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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:22 pm Post subject: 'CITY OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION' |
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I was fortunate enough to have grown up in New York City at a time when its Sanitation Department had the most interesting equipment not the least of which being their famed fleet of 1933 Autocar Model 'UT' (COE) collection and street flusher trucks which I will showcase later in this thread.
But, just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about and why I was so captivated, take a gander at two of the toughest trucks in their early arsenal below;
Pictured in two poses with the first being fleet # 108 in a family portrait and the second being fleet # 103 showing off its muscle with only one of its massive twin winches ready for action are mid thirties chassis by the Ward La France Truck Corporation of Elmira, New York (a one time premiere manufacturer of fire apparatus) and wrecker bodies by E. Holmes, Inc. of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
These massive vehicles were said to have been purchased for the purpose of removing illegally park cars from city streets but I would have to say that that would have been overkill!
Of note are the coils forward of the radiators in which circulated oils for the hydraulic cylinders were cooled.
Ward La France followed a heavily supported engine forward design also used by FWD, Oshkosh and Walter which served as a counterbalance for what weight had to be lifted by its winches.
Upper photo from the New York Bureau of the Chicago Tribune Archive.
Lower photo from the T. Brad Duncan Collection and used for educational purposes only.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
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Jimbo
Age: 73 Joined: 13 Apr 2010 Posts: 192 Location: Greenport, NY
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Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:01 am Post subject: |
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What a "beast" !! |
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shortlineMCI
Age: 54 Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 241
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Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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Good god man!! lol!! A beauty contest will win it will not! I'd hate to see this thing in my rear view mirror. I'm talking about the RR mirror in my bus! lol!! |
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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As far back as the early part of the twentieth century, New York City health and sanitation officials agreed that flushing their streets and highways with water under great pressure did far more to eliminate the possibility of disease than did hand or mechanical broom sweeping.
Some prototype New York street flusher equipment was moderately successful, but it wasn't until 1933 and the introduction of Autocar's heavy duty COE chassis model "UT" in combination with a 3000 gallon 'Heil' storage tank and a high pressure centrifugal pump, similar to those used in fire apparatus, that the art of thorough street washing became a reality.
Pictured below is one of 450 1933 Autocar Model UT's delivered to the City of New York Department of Sanitation and divided proportionately between the five boroughs.
Through a series of levers at the hand of the driver, water could be channeled to nozzles in virtually any direction and, so as not to waste the versatility of these impressive vehicles off season, they doubled as snow plows during the winter months.
Had it not been for the water shortages of the early sixties, these workhorses would probably still be easily meeting their assigned tasks.
Photo courtesy of the New York City archives.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
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JimmiB
Age: 81 Joined: 19 Apr 2011 Posts: 516 Location: Lebanon, PA
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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Of course, here in PA. Dutch Country, we call them spritzers. |
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Q65A
Age: 66 Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 1771 Location: Central NJ
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Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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Great DSNY pics, Mr. L; thanks!!!
As a kid from Flushing (not intended as a pun to go with that A-Car flusher shown above) I had many chances to observe DSNY vehicles during the 1960's and beyond. At the corner of 162nd Street & 71st Avenue, awaiting the arrival of the pale green and cream school bus (a mid-50's International with a Superior Coach body, operated by Childrens Bus Service Inc.) I closely observed the following vehicles:
1. QTC's TDH-5106's (in orange & cream)
2. QTC's TDH-5301's (brand-spanking new in shiny silversides and orange roof/belt/wheels)
3. DSNY's mid-1950's International R-series refuse trucks.
These gas-powered 4x2 rigs were painted light grey, then eventually were repainted a very pale yellow sometime in the mid-60's. Unlike the rear-loading compactor bodies that were mounted almost universally on the bigger dark green rigs used by the "private carters", most DSNY rigs mounted special bodies equipped with a narrow conveyor like rear end assemblies. I later came to learn (from my favorite uncle who worked for DSNY for over 30 years) that these DSNY trucks were called "escalator compactors", built by City Tank Works in Corona NY (suggesting that "Buy NY" is not a new concept limited to procurement of new transit buses). DSNY vehicles of that era were identified using a 7-digit numbering system. The first 3 numerals designated vehicle type, while the final 4 digits was the fleet number for that particular vehicle.
Escalator compactors were designated "252-XXXX", thus one of the regular DSNY trucks seen on my street was identified as 252-1378.
My uncle taught me about Autocar street flushers, Ward LaFrance escalators, IH packers and "Dempsey Dumpsters" and "Wayne brooms" (motorized street sweepers now mfd. by Elgin).
One day my uncle told me we were going on a "field trip" to visit the DSNY District 54 Garage, located just off Grand Ave. in Maspeth. He knew theguys assigned there, and after introducing me to them, I was given the chance to climb into any rig on the floor. Wow! My uncle wasn't too woried about me playing "sanit man" in any truck except when I managed to hoist myself aboard a huge cabover wrecker (the manufacturer of which I never knew), at which time he warned me, "Don't touch anything on this one!"
My uncle arranged for a number of other DSNY visits, and I came to acknowledge "garbagemen" as down to earth, hard-working family guys who always had time to help a little kid learn something about "the job".
I'm sure my life-long passion for big trucks and machinery in general were ignited by these very pleasant childhood experiences.
There is a great refuse truck fan website (I think it may be www.classicrefusetrucks.com. I'll research this point and confirm later.)
One more historical tidbit: DSNY once had their own museum! Located at 122 Duffield Street (just off Tillary St. in Downtown Brooklyn) it was a great way for kids (and adults) to learn about how millions of pounds of waste were handled in NYC way before the terms "recycling", "sustainability", or "solid waste management" even were invented.
Hope my uncle rests in peace (he passed away at the age of 62, shortly after his retirement from the DSNY).
Thanks for letting me reminisce!!! |
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Q65A
Age: 66 Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 1771 Location: Central NJ
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Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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That link referenced above actually is the right one (at my age I can't always be sure; just ask my wife!!!).
Check out the pics at this link about the CityTank "Roto-Pak": http://www.classicrefusetrucks.com/albums/RP/RP02.html
This is the beloved "escalator compactor".
Enjoy! |
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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Bob,
Here's an Autocar Model 'UT' with your escalator compactor body and in full demonstration (before plow riggings) at what was then North Beach Airport (now LaGuardia) on Flushing Bay.
The escalator system was very efficient but had a couple of drawbacks;
In order to completely empty the garbage pails, the collectors had to bang them vigorously against the mouth of the conveyor which could not only awaken the dead at five o'clock in the morning but served to destroy one pail after the next.
We were going through dozens of pails a year until my father wised up and bought heavy industrial containers with iron rings at the top and bottom - they lasted a bit longer!
But, they were still the good old days!
Photo courtesy of the New York City Archives.
Regards,
Mr. 'L'
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Q65A
Age: 66 Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 1771 Location: Central NJ
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Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 6:04 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Mr. L!
I personally don't have any recollections of these early Autocar COE's.
I do remember that DSNY had some cab-over Autocars fitted with medium height steel bodies equipped with barn-style rear doors. They also might have had rear mounted hydraulic lifts as well. Called a "house truck" in DSNY parlance, these rigs were used to pick up household bulk items, such as large appliances, auto parts, etc.
Recent history hasn't been uniformly kind to the Autocar name.
Most of A-Car's miseries appear to have stemmed from their having been acquired by The White Motor Company in 1953.
For many years, White was a formidable US and Canadian truck maker, but by 1980 they were in very bad shape, so much so that Volvo finally bought them in 1981.
The A-Car name survived, more via "badge engineering" (i.e. A-Car nameplate affixed to a Volvo hood), then the brand name was sold.
Autocar Trucks LLC (Hagerstown IN) is still active, as a builder of low cabovers, terminal tractors and specialized rigs. They have been a player in the heavy refuse rig market, although Mack by far is the dominant force with refuse haulers.
Check out www.autocartrucks.com for more info on the modern-day A-Car. |
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Q65A
Age: 66 Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 1771 Location: Central NJ
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 2:50 am Post subject: |
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Bob,
There are loads (not a pun) of refuse trucks out here carrying the original 'Autocar' trademark and their home website seems to indicate that that is now one of their specialties.
BTW; The Autocar Company, originally of Ardmore, Pennsylvania, is reputed to be one of the oldest names in the business and introduced its first model in 1897.
Pictured below is the DSNY 'House Truck' model that you mention and, in this case, is flagged as part of their 'Night Squad' because they worked through the late hours collecting bulk items.
The chassis on these jobs was a late thirties GMC COE and the open topped bodies did have the 'barn door' arrangement in the rear as well as three sizable hatches on each side.
Of note are the twin rear windows in the cab and the semaphore directional signals.
Photo taken in Rockaway, New York in 1940 and is courtesy of the New York City Archives.
Regards,
Mr. 'L'
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ripta42 Site Admin
Age: 45 Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 1035 Location: Pawtucket, RI / Woburn, MA
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Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:57 am Post subject: |
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On the subject of "interesting" Sanitation equipment, this was parked in a private driveway near Pelham Bay back in 2004:
I was told it was originally NYCTA 8005, a 1966 5303. |
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 2:59 am Post subject: |
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Turning back the clock on Mr. 'L's time machine a couple of notches further to the very beginning of the twentieth century, we see what might be among one of the first pieces of street flushing equipment ever used by the City of New York Department of Sanitation and possibly anywhere else!
Pulled by a two horse team somewhere in Manhattan is fleet # 9 - a mechanical street washer complete with sprayers and a squeegee/roller at the rear.
I would say that if this unit has pumping action at all it's probably tied to the movement of the wheels with water fed by gravity from a tank over which the driver sits and, if that's the case, the faster the vehicle moves the stronger the water stream.
Of note is the piece of fire hose hanging from the rear of the tank used for hydrant refills.
Photo courtesy of the New York City Archives.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, New York
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