ANTIQUE FIRE ASSOCIATION of NEW JERSEY RETURN of the
Transcription
ANTIQUE FIRE ASSOCIATION of NEW JERSEY RETURN of the
CALLBOARD ANTIQUE FIRE ASSOCIATION of NEW JERSEY JANUARY 2012 - NORTH JERSEY CHAPTER of SPAAMFAA – VOL. 31, ISSUE 1 NO DECEMBER AFANJ CHAPTER MEETING NEXT MEETING: THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2012 – 7:30 PM New Jersey Firemen’s Home 565 Lathrop Ave Boonton, NJ 07005 (Above) An impressive line-up Six of the Ahrens-Fox piston pumpers that attended the muster at the Maryland Fire Museum in May 2011 posed together for a family portrait. Rigs are staged (left to right) from the oldest to the newest of the Foxes. RETURN of the FLYING FOXES? Thirty pieces of fire apparatus manufactured by Cincinnati, Ohio-based Ahrens-Fox gathered at Conshohocken, PA, on Saturday, September 28, 1974, for an event that was billed as the “Flying Foxes.” Engines supporting the company’s well-recognized “silver sphere” came from seven states to participate in the parade. Fox dignitaries present for the event included the then owner of the company, Curt Nepper, and former Fox salesman Frank Griesser. Piston pumpers accounted for 24 of the rigs present, the rest being equipped with centrifugal pump. either a rotary or The event proved extremely popular and was duplicated in a number of locations out on Long Island, NY, and in our own Morristown. Many of our more senior members recall seeing a whole line-up of Foxes shooting water over the dam in Valhalla, NY, a feat that was not appreciated by motorists on the road that ran above. Unfortunately, as the decades passed by, the number of Foxes regularly attending parades and musters dwindled to a precious few. That was, until this past May 21 when the Fire Museum of Maryland, located in Lutherville, decided to sponsor “Ahrens-Fox Day.” (Above) Woodbury’s Continental steamer. 1911 Ahrens 1916 – K-3 (SN-672) 600 gpm – Friendship Fire Company, Woodbury, NJ (owned until recently by Darryl Goodrich of Grover’s Mill, NJ) The event’s organizers predicted 30 AhrensFoxes would be on display. The number that actually participated was less than anticipated – fourteen - and although this number may have seemed rather small when compared to the original event, what could not be overlooked was the overall condition of these engines. Keep in mind that the oldest motorized rig was almost 100 years old at the time. It, like the majority of those present had been faithfully restored and ran as only a Fox can. Of those few that were not yet in running condition, all were slated for overhauls, with one awaiting a restoration that will cost over $100,000. 1917 – K-2 (SN-639) 1,000-gpm – Baltimore Fire Department Museum 1918 – K-34 (SN-690) 600 gpm front mounted rotary – Bellevue, KY 1919 I-K-Y (SN-756) 750 GPM – ex-Frederick, MD (privately owned) 1922 – K-J-5-4 (SN-1114) 750 gpm – exBaltimore, MD – owned by Fire Museum of Maryland. Highlights of the day were a parade from nearby Towsen to the Museum’s grounds. It was led by a horse drawn Ahrens steamer owned by Woodbury, NJ. Their recently acquired Ahrens-Fox pumper did not join it. The Museum’s 1922 ex-Baltimore Fox carried Mack historian Harvey Eckart. Once all the rigs were safely back on the Museum’s grounds, several of the HTs and one of the rotaries decided to “do their thing,” and do it they did! 1933 – CT-4 (SN-4006) 1,000 gpm – York Fire Museum, York, PA A list of the rigs attending is presented below. 1939 VC (SN-9071) 500 gpm – Munster, IN 1911 – Continental (SN-184) 600 gpm – Friendship Fire Company, Woodbury, NJ. (Horse drawn steamer.) 1939 IT (SN-3455) 1,000 gpm – United Fire Company, Frederick, MD 1935 – Schact V Jr. (SN7042) 500 gpm – exLouisville, KY 1937 XCT (SN-4021) 750 gpm (covered wagon) ex-Pawtucket, RI – owned by Andy Lieder 1938 VR (SN-8028) 500 gpm – Falls Village, CT 2 3 CAPTIONS – PREVIOUS PAGE (Top) Friendship Fire Company in Woodbury, NJ, recently reacquired their 1916 Ahrens-Fox for display at the company’s museum. (Center) Andy Lieder’s ex-Pawtucket “covered wagon” presented quite a contrast when compared to the open cab Foxes at the muster. (Bottom) There is nothing wrong with the Fox on the left, it has a front-mounted rotary pump, so there was no need for a pulsation chamber. The Fox on the right was one of two ex-Baltimore Foxes at the event. 1947 – HT (SN-3483) 1,000 gpm – Cumberland Fire Company, Carlisle, PA (privately owned) THE CALLBOARD STAFF HOPES EVERYONE HAD A GOOD HOLIDAY SEASON. STAY SAFE & SEE YOU ALL IN 2012. 1950 – HT (SN-3483) 1,000 gpm – Highland Hose, Nyack, NY (repowered with a diesel engine.) ANTIQUES ON PARADE Rich Van Orden’s ex-Independence Township, NJ, Dodge/Pierce participated in Denville’s Holiday parade after Thanksgiving. Another interesting Fox was a miniature created on one of those chassis used by Shriners in various parades. This one would fit nicely in my garage. Bloomingdale’s USA and Community FC’s Fox (both covered with lights) made appearances at the Wallington parade. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE My challenge to our members every year is for to for each of you to get one new member to join the Antique Fire Association of New Jersey this year. Prospective members do not have to be in the fire service, just have an interest in fire engines, antiques vehicles or history. Many individuals in SPAAMFAA and local chapters never served. They could be a friend, neighbor, relative or co-worker. It could be your doctor or lawyer as they may also have an interest. If you talk up the AFANJ, somebody will show an intersest, but people do not know about us unless we inform them. (Above) The perfect Fox for those lacking a large garage. Hopefully you noticed the title of this month’s piece was written as a question. There are efforts underway to have the “Flying Foxes” return to New Jersey. There are a number of these rigs in the tri-state area that should be able to attend such a “reunion” of these Cincinnati beauties. There was to have been a meeting on the subject around midNovember. I have not yet heard the outcome, but keep your fingers crossed if you are a Fox fan. The elections for 2012 were held at The November meeting and the results are on the following page. Mike Foote has been organizing our 4th Annual Spring muster which will be held on April 28th at Horse Shoe Lake in Succasana. This will also have a motorcade which will be a first for us and should be a lot of fun. If you can help Mike call him at 973-886-0429. Hope to see you at the musters and meeting The next issue of “Callboard” will feature potential participants at such an event. There are a lot of Foxes around, unfortunately some have been in “hiding” for a number of years. SAM ROBINSON – PRESIDENT 4 2012 AFANJ OFFICERS NEWSLETTER President: Sam Robinson - 908-623-0284 Vice-President: Jim Pfeiffer – 973-219-7484 Secretary: Sandy Burdge - 732-741-5562 Treasurer: Irv Loveless - 973-226-7390 Peter T. Eisele – Editor 74 Chatham Street, Chatham, NJ 07928 (973) 635–4661 - [email protected] TRUSTEES Please send any information about local apparatus, fire department activities, news clippings, or anything else that you might think may be of interest to members. Ed Burdge – 2012 Peter Eisele – 2013 Robert Kane - 2014 MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION THE ABOVE OFFICERS & TRUSTEES MAKE UP AFANJ’s 2011 BOARD of DIRECTORS Membership to the Antique Fire Association of New Jersey is open to all individuals. Fire Departments and organizations interested in the preservation restoration, and appreciation of vintage fire apparatus and memorabilia and preserving the history of the American fire fighting profession. You need not own apparatus to be a member. AFANJ MEETING LOCATIONS 3rd Wednesday of the even Months & 3rd Thursday of odd Months @ 7:30 p.m. AFANJ Meeting Locations are Needed. Please call Sam Robinson, Pres., at (908) 623-0284 if you have a meeting site. 2011-12 MEETINGS CALENDAR THE AFANJ IS THE NORTHERN NEW JERSEY CHAPTER of S.P.A.A.M.F.A.A. January 19 – NJ Firemen’s Home February 16 - TBA Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Motor Fire Apparatus in America. P.O. Box 2005, Syracuse, NY 13220-2005 www.spaamfaa.org 2011-12 FIREMATIC EVENTS CALENDAR April 21 – Allentown, PA - Auction April 22 – Allentown, PA – Flea Market APRIL 28 – Horseshoe Lake – AFANJ Spring Muster April 29 – Rifle Camp, Woodland Park – Flea June 9 – Chester, CT – Anniv. Parade June 16 – Palmerton, PA – Parade July 7 – Florence Township - Parade ANTIQUE FIRE ASSOCIATION of NJ 39 BIRCH AVE. LlTTLE SILVER, NJ 07739 Visit: afanj.org Check individual websites for additional details and directions. 5 (Top) York’s CT-4 is shown during a Lancaster County parade. It was at Lutherville but didn’t participate in the parade. (Bottom) Fall’s Village’s VR was just as pretty as its larger cousins. ANTIQUE FIRE ASSOCIATION of NEW JERSEY 39 BRICH AVENUE LITTLE SILVER, NJ 07739 6