Images and information from Dave Fornell about some of Chicago’s Ward LaFrance fire apparatus: I recently came across some old files and found a few photos of one of my all-time favorite Chicago pumpers: the seven 1970 Ward LaFrance 2,000-GPM engines. What stood out was the use of Cummins NTF high-torque engines rated at 365 HP, which were necessary to power the two-stage Hale Q pumps. Interestingly, the five trucks delivered the same year had less powerful Detroit 350-HP engines, making these models quite unique in terms of performance. After the major snowstorm of 1967, these rigs were equipped with rear-mounted 20,000-lb hydraulic winches. Both the engines and the chassis featured this setup. Although Ward LaFrance had a reputation for inconsistent quality, these units were well-built. I was particularly impressed by the brushed stainless steel pump panel and the expensive, highly accurate Crosby black face gauges—something I’ve never seen on any other engine before or since. The design of these rigs had a short wheelbase but an extended body behind the rear axle. This style was later used on Ford chassis pumpers as well. Alongside the engines, there were five trucks fitted with 100-foot Grove ladders. Compared to today’s NFPA standards, these ladders would be classified as heavy-duty with a 500-lb tip load rating. In contrast, most of Chicago’s other ladders (from ALF, Seagrave, and Pirsch) at the time were medium-duty with only a 250-lb tip load. The Grove ladders were massive and heavy, too much for a single axle to handle properly. As a result, these rigs faced frequent brake and axle issues during their service life. The addition of a 300-gallon booster tank, pump, and twin reels didn’t help matters. However, the ground ladder complement was impressive: two 30-foot ladders, two 40-foot ladders, one 50-foot ladder, and a 20-foot ladder carried under the turntable. There were also three roof ladders on each side. I remember climbing one of these rigs during a fire where the operator positioned the ladder tip just 12 inches above the parapet, similar to how old wooden ladders used to drift down as you climbed them. But the Grove ladder was rigid and remained steady, even when the entire engine stretched a line to the roof for a better vantage point. The tip never dropped an inch, and the ladder didn’t bounce like others did. Thanks to some old project work, I came into possession of the original factory delivery photo negatives, which are shown here. I also included some photos I took during acceptance testing near McCormick Place. The rear views show the winch installation. Notably, both rear discharges had 3.5-inch boat hose threads, and the rigs carried 700 feet of it. When I was working on the West Side, Division 2 Chief Dan Lynch often called for Engine 113 to drop the 3.5-inch hose into a Snorkel when there was a still and box involved. Two photos show the Grove ladder in action. The first was taken at the Bedford Hotel fire on the near West Side early in the 1970s. If my memory serves me right, there were two extra alarms active in the city at the time, and no Snorkels were available. Deputy Bill Foley, who usually oversaw the shops, took command. That was the first time I ever saw two ladder pipes without a Snorkel at an extra alarm in Chicago. The second photo was taken during an extra alarm on the South Side, though the exact location is now unknown. Another negative scanned at the same time shows Engine 63 operating, so maybe someone can identify the company. Hope everyone had a great Christmas! ACD  Dave Fornell collection Dave Fornell collection Dave Fornell collection Dave Fornell collection Bill Friedrich collection Bill Friedrich collection Bill Friedrich collection Dave Fornell collection Dave Fornell collection For more information on the CFD Ward LaFrance apparatus, visit here or search for "Ward LaFrance" in the site's search field. Carbon Fiber Auto Body Enhancements,Lightweight Racing Car Parts,Automotive Carbon Fiber Body Panels, Carbon Fiber Mirror Housing Inamori Technology (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. , https://www.carbonfibrefactory.com