Another great C95 Mack

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

Ugly color but nice !

[xchief2x 79]

It was originally red and beautiful. Verplanck, Buchanan, Montrose and Croton all had similar Engines.

[nfd2004 750]

The Big Trend back in the day was Lime Green or Yellow Fire trucks. So called experts said it gave better visibility in both night and day, and threrefore would prevent accidents.

Cities and towns did what they said. Boston, Newark, Bridgeport, Yonkers, even the FDNY went with that color scheme. I even remember Boston spending alot money to repaint many of their RED rigs, to this new color.

I remember very clearly the very first city to say that they found "no difference" in the amount of accidents with these recommanded colors was the FDNY. Slowly, everybody started going back to red. At least everyone of the cities I had mentioned above.

Somebody who had made a name for themself as an expert, suddenly drifted away. The "Fad" was over, and the Facts were in.

[KJ8806 44]

E-127 loved that rig

[kingsferry 18]

This was a 1964 Mack C-95 originially desgnated as Engine 173. When I joined the department in 1972 it was still referred to as the "new truck"...

The very successful C-85 and C-95 were actually based on a design by Ahrens-Fox (Famous for their front mount piston pumpers).

Ahrens-Fox was, at that time, owned by the C.D. Beck Company (Bus Builders). Mack bought C.D Beck in 1956 and kept the tooling for use on their C model. With the pleasing cab-forward design and the Mack ENF 707 Thermodyne engine for a power plant, this truck was an instant hit with Fire Departments across the nation including the FDNY and Chicago F D.

Take a look at the photo below. Does it look familiar? It is actually a 1956 Ahrens-Fox owned by the West Hempstead, NY Fire Department.

Just a little history!

[FFPCogs 863]

Great find and interesting bit of trivia.

[AndyC3J 190]

East Rutherford, NJ still has an open cab 1955 Ahrens-Fox/Beck pumper. And, a friend of mine still (if I'm not mistaken) has the subject of the OP in his collection.

[BuchananBuff 0]

Ahh, the color may not be the best. It's different and it's Verplanck's characteristic. Nothing beats these old mack's!

[MESS11FOREVER 246]

East Rutherford, NJ still has an open cab 1955 Ahrens-Fox/Beck pumper. And, a friend of mine still (if I'm not mistaken) has the subject of the OP in his collection.

Edited March 10, 2014 by MESS11FOREVER

[SECTMB 612]

Briarcliff had a nice C-95 as Engine 93 to go along with B-85 Engine 94 and B-85 Ladder 40 and Engine 92 was a CF. Engine 94 was replaced with another Mack in '81 and that was the last Mack, all since replaced by other various manufacturers. Just the 1940's era Mack squad truck is left.

Still don't understand why they went out of the firetruck business. I would think just building for FDNY alone could keep a facility open and profitable.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

This was a 1964 Mack C-95 originially desgnated as Engine 173. When I joined the department in 1972 it was still referred to as the "new truck"...

The very successful C-85 and C-95 were actually based on a design by Ahrens-Fox (Famous for their front mount piston pumpers).

Ahrens-Fox was, at that time, owned by the C.D. Beck Company (Bus Builders). Mack bought C.D Beck in 1956 and kept the tooling for use on their C model. With the pleasing cab-forward design and the Mack ENF 707 Thermodyne engine for a power plant, this truck was an instant hit with Fire Departments across the nation including the FDNY and Chicago F D.

Take a look at the photo below. Does it look familiar? It is actually a 1956 Ahrens-Fox owned by the West Hempstead, NY Fire Department.

Just a little history!

Rig is actually Hempstead. They had 2 of these, well sort of. Approved fire apparatus on Long Island actually "stole" this design and started to build a few look alike engines, sold to LI area departments, one went to Hempstead. Legend has it FDNY was impressed with the Fox/Beck design engine and wanted to place a large order. By the time the contract went through Mack owned the design. Ahrens Fox buffs wonder if the deal would have went through while the design was still in Ahrens Fox production it may have well saved the company.

On a side note West Hempstead had a large Mack fleet. A mix of L's, B's C's and a CF at the same time.

[kingsferry 18]

Here is a photo of a 1954 C.D. Beck Bus. As you can see, this was the influence for the design of the C-95 cab.

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

Have not posted here in a while but ! That's not a beck bus that is a 1954-6 General Motors PD-4501 Scenicruser made only for Greyhound

Edited March 23, 2014 by PCFD ENG58

[chris498 31]

Anyone have a shot of the Verplank Mack when it was still red that they could post? That would be cool to see!

[spin_the_wheel 460]

Here is a good shot of the Approved Fire Equipment version of the Fox/Mack C. Roslyn Highlands 1957 model. The 2nd of 7 to be produced before someone told them to stop.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

Gotta throw my companies old rig in here as a comparison shot. 1959 Mack midmount 75' foot ladder. This was the first C model mid mount. To that point they were only on L and B models.