Fire Engines Photos

Let's face it. American La-France is history! I call all the new ALF's Freightliners, because that is what they are. The Ahrensfox name was just sold.Chris Ahrens is probally rolling over in his grave. Just as he did when AF went thru it's demise in the early 50's!Lets face it, The classic fire truck is gone. When i was a kid in the 60's, You could tell an ALF from a Mack, Seagrave, HahnEtc!!from two blocks away. Those were the days!P.S. EXCELLENT picture!

Added by George on 18 November 2008.

I agree with you completely George. That was ALFs downward turn when they became nothing more than gussied up Freightliners (Trucks, not trains for our UK friends.) I hate they are gone, but the old addage of you get what you pay for just didn't apply anymore. It wouldn't bother me if Ford, GM and Crysler all do the same. I bought a Ford awhile back, now I just bought a Honda and will probably never buy a new American made vehicle again. The quality just isn't there anymore, most fire apparatus included.

Added by Thefireman on 19 November 2008.

I agree 100%. American made products are junk! I have seen Ahrensfox's, Maxim's, Seagraves, Hahn's, Etc! (Don't want to leave any of the great ones out).That are 50-60 + years old and can still outrun and pump the trucks of today. The craftmanship is not there anymore.You know what they say1 never buy a product made on a monday or a friday.

Added by George on 19 November 2008.

I agree about lower quality, but it's not just the US. It was interesting visiting Holland in 1992. The 1928 Ahrens-Foxes of Rotterdam continued in service until 1971 (43 years). Their 1970s replacements had all been retired and junked, as had the replacements for the replacements, and by 1992, all of the third generation of replacements sounded like they were about to fall apart mechanically! 6 of the 7 Foxes were still in fully operating condition after 64 years (one having been destroyed by a Nazi bomb in 1940). I also got to see an East German Trabant: the bodywork on these 1970s horrors is so full of toxins, it's illegal to scrap them for fear of the carcinogens that would be unleashed, the one I saw (a fire chief's car) was a museum piece in a corner of a firehouse--look but definitely don't touch. As for American-LaFrance, their demise began when they decided to bust-up their union in the 1970s; pretty hard to sell to members of International Firefighters Association and Uniformed Fire Officers union after that! Here in Sacramento, the garbage trucks bear the American-LaFrance brand name (I saw another of these just today at lunch time)! I guess the sanitation workers union doesn't mind buying from "scabs"?

Added by Ed Hass on 09 November 2009.

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