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Fire Engine Photos
No: 24951 Contributor: TheFireman Year: 2010 Manufacturer: American LaFrance Country: United States of America
Greenwood Fire Dept. ALF
Unk. year, possible mid 1930s American LaFrance. This is an unusual pump placement, possibly to assure better transmitting power from the motor to the pump. You can see why American LaFrance was the premier fire apparatus mfg. during this era with it's graceful and classic lines. This truck was at Greenwood, Mississippi Sta. #4 when I photographed it.
Unk. year, possible mid 1930s American LaFrance. This is an unusual pump placement, possibly to assure better transmitting power from the motor to the pump. You can see why American LaFrance was the premier fire apparatus mfg. during this era with it's graceful and classic lines. This truck was at Greenwood, Mississippi Sta. #4 when I photographed it.
I can see the attraction John. Maybe second only to the Aherns-Fox with the front mount pump with the chrome pressure dome. The 400 series definitly is a beautiful machine.
Added by RJ Duncan on 05 September 2010.
Added by RJ Duncan on 05 September 2010.
Beautiful machine - often wondered if the Right Hand Side Pump Panel was for handy connection to the curb-side Fire Hydrant; and the Pump Operator would have good view of fire-scene and all the hoses run off the truck, to the fire.
Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B
Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 07 September 2010.
Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B
Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 07 September 2010.
ALF 400 series pumper delivered to Greenwood, MS in 1938 and her serial number is 7837.
Added by Andrew Middleton on 30 September 2011.
Added by Andrew Middleton on 30 September 2011.
Both the ALF 400 and the contemporary Ahrens-Fox were truly beautiful designs, possibly the most elegant fire engines ever.
But they both shared a layout which placed the driver's seat nearer the rear axle than the front one. I have never had the pleasure of driving either one, but a local Long Island FD in Halesite has a perfect 1930s vintage A-F. One of the volunteers told me that the steering was unbelievably heavy - and that it was very difficult to drive safely through any intersection, because half of the truck was already in the intersection before the driver could see if there was any cross traffic! Even so, quite a few of these lovely ALF and A-F engines have survived, and they are a great parade favorite.
ALF held out with their right side pump panel long after other US manufacturers introduced the left side panel. I never quite understood why there was a preference for a driver's side control panel, because the right side panel positioned the driver out of the traffic and was presumably quite a lot safer.
I recall that British pump escapes with mid-mounted pumps had dual control panels, but the operator almost always used the left side panel because it was safer. Does anyone know why the US practice is reversed?
Added by Rob Johnson on 10 January 2014.
But they both shared a layout which placed the driver's seat nearer the rear axle than the front one. I have never had the pleasure of driving either one, but a local Long Island FD in Halesite has a perfect 1930s vintage A-F. One of the volunteers told me that the steering was unbelievably heavy - and that it was very difficult to drive safely through any intersection, because half of the truck was already in the intersection before the driver could see if there was any cross traffic! Even so, quite a few of these lovely ALF and A-F engines have survived, and they are a great parade favorite.
ALF held out with their right side pump panel long after other US manufacturers introduced the left side panel. I never quite understood why there was a preference for a driver's side control panel, because the right side panel positioned the driver out of the traffic and was presumably quite a lot safer.
I recall that British pump escapes with mid-mounted pumps had dual control panels, but the operator almost always used the left side panel because it was safer. Does anyone know why the US practice is reversed?
Added by Rob Johnson on 10 January 2014.
American LaFrance
Added by John on 03 September 2010.