New Boston Ladder 17

[SOlsonBFDL14]

<strong>I had read a few years ago that the BFD had wanted to purchase a few Tillered Aerial Ladders  however it was based on purchasing them with grant money which didn't come through so the plans were cancelled. Considering that Tower Ladder 17 is supposed to be "too large" for parts of it's district it probably would make more sense to purchase a few Tillered Aerial Ladders as  Tillered Aerial Ladders are good for narrow streets with tight clearances. New York City runs with 13 of them and Philadelphia runs with them in addition to Balfimore and Washington DC. I know that Boston did run with them until sometime in the late 70s and early 80s. It seems that of the major fire departments on the east coast that I just mentioned , only Boston isn't running with any Tillered Aerial Ladders at all.</strong>

 

We started replacing our TDA's with E\-One Rearmounts in 1984 when we purchased 6 of them (Ladders 2, 6, 14, 16, 17 & 19). We DID get a grant to purchase a single TDA, which was going to be assigned to Ladder 24 (Beacon Hill). There was talk of it going to Ladder 1 in the North End, but it was too large for their house. The cost of a new TDA proved to be too much, especially in light of our needs at the time (our aerial fleet badly needed updating!) We were allowed to use the money to purchase a new E\-One rearmount, provided it went to Ladder 24. Their rig was not due to be replaced for a couple of years, but they got the new one in 2009. Their previous piece, a 1997 model, was refurbished & reassigned to Ladder 25 in West Roxbury. I agree that TDA's would be a welcome addition in certain parts of the city, certainly Ladders 1, 11, 14, 17 & 24 would be better served with them, but with the administration currently in place I think the chances of it happening are remote.

[KDWMAEMT]

Not to mention Skip that they WANTED to purchase a Seagrave TDA and couldn't because a different manufacturer swooped in and actually would have won the bid if they didn't actually outright win it before the decision to scrap the idea came down. That's actually at least the 2nd if not 3rd time the TDA rumor actually nearly happened. Its just that this time it WOULD have happened if a few factors and decisions had not been taken into account.

[Juice]

Travis, the ladder pictured in the link you provided is L15. Its a 2010 E-One CII 110' RMA and was in service that day and probably the one you saw. TL17 was also at the scene, and may have been pictured in another photo you saw perhaps?

 

Yep, I looked at the first link posted above by Seth and got the truck in it confused with the truck in my link. I realized it just in time to not be able to delete my original post!

 

Trav!

[lexper40]

Anyone notice the change in the lettering on the sides of the stick?  Are they going away from the traditional lettering scheme all together.  I know several of the recent additions had some modifications.

 

Side note:  The 1984 EOne test truck was purchased by the Waltham MA as their Ladder 1.  Stapleton wanted all new ladder trucks when the bid was awarded, not a demo that was beat on around the city (as the legend goes).  It was replaced with an EOne mid-mount tower several years ago.

[hadg317]

I did notice the new design to the ladder board. I like it but its not what I expect to see in boston.

[Guest]

I agree, I don't like the ladder board at all. first, I liked the bigger, bolder look. The Boston trucks were really standing out from the crowd.

 second, I do not like when 2 different lettering fonts are used on the same vehicle (with the exception of customized company logos/sayings).

Also, is the pre-piped waterway new to the orders or did I just not pay enough attention to some of the last deliveries? And where did the diamond plating go?

 

I'm sure they will perform well, but definitely lack that attention grabbing look.

[Guest]

I also find it interesting that KME changed the tip of their aerial to resemble the tip of an Emergency One aerial.

[Roto-Ray]

All of the compartment lighting is Blue LED. Very unusual look on a red rig.

[TacSupport1]

Boston's Ladder spec barely changed for over two decades. KME took that and researched the wants and needs of truck companies and the firefighters of Boston today, and this is the final product. One of the biggest changes is in maintainence, making it easier to check, inspect, and replace parts. The 109' ladder was basically custom designed for Boston. And I've heard that the turning radius and cramp angles are awesome.

 

And if there's any place to test this "new" style truck, it's Boston.

[Guest]

I'm surprised by the pre-piped waterway. I assume the controls are at the turntable and there's a direct inlet at the rear that goes straight up the stick?

[R1SmokeEater]

Looking foward to more pix!

.....and I always liked the old ladder boards and font on the Boston trucks! change that one to match !

[atlanticfiretrucks]

Any idea what happened to 17's Tower ladder??  Was it reassigned to TL10?

[b9208]

Here's the rescue compartment....not finished yet but nicely laid out.....

Do all Boston ladder companies carry hydraulic rescue tools?  Is this set-up with reels and onboard power unit for the HRT new on these rigs, or do the older rigs have similar lay outs?

 

Saw Ladder 17 at the Harrisburg Expo - The covers on the outriggers are probably the most heavy duty ones I have seen - reinforced and Line-x'ed also.  (My son liked them too...)

 

Thanks,

Gary

[SOlsonBFDL14]

Any idea what happened to 17's Tower ladder??  Was it reassigned to TL10?

 

 

As of now it is a spare.

[SOlsonBFDL14]

Do all Boston ladder companies carry hydraulic rescue tools?  Is this set-up with reels and onboard power unit for the HRT new on these rigs, or do the older rigs have similar lay outs?

 

Saw Ladder 17 at the Harrisburg Expo - The covers on the outriggers are probably the most heavy duty ones I have seen - reinforced and Line-x'ed also.  (My son liked them too...)

 

Thanks,

Gary

 

Yes, all Ladder companies as well as Engines 2, 3, 4, 5 & 41 carry Amkus hydraulic rescue tools. Rescues 1 & 2 as well as the new trucks (Ladders 17, 18 & 19) have reels, the rest of us do not. My company carries the tools in one cabinet (Spreaders, Cutters & 2 Rams) and the hydraulic generator in the next cabinet on a roll out shelf.

[edburke]

 

Yes, all Ladder companies as well as Engines 2, 3, 4, 5 & 41 carry Amkus hydraulic rescue tools. Rescues 1 & 2 as well as the new trucks (Ladders 17, 18 & 19) have reels, the rest of us do not. My company carries the tools in one cabinet (Spreaders, Cutters & 2 Rams) and the hydraulic generator in the next cabinet on a roll out shelf.

2 sets in one station, but every time I ask you guys to take a roof off of a car that has a scrape on the bumper and 5 people with "neck pain" I get a funny look......

[b9208]

 

Yes, all Ladder companies as well as Engines 2, 3, 4, 5 & 41 carry Amkus hydraulic rescue tools. Rescues 1 & 2 as well as the new trucks (Ladders 17, 18 & 19) have reels, the rest of us do not. My company carries the tools in one cabinet (Spreaders, Cutters & 2 Rams) and the hydraulic generator in the next cabinet on a roll out shelf.

Thanks for the information.  Very clean layout of the HRT equipment in the new rigs.

[SOlsonBFDL14]

2 sets in one station, but every time I ask you guys to take a roof off of a car that has a scrape on the bumper and 5 people with "neck pain" I get a funny look......

 

You'd never get a funny look from Group 1!  I seriously doubt that the new E41 will have it though, the Feds paid for the 5 CAFS pumpers so the powers that be got everything they could installed.

[cml0774]

whose building the 5 cafs pumpers?

[eagle5]

Pierce built the current ones. KME's building the next ones. Go down to the top of the last page in the PDF.

 

http://www.cityofboston.gov/images_docum...-37798.pdf