Spartan/Quality/Ai 85' platforms

[l18clfd]

I rode Ladder 18 from Jan 03 until it was replaced with our current 05 Smeal. The platform was a "fold up" design that allowed it to be stored on top of the cab rather than out in front of the cab for ease of travel. Once you step in the platform you folded each side up and then the controls for the platform folded up as well. It was a decent design as long as the firemen remembered to stow it correctly - I can only remember once that the controls were hit on the station door. The trucks were out of service for a large amount of time and even traveled back to the factory a couple of times. My engineer at the time kept a running tally and she swears that the L18 was out of service for a total of 2.5 years during its time as L18. Once the trucks were replaced they were immediately sold. Normally Charlotte moves its older trucks into the reserve pool but these two never saw reserve status. Both trucks were replaced with Smeal 105 straight sticks and there are currently no platform/tower apparatus in the city of Charlotte. The current Ladder 18 has been a good truck and is rocking with 115,000 miles on it...