White Plains Station 2 1972

[pjm1733 22]

me & dave every other window

[tommyguy 104]

Sorry I missed this when it was first put up. That takes me back. The old Westchester Street Transportation Company bus garage. Back then the street in front wasn't even called Ferris Avenue like today. Back then it was John Street I think?

Would you say the area has changed a bit?

[tommyguy 104]

Here's an interesting image from the same Google Streetview as above. These are dated one year ago (Oct. 2012) and look what company is in the bay at Station 2. Engine 71 from Station 7 on North Street. Guess WPFD was a little busy that day.

[tommyguy 104]

It occured to me that some people might not know, that the old Westchester Street Transportation Co. bus garage and White Plains Fire Department Station Two are the same building. The gutted and abandoned bus garage in the first photo was gutted and rebuilt into today's Station Two. I believe the south end of the building was or is used by WPFD maintenance people.

Btw, about twenty-five years ago there was an embarrassing mishap at Station Two. A friend of mine, Victor Price, was working as a FF assigned to Engine 66 quartered in Station 2. One night an alarm came in about 3 AM. The driver of Eng. 66 took out the bay door by moving the engine forward before the door was opened. What happened was, the driver heard the door's motor go on, run and then shut off. However it had not engaged the door. He put the rig in gear -- it was one of the Maxims -- and started to pull out (obviously without looking for some reason) and bam!.

Like I say, very embarrassing!

[x635 4,066]

Thanks for sharing some of the history of the station!

Did this station replace a station, or was it a new station when it was opened? And what year was that, and what companies did it originally house?

[tommyguy 104]

I can take a crack at this question about the station's history.

The current Station 2 replaced the former Station 2 in about 1980. The former station was located several blocks east at Hamilton Avenue & North Lexington Avenue and was within an Urban Renewal zone. The old Station 2 was a real classic firehouse in appearance. It was a 2-story, 2-bay house of tan brick construction. A couple of WPFD FFs I knew who were assigned there when the move was made said there were some maintenance issues with the old house. I especially remember them complaining the heat was not too good in the winter. They were happy about the move.

The same two companies were moved, Eng 66 and Truck 33. Later, I don't recall the exact date but during the 1990s I think, Eng 68 was moved to Station 2. Eng 68 was originally quartered at Station 4 at South Lexington Avenue near Maple Avenue. The company was moved in order to close Station 4 as an active firehouse.

Engine 68 is now OOS. This took place within the past five years I would say.