get into early evening and I needed to head to Norton. One of the guys at Castleton said that I might want to make a quick stop at Saint Paul because their older engine sits outside.



After getting directions from Castleton, I arrived at Saint Paul. The firehouse was closed up tight however an old Ford/Oren sits outside.





Saint Paul, Virginia (Wise County)

Unit 886

1962 Ford F800/Oren

750gpm

s/n 750A 1768







Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

The next morning, I made my way to Pennington Gap, Virginia from Norton for two meetings. I arrived in Pennington with heavy clouds and drove by the fire station early on my way to my first appointment. The station was closed up tight.



After my first appointment, I had approximately 30 minutes before I needed to get to my second appointment in Pennington Gap so I thought I would get some quick lunch. Driving by the fire station, I found several of the bay doors opened and knew I had to stop. And a good thing that I did.



I met two long time firefighters at Pennington Gap who were at the station working on some projects. One gentleman had just over 50 years with the Pennington Gap station. The other gentleman was approaching 50 years. Amazing! I introduced myself, told them my "problem" about lack of time and wanting to get photos of the apparatus, and these two guys sprang into action. They started moving apparatus around like old pros. Our only problem was that the ladder truck was having some difficulties getting started, but it ultimately worked.



Pennington Gap is a station that I have always wanted to visit. I have seen some photos in the past of some unusual apparatus, and I had hoped that I would be able to make that visit one day. I really did not anticipate being able to stop at the station with several meetings and then the threat of rain with the overcast skies. Things turned out pretty well.



Pennington Gap uses the radio ID "Truck" for most of the apparatus, with the exception of the rescue truck and the ladder truck.



First up is Truck 2, a 1987 GMC Top Kic/4-Guys 1500/1200 with serial number F994.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Truck 4 at Pennington Gap was neat for me because it is the first "TASC" apparatus that I have photographed in the many years I have enjoyed this hobby. I will need some help from our TASC experts (I know we have one on here) on where this truck previously served.



Pennington Gap, VA

Truck 4

1976 International Fleetstar/TASC

1000/2500

serial number 259





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

I will include this photo of a rescue squad from Pennington Gap because I was really hoping that this truck might still be at Pennington Gap. I doubted that I would find it there because if was recently advertised as being for sale in a major fire apparatus publication and it was unmarked. As I thought, Pennington Gap no longer has this truck. I am really curious where this truck has ended up.



ex- Pennington Gap, VA

Rescue 1

1968 Mack F/Van Buren/1999 NorthEast

ex- East Meadows, NY

information I have is that Pennington Gap received this in 1999





Mike Sanders photo collection





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Replacing the 1968 Mack squad is "Rescue 1", a 1992 International 4900/R.D. Murray. It carries serial number 8332-92.



Would anyone know where this truck served prior to Pennington Gap?



Thanks,





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Here is one of the highlights from my SW Virginia trip.



Ladder 1 at Pennington Gap is this 1979 Ward LaFrance 100' with serial number 80.1641.



The information provided to me that this was once a US Navy ladder assigned in the Tidewater area of Virginia. Can anyone provide additional information?



My understanding is that Holly Grove, Virginia also had a similar WLF ladder truck that they rehabed, which I have a photo of in my collection. I have the serial number on that truck as 80.1639.



This one was a "close call" in terms of getting photos. The gentleman tried quite some time to get this started and I was beginning to think that I would leave Pennington Gap without photos of the ladder because this is tucked away at the rear portion of the station. However, he came through, although there was quite a bit of exhaust in the station once this WLF started up. You can still somewhat see the exhaust coming out in the photo. It was not going away.



Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Truck 5 at Pennington Gap is this 1982 Dodge Power Wagon/Stahl 250/250 that primarily operates as a brush unit. It was purchased from Johnson City, Tennessee.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA

[mnsand]

Final apparatus photo at Pennington Gap is Truck 6, a 1982 Ford Van that is used for a variety of situations.





Mike Sanders

Ashburn, VA