ALF 900 Series "Turbo Chief"

[fireguy43 35]

Here's a good one I found just wandering around. In 1960, ALF developed a design to link a 900 series vehicle with a 324 HP Boeing gas turbine engine. First one was an engine sold to San Francisco, followed by a 100 ft tractor drawn ladder to Seattle, Wa. (1961), and another engine that found it's way to Mt. Vernon, Va.. Note the large exhaust mounted over the engine compartment. None of them lasted long before they were apparently quietly returned to Elmira to be repowered with more conventional power plants (Seattle lasted about a year before being sent back). Why repower? The obvious....1) Noise, 2)Excessive brake wear, and, at least in the case of Mt. Vernon, the unusual exhaust stack that pointed up behind the cab blew flames against the firehouse ceiling every time they cranked the thing up!

Here's some pics:

Edited January 29, 2010 by fireguy43

[Turborich 12]

:Droooooool:

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

Here's a good one I found just wandering around. In 1960, ALF developed a design to link a 900 series vehicle with a 324 HP Boeing gas turbine engine. First one was an engine sold to San Francisco, followed by a 100 ft tractor drawn ladder to Seattle, Wa. (1961), and another engine that found it's way to Mt. Vernon, Va.. Note the large exhaust mounted over the engine compartment. None of them lasted long before they were apparently quietly returned to Elmira to be repowered with more conventional power plants (Seattle lasted about a year before being sent back). Why repower? The obvious....1) Noise, 2)Excessive brake wear, and, at least in the case of Mt. Vernon, the unusual exhaust stack that pointed up behind the cab blew flames against the firehouse ceiling every time they cranked the thing up!

Here's some pics:

Flight 900 Amercian LAfrance cleared for runway 2 niner ! SHUT UP HOLD ON AND BUCKLE UP we have lift off !

[fireguy43 35]

Flight 900 Amercian LAfrance cleared for runway 2 niner ! SHUT UP HOLD ON AND BUCKLE UP we have lift off !

the first two pictures were taken at Boeing Field in Seattle, the main Boeing manufacturing site runway. Can you imagine cranking that thing up at one end of the runway and letting it loose? Tillerman's cheeks were probably flapping from the wind!

[mfc2257 464]

Union Pacific was also using gas turbine power on land at the same time. They didn't last long (albiet longer than the ALF's) either.

Union Pacific Gas Turbine Locomotives

the first two pictures were taken at Boeing Field in Seattle, the main Boeing manufacturing site runway. Can you imagine cranking that thing up at one end of the runway and letting it loose? Tillerman's cheeks were probably flapping from the wind!

[mfc2257 464]

SanFrancisco's Turbo Chief