This & That from Here & There

[GA_Dave]

Here is Ladder 1. At first glance, I realized that it was no 111' and that it was probably older than the 1986 they claimed it to be, but I wasn't all that impressed. I began digging through the rig, getting a look at the dataplates and writing down whatever numbers I could find. It turns out that it is a 1981 Duplex D-300 chassis with Grumman bodywork, #16194. I was still somewhat confused because the Grove ladder had to be older. I asked if the rig had ever been refurbed, but they said that they didn't think so. Then one guy said that he had been told that the ladder was built in 1969 and had been removed from another rig. Next, I asked if they knew where the rig came from before they got it. One guy went inside and called an older member. When he returned, he said "New Castle, PA". Suddenly, it all clicked! I began jumping up and down like a lunatic, screaming "HOLY CRAP". They musta thought I'd lost it, but I soon regained my composure and told them this rig's history:



Back in 1961, FDNY took delivery of two Mack C-85 chassis equipped with 146' Magirus rearmount aerials. In 1969, the Magirus aerials were removed and replaced by 100' Grove ladders. One of these rigs, assigned to Ladder 164, was later sold to New Castle, PA. After a few years in service there, the ladder was removed and placed on a new Duplex chassis. Grumman did the remount in 1981.



So, here's a shot of their x-FDNY ladder.



Ladder 1, Peach County, GA

1981 Duplex D-300/Grumman

1969 Grove 100'

#16194

x-New Castle, PA

x-FDNY



Yeah, I know, I get carried away sometimes....... <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_redface.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />