Yonkers Lime Continental Compac Engine Photo

[x635 4,066]

From FireNews.org's Spotlight Photos 3/8/07

Photo:

http://www.nefirenews.org/temp/YonkersContinental.jpg

"Compac built several of these Continental pumpers for Yonkers, NY in the early 1980's. (Photo by Dick Bartlett)

Very interesting- and cheap- looking rigs. Anone have any more info or stories about their service in Yonkers and how they held up, and why Yonkers picked them? Did any other area department have them?

Also, where were they manufactured?

Edited March 12, 2007 by x635

[Guest]

Saddle Brook, NJ (Bergen) had one as Engine 4....I have no real futher information

http://fdnytrucks.com/files/html/otherstat...dle%20Brook.htm

[capt2102 64]

I remember hearing that a Yonkers guy riding in the jump seat burned his arm from the heat of the engine compartment because there was no insulation under the diamond plate. Anyone from YFD remember this?

[CPFD91206 0]

The Compac Continental apparatus has a striking resemblence of the International crew cab.

Edited March 12, 2007 by CPFD91206

[61MACKBR1 222]

From what I was told by a retired YFD Lt. (Family Relative) the Continential Compac Rigs were not well received by the men in YFD at the time. Their life cycle was very minimal (Not only did they deliver, I believe 6 Engines for 307, 308, 310, 312-,313 and 314 - one of which was a refurbed 1971 ALF Engine formally Engine 2, but they also refurbed a 1956 ALF Tiller that was purchased from some department out in Long Island, that was being used at the time as Ladder 74. A photo of the Pre-Refurbed Ladder 74 can be found on Michael Messar's Web Site). Again, these rigs did not last long as YFD purchased more Mack CF's to replace them and they eventually went into the Spare Pool. If my memory is correct, when Yonkers purchased that Old Mack Engine from, I believe Hastings, they used that rig over the Continential Compacs as a spare truck (More reliable I guess)

[Stepjam 118]

I remember one caught fire....at a fire. I'm not positive on the cause, but I heard that the pump overheated. This must have been around '83 or so.

Edited March 12, 2007 by Stepjam

[Truck4 48]

http://onthejobny.com/gallery/apparatus/Classics/?g2_page=1

[EXDC203 38]

I do know that Yonkers bought these rigs due to a money problem..............they were cheap

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

The continenal compac's were a nightmare from the start. frame rails, motors 6v53 det. allason643 automatic all from GM. Then they bought cabs from INTERNAITONAL, They were the only one making the crew cab, same cab as RYE'S U39/PATROL 3 ?. with out the front end on. They pushed the cab up front and made a new fiberglass nose to make it look like a cabover. T hey made there own wireing harrness which caught fire many times. all the rigs that went to YONKERS passed threw PORT CHESTER as we were replacing the B model mack in 1980. They were slow and there workmenship was like crap. we bought a new mack[still in service as eng 62]. They were very cheap and that is why citys like YONKERS who were in deep money problems at the time bought.

[CPAGE 2]

I know that Newark NJ also had 6 or 7 of them (Engines) and a few up in the New England area also. Yonkers was the only dept to have enclosed crew cabs on them. Only the referb eng had the open crew cab the ladder that was L-69 was enclosed as well and it was an 85' ladder from ALF. I know of one still in service in Orange Co NY in the Kirias Joel FD I think it came from Essex MA before it's second life in Orange Co.

Hope his help's

Chris

[RWC130 594]

My neighbor is retired Yonkers FD, George Munson.

He worked at E307 or as it was referred back then E7.

He told me stories how the guys hated that rig so much.

They were happy to get a spare. haha

They didn't last long.

I MISS THE MACKS!

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

Somebody, won the UGLY design contest..

[R1SmokeEater 359]

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[R1SmokeEater 359]

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[R1SmokeEater 359]

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[R1SmokeEater 359]

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[batt2 145]

... and I am sure that Chief Dunn and the rest of the staff who spec's out all of YFD's New Fire Apparatus ...

←

While I would love to take credit for all the great work, I am not involved in the specification of apparatus for the YFD. That credit goes to the late D/C Chris Kiernan, D/C William Fitzpatrick, Lt. Tom Immich and the DPW shop.

The thread about the Compacs brings back memories. Kids walking up Roberts Ave faster than we could respond with lights and siren, air horns depleting brake reservoirs, bursting into fire while pumping, needing rugs on the engine cover so we wouldn't burn our arms and the list goes on. Fortunately the Captain of E306 refused a new Compac and we kept our older Mack. We heard that the city got 6 Compacs for the price of 5 Macks. Some bargain!!

Edited March 13, 2007 by batt2

[Stepjam 118]

Man, Roberts Ave......does that bring back a hair-raising memory.

When I was a kid (eight, I think), I pushed my bike all the way to the top from the Palisade Ave. side, then rode down the other. Looking out for traffic on Nepperhan wasn't an option, since my eyes were screwed shut by the time I got that far.

I didn't stop until I got to the Phelps Dodge plant.

Anyway, back to the Compacs. Someone mentioned that they strongly resemble an Interantional 4900. I didn't know what he was talking about until I took a really close look. They DO! Chop the nose, setback the wheels, and stretch the cab a bit and there it is. Were the Compacs fiberglass cabs?

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

THEY WERE 4900 CABS, WITH A FIBERGLASS NOSE.

[CAM502 6]

Man, Roberts Ave......does that bring back a hair-raising memory.

When I was a kid (eight, I think), I pushed my bike all the way to the top from the Palisade Ave. side, then rode down the other. Looking out for traffic on Nepperhan wasn't an option, since my eyes were screwed shut by the time I got that far.

I didn't stop until I got to the Phelps Dodge plant.

←

Holy bicycle riding Batman!!!!

[x635 4,066]

Check out this 1981 Compac Midmount Aerial assinged to Worcester (MA) Ladder 7

Photo is by Dick Bartlett, and comes from the New England Fire website Firenews.org

With that said, does anyone know where the Compacs were manufactured????

[attachmentid=2200]

Edited March 19, 2007 by x635

[Guest]

Check out this 1981 Compac Midmount Aerial assinged to Worcester (MA) Ladder 7

Photo is by Dick Bartlett, and comes from the New England Fire website Firenews.org

With that said, does anyone know where the Compacs were manufactured????

[attachmentid=2200]

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No, but I have a question: What the hell is stabilizing that ladder?!?!?!

[JBE 328]

They look like those old style screw down jacks.

[Guest]

Thats what I would have thought, but I see nothign on the side of the truck, unless something comes out of a compartment.

[61MACKBR1 222]

Here is a photo of the very first Continential Compac. In the late 1970's, a company called Continental began making a new brand of fire apparatus in Massachusetts. The first unit ever built was called a Compac and it began it's life as a demonstrator unit in 1979. Like every Compac built, this unit was equipped with a 1250 GMP pump and 500 gallon tank. In 1981, the company's first built fire engine was purchased by the Town of Essex, Massachuesttes and placed into service as Engine 1. It remained with that department for 22 years until it was replaced this year with a new Pierce pumper. In a somewhat unusual circumstance, Mr. Dick Barlett had the distinguished duty of not only delivering this historic piece of fire apparatus, but he also picked it up as the trade in 22 years later.

[CPAGE 2]

Call me crazy but I do like them I would love to get one for myself and do it up a bit. But I think they are all beer cans by now.

Chris

[grumpyff 1,159]

No, but I have a question:  What the hell is stabilizing that ladder?!?!?!

←

Look very closely under the middle of the truck. There are two small tubes going straight down to the ground. They almost look like they could be the handle to a hand tool, but that is the stabilizer!! The one on the far side has some type of cribbing under it. The stabilizers appear to deploy straight down from inside the truck, either some type of control/locking device inside the small compartment above it. Maybe batt2 could confirm this!

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

IF you look, the front small compartment door is open. thats were the controls are for the jacks.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Look very closely under the middle of the truck.  There are two small tubes going straight down to the ground.  They almost look like they could be the handle to a hand tool, but that is the stabilizer!!  The one on the far side has some type of cribbing under it. The stabilizers appear to deploy straight down from inside the truck, either some type of control/locking device inside the small compartment above it.  Maybe batt2 could confirm this!

←

That's an old stabilizer design from Maxim if memory serves me right. Maxims had that style in the 40's and 50's and maybe later on depending on the size of the ladder. I think if it was more that 85 feet then you needed the old down-and-out screw downs or hydraulics.

I'll have to look it up.

[Guest]

I could see those tubes, but that doesn't give it any more stability than the width of the truck and that doesn't seem right. I think that ladder says 65', thats still pretty high to such little stability.....

.....I guess they are out of business for a reason, or many reasons....