How It Once Was

Time to share more photos from David regarding the trucks that once were part of the plowing scene in Connecticut. Here is an R-Model Mack from Newington having a bad day. Look at all that twisting.

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The Town of Bloomfield ran this sharp looking Ford L-8000 built to heavy dump specs using funding that should have been enough to cover only a single axle lighter duty truck. As David explains.

Ford Brazilian 240 horse under the hood. Had a 6613 trans, you had to row it down the street when loaded. Otherwise, all heavy duty, including the heated dump; had full live hydraulics. Occasionally got a 10 sander stuck in the back to cover a route, but mostly used with a tall one way behind a reversible single axle plow truck in front of it. Great for clearing shoulders. Also good for materials, it held a solid 18 yards.

Ford L-8000 Dump Truck

Rustic. No frills. Just a few of the words that come to mind when looking at the Bridgeport Public Works garage. At one point in time the facility was a trolley barn. In fact, some of the bays still had tracks running through the floor. Plenty of Macks in this photo.

Bridgeport Public Works garage

In the gallery below you’ll find two shots of near identical Ford Louisville plow trucks on the day they were auctioned off. The trucks were equipped with 1160 Cat engines, 5 speed trans with two speed rears and Tarco slide in sanders. The plow make is unknown. Both belonged to the Town of Bloomfield. The garage seen below with plows at the ready is from Newignton. Just look at all those Internationals 2674’s. Beautiful. The little yellow International was a custom build to plow commuter lots in East Lyme, CT. At the time low profile trucks wouldn’t hold up to the work while 1-ton rigs simply couldn’t get it done. Know you know why International felt the need introduce the TerraStar. Big truck desgin in a little truck package. Thanks for sharing David!

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Bridge Inspections

I recently came across this older White WIA (I think that is the model) setup with a bridge inspection boom. Owned by McClain & Co these trucks lower their operators over the side of bridge so critical structural components can be inspected.

bridge inspection truck

A few weeks after spotting this machine I spied another bridge inspection truck parked at a local motel. I was on my way to check out some new rigs at Beam Mack so I made plans to stop on my way back for a quick photo. Ten minutes later I returned to find the truck gone! I headed home dejected. About thirty minutes later I left for the local supermarket and found the truck again right as it was leaving the parking lot. My wife did a a good job snapping a shot through our dirty windshield.

international workstar bridge inspection truck

Another McClain & Co truck this time in the form of an International WorkStar with a very set forward front axle. The working end of this truck is an Aspen A-40. Moral of the story. Never give up on the hunt.

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Oshkosh WT2206 Snow Plow

*kool-aid man voice* Ooooohh Yeaaaaaah. Check this out, it’s an 1987 Oshkosh WT2206. The true age of this truck is probably older than 1987 as the info plates state this truck was remanufactured in that year. This is a Grade A snow removal machine complete with bellyscraper, roll over plow and straight blade. Spare tire and tailgate included!

Oshkosh WT2206

The day of the auction this truck turned right over with just a little shot of starter fluid. I missed a good portion of the smoke cloud that bellowed from the exhaust pipe but still captured enough to give you the idea.

There were plenty of nobs and gauges in the cab of the WT2206 that require a wingman for efficient operation. Later in day after the auction had ended I saw the proud owner of this truck driving down it down the street to its new home. Beast is an understatement as this truck absolutely towers over the average car.

Also at the auction was a second Oshkosh named Bruce. I’ve misplaced the information on Bruce but he didn’t look as good as his WT2206 brother. He sounded restricted and plugged up. Misfires were a common problem. There was no feel of that Oshkosh power. I recommend going to a straight exhaust.

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What Bruce was lacking for in stamina he made up for with an all steel cab. The doors felt like bank vaults when closing.

More to come from this auction!

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Autocar Mondays – Autocar Wrecker

Whenever possible I like to use the words of those that submit photos and stories to this site. Today we have a mechanical marvel for Autocar Mondays courtesy of David. As he tells it….

The wrecker was a custom build, for my old friend Bill Parker. It started as a mixer or block chassis, with 20k front, and 55k tandem, a roaring 220 Cummins, and a 6 speed with a 4 way auxiliary. The unit started as a Holmes 750, longer, bigger booms, 65k drag winch, and custom body by Weld-Built. It was the pinnacle of brute strength in mechanical wreckers, if this couldn’t do it, it could not be done. Soon hydraulics came to market, and both the mechanical wrecker and a lot of the skills necessary to rig it joined the rest of the dinosaurs.

Autocar Tow Truck

 

What more needs to be said? I picture is worth a thousand words. Thanks again for sharing David!

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At Auction – International 2574 Snow Plow

We all know that I’m a fan of International Trucks, specifically the S-Series and the line of heavy trucks that evolved from that linage into the 2574 and 2674 models. When I found out that an auction was taking place this weekend at the NYS Fairgrounds with not only many great used plow trucks but at least one former NYSDOT International I was commited to attending.

International 2574 Snow Plow

You may remember this truck from the early days of summer. Back then I stopped to check it when the plow was still in the dump bed. I didn’t know it at the time but the current owner was looking to sell it for 13,000 big ones.  I guess the price was too high as it sat on the auction line this past Saturday morning. A 2001 model, this 2574 was in decent shape with minimal rust that was generally no deeper than surface. The engine ran clean and started after just a few cranks while air pressure built rapidly and held steady. The radio, beacon lights and spot lights all worked like they would on a new truck. The plow controls were intact and worked like a charm. I was surprised to find only four levels. One to raise and lower the blade with the other three devoted to controlling the missing wing. A nine speed transmission meet up with some form of Cummins to complete the power train. I believe the miles read 39,000 and change but I didn’t grab an auction catalog or save one from the Teitsworth website so I guess we’ll never know the true specifics.  Watch the video below and make your own decision. Would you have bid?

Some clues regarding the past life of this truck could be found in the cab. An old print out of radio numbers indicate this truck operated out the Hailesboro, NY barn. If correct, this truck slugged it out with the best of them in the cold, long, and deep snow winters of the north country. Hailesboro is located outside of Gouverneur NY. Were talking a location north of Watertown, NY. Yes, people live there. 😉

I miss the days when the single axle International trucks were the front line defense against old man winter. The new Mack Granites are nice but look too modern and clean. Once again, my opinion would probably change greatly if drove one of these trucks for a living! Also at the auction were a handful of Oshkosh trucks with some being more bad ass than others. Stay tuned! I think you’ll enjoy it.

 

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Aaaaannnnd, Now it’s over.

I spoke a little prematurely the other day when I claimed all the demolition footage of the Downtown Plaza has been published. I found a few more emails from Ryan documenting the finals days of work that are inevitably setting the stage for serious construction. So here the are! Enjoy.

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LargeCars of the 2014 ATHS CNY Show

Large Cars. A term used to describe big rigs that share a consistent look or style usually consisting of long frames, copious chrome, and big stacks. Today we remember the 2014 CNY ATHS classic truck show with this “lost” footage of Peterbilts, Kenworths, Marmons, and Whites.

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Vintage Mack Trucks

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but in the case of these Mack Bulldogs why bother? They know all the tricks that matter. Looking cool. Working hard. Making money. I recently spotted this R-600 spreading asphalt one wheelbarrow load at a time.

Mack R-600 Dump Truck

Here is another R-Model oldie with spreader box out back. This truck seems remarkably rust free considering the application it was used for in the past. Maybe it wasn’t used for road salt but some sort of agricultural application.

Mack Truck with Salter

I’ve had my eye on this B-Model from a very long time now. It usually hides behind a fence and many other trucks. The other day it was lounging by the side of the road so I grabbed a quick shot.

B-Model Mack

And finally here is another R-Model wearing familiar colors that I just can’t place my finger on. The company name has been blotted out but the “Syracuse, NY” location name can still be seen above illegible DOT numbers. Any thoughts?

R-Model Mack

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Moving the Cat 5110b

The Caterpillar 5110b mega excavator that we have come to know and love over the course of the summer is no more. After completing its share of the Downtown Plaza demo work it has been disassembled and transported away. Beware decaying infrastructure and publicly financed NFL stadiums. The 5110b shall rise again!

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Check out those hydraulic hoses. Numerous and large. It also looks like an old shipping container trailer has been repurposed to move around the boom segments.

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Once again I give thanks to Ryan for sharing these great photos. For those that missed the entire coverage check out the links below.

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Service Trucks

Every manufacturer today likes to talk a good game about legendary reliability, unparalleled up time, and dependable durability. Despite all the marketing hyperbole we know stuff is going to break and most likely at an inopportune time. When the crap hits the fan blades of life your eyes begin to fix on the horizon hoping to catch a glimpse of the modern day cavalry, the service truck.

Mud on the tires is the requirement for any truck devoted to the repair of heavy equipment like this Peterbilt from Five Star Equipment.

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Like logos? This Freightliner from Tracey Road Equipment has more than a few.

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Crane. Welder. Multiple tool bins. Now the eternal question. Who does the service truck call when it breaks down?

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