The Los Angeles Fire Department never purchased a "standard" piece of fire apparatus. Each bid the city sent out to the fire apparatus manufacturers was for a completly custom piece of equipment, at least from the early 1940's on. Back in the day, the larger fire engine manufacurers had their own brand of motive power (engines). Mack, America la France, Seagrave, etc., each used engines of their own design. The LAFD wanted all of their bids to be equipped only with Hall Scott engines, a straight-6 powerhouse with 900+ cubic inches. These were all gasoline engines. This was because more than 25% of the city of Los Angeles is in the foothills, and the big-inch 6-bangers did a good job of getting the rigs up the steep grades. Here are some photos the LAFD gave me in the 1970's, for a book I wrote about LAFD fire apparatus. Since the book was published in 1974, the photos only go up to that year. The photos below are rigs up through the 1940's and 1950's, with a few going back even earlier. Of course, the book sold for $5.00 back in the 1970's and sold pretty well. It's been out of print since then but I still see used copies for sale on Amazon and Ebay for $90.00. What a kick. Anyway, I've digitized many photos in the book, so have a look if you like vintage fire apparatus. All of the rigs in these photos, posted in no particular order, are vintage LAFD apparatus...
Other than the supply lines between the hydrant and the Pumper, this rig carried no hose. Two engines and two sperate pumps created about 3,000 gallons per minute to the Hose Wagons. And, where did all that water go? To this Hose Wagon, that had no pump but did have a monitor (the cannon on top) that was originally designed for a fireboat. It also carried no small diameter hose. In the bins above the 9 water outlets it carried the 2 1/2" hose in cross lays. This water tower was originally pulled by horses, but was eventually mounted on a trailer that at one time had an aerial ladder. Did it work? Yes and no. It did put out a ton of water up to about the six stories level, however it put so much water into the building that all the water collapsed the floors and the buidling just collapsed. Most of the Engine Companies in the LAFD "back in the day" were a two piece company. In this case, Wagon 82 (short for Hose Wagon) would lay a supply line from the hydrant to the fire, Pump 82 would hook up to the hydrant and pump the water.
The Jalopy Journal
