Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire

[OPEN CAB MACK]

[quote name='mgk110' post='270084' date='Dec 31 2008, 20:02 ']Open Cab Mack,



Were all the R's repainted yellow and black?



Have a Happy New Year.[/quote]

As far as I know, yes. The Ford/Grummans were delivered in this color. It was after the Steelers won their fourth Super Bowl and 2 years after the Pirates won the World Series. The sales rep. from Grumman talked Chief Charlie Lewis into delivering the new engines in this new color scheme. Soon after, all rigs were painted black over yellow gold. When John Leahy became chief in 1985 and ordered the 13 Pierce Dash engines, 5 Pierce rearmounts and the 5 tillers, he wanted white over red, and then all new apparatus was changed to this color scheme. The black and gold rigs remained in that color scheme, until removed and disposed of.

The city was generous in loaning equipment out to other municipalities, providing all was okay in the city. Well back in 1992, Tarentum Borough was completing a refurbishment program. Summit Hose had a 1977 Seagrave that was being refurbed by Kenco in Scottdale, PA. While their engine was in the shop, Summit had an "R" model on loan from the city. A very unusual site to see a black and gold "R" model Mack respondeing from the West Tarentum fire station to an alarm.