American LaFrance Apparatus

[fyreline]

Syracuse had quite a fleet of 700's - I believe we had ten or eleven engines and six trucks on that chassis purchased between 1947 and 1957. Some remained as spares well into the 1970's. Let's start with a couple of the aerials:



This one is Truck 4, a 1957 100-footer. The wooden "toonerville trolley" cab roofs were added to all open-cab apparatus by the SFD shops during the civil disturbances of the 1970's.





This is Truck 7, a 1955 100-footer.







Sorry for the slightly bleached-out picture quality - these are old photographs.

[fyreline]

...and here are a few representative engines. Again, we had nearly a dozen of them, all essential similar. A very few had the booster reel mounted on the rear step, most had it up on top as this one does. This is Engine 17, which my records show as a 1949 1000 gpm.







In their last years with the SFD, most of the surviving 700's served as either training engines at the SFD Fire Academy or as spares. This ones is S-3, a 1951 1000 gpm, in service as a spare at Engine Co. 7 sometime in 1974. This is one of the few with the rear-step-mounted booster reel. All of the ALF 700's were gone to auction within a year or two of this photo.







Unfortunately, as too many old fire engines do, the proud SFD 700's were reduced to junk. This is our former Engine 21, a 1948 1000 gpm, sitting in a field north of the city earlier this year.

[smketrfdny]

Fyrline, shame of that old 48. Looks like beyond saving, or a miracle short of walking on water to restore.





If these old rigs could talk, the stories we'd hear...





Stay safe, Brothers.

[Guest]

[quote name='fyreline' post='48342' date='Nov 1 2006, 20:41 ']Unfortunately, as too many old fire engines do, the proud SFD 700's were reduced to junk. This is our former Engine 21, a 1948 1000 gpm, sitting in a field north of the city earlier this year.[/quote]

Ack! That's horrible. <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />



Here's one more from me that I just dug up tonight. This is one of the first decent pictures of a 700 Series that I took. Of course, at the time, I wasn't too interested in collecting serial numbers or the like. I couldn't tell you anything about the one apart from the fact that it appears to be a 1947-to-early-1949-vintage 700 Series. The one parked behind it is a 1951, which was re-powered in 1970 with a 501 International Engine (incidentally enough, Crown Coach Corporation re-powered it). I took this picture a good number of years ago while in Tustin, California.

[jwh]

   



Phelps NY, known for Sauerkraut, ran this ALF 700 pumper. Taken 20 or so years ago by me at a Muster.

[Guest]

This truck was original to Oakville, Ontario. I think it's a 1949....but not sure. The pump/engine blew at a fire in the early 80's, and it has since been restored by and still owned by the Oakville Fire Department. I also found an add on ebay a few years ago and have scanned it for everyone's enjoyment.



Jamie

[Bob-Ont]

Jamie,



Good post.



That ad was done to promote ALF’s appreciation for a large truck order … a Toronto record (57 years) that was just broken when the city signed on with Smeal to deliver 15 pumpers next year.



There was a similar ad done with a New York City background for the 20 pumpers ALF delivered to the FDNY.

[Guest]

Ex-Bloominfield, CT

1956 American LaFrance

750/300

#L-5333

Commish photo

[Frank B]

How can you have a ALF 700 party,and not invite the 800's to? <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[Guest]

<img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' />-->QUOTE(Frank B @ Dec 5 2006, 06:38 ) [post="56398"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]<div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->

How can you have a ALF 700 party,and not invite the 800's to? <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[/quote]

Their not the same, Close but no Cigar. Perhaps a Thread of their own!

[Bob-Ont]

<img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' />-->QUOTE(Frank B @ Dec 5 2006, 07:38 ) [post="56398"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]<div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->

How can you have a ALF 700 party,and not invite the 800's to? <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[/quote]

You can't ... the 800's would be welcome at any 700 series party and that includes the ones with the 900's light assemblies (sorry Don).

[Guest]

How can you have a ALF 700 party,and not invite the 800's to? <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Hehehe. Well, technically, the aerials weren't tagged as 800 Series when that production run started. So, the aerials that've been posted in this thread that were built during the time of the 800 Series are marked as 700 Series ALFs but ahh ... You see where I'm going with this one. There are some non-tagged 800 Series in here! <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />



I'd love a thread full of just 800 Series ALFs. (I'd start one now, but I'm in bed sick. <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />)

[Guest]

Here's a picture of one of those darn 700 Series aerials that was produced during the 800 Series production run with the 900 Series light assembly.



Credit to Original Photographer

Used with Permission from Collection



<img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[J. Dexter]

[Guest]

The rig just posted prior to this reply belonged to Superior, Wisconsin. I photographed it back in the early '70's for one of my American LaFrance books. It was considered a 700 Series Aerial/Quint, but received the new 900 Series headlights and turn signal frames as it went down the asembly line.

[Frank B]

Darby PA 1951 3 ALF 700 Invader, and one Empire (1000gpm)



Two to each department

Darby 1 (Ram on door)

Darby Fire patrol 2 (two on truck) both Invaders

[Frank B]

Darby #1 Invader ALF 700 (750gpm)

Adelman collection

[Frank B]

To bad we cant save this thread! It will be gone in a few months?

Darby 2 Invader (750 gpm)

[Frank B]

Same truck as above <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lol.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol2:' />

[Frank B]

third post of the same truck?

NO!

This is the other one.

Notice the deluge gun.