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| P.R.R. Fire Department https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=20625 |
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| Author: | museumops [ Tue May 16, 2006 9:39 am ] |
| Post subject: | P.R.R. Fire Department |
The Railroaders Memorial Museum is in the process of putting together a P.R.R. Fire Department display to be unveiled at our annual Fire Fighters Festival on June 18th. I’m currently looking for any photos or information on the fire department. I have a fair amount on the two departments that were located here in Altoona, but the one article that I found makes mention of the possibility of departments being located in New York, Jersey City, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore. This would make sense being that the two departments here were station #7 and station #8 so one would assume that there would be six more. The local railroad fire department lasted as late as the early 80’s when all fire protection had been turned over to the Altoona Fire Department. We do have on display now the last fire truck that was in service for the railroad in Altoona. I know of one other surviving Altoona Works P.R.R. fire truck that was in a private collection in Harrisburg, Pa. up until late last year when it was sold to an unknown collector. I’m also curious as to how many other railroads had their own private fire departments and how long they survived. Any information you can get me would be helpful and credit given to the source if used in our display. Thanks in advance. |
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| Author: | Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Tue May 16, 2006 10:33 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: P.R.R. Fire Department |
Neil, I have taken the liberty of reposting your query to a few PRR-centric online lists, including one connected with the PRR Technical & Historical Society membership. In addition, I will bring your query with me tomorrow morning to the Maryland Rail Heritage Library in Baltimore. At least one regular volunteer is also a vintage fire equipment specialist, and may have more to contribute. If the MRHL has any information on any PRR Baltimore-based fire apparatus, I'll do my best to find it. From my lengthy experience with fire apparatus, however, I believe you may do better to consult the fire-apparatus community. Somewhere buried in my stuff I may still have an issue of Fire Apparatus Journal (http://fireapparatusjournal.com) that covers railroad company apparatus. |
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| Author: | John Bohon [ Wed May 17, 2006 7:33 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: P.R.R. Fire Department |
According to Paul Westhavers book The History of the Cumberland Valley Railway this PRR predicessor was long involved in firefighting efforts in the Cumberland Valley. In 1877 they established the Cumberland Valley Hose Company in Chambersburg, PA. The town supplied the equipment and the railroad the building and volunteers. In 1902 the railroad built a new fire station on Broad Street. When a big fire occurred in a town served by the railroad the CV would load equipment from neighboring towns onto special trains and haul it to the fire. Problems occurred when the different towns used different fire hose connections. The Cumberland Valley Firemans Assoiciation was formed and worked with the towns to establish a standard fitting stiil used throughout the area today. I do not know how long or if this association lasted after the CV was absorbed by the PRR. For more information I suggest you read page 210 of Paul's book or contact the fire department. The last I knew it still existed and many fire departments in the area have historic equipment they use for public displays. This could add a chapter to your display. John Bohon |
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| Author: | museumops [ Wed May 17, 2006 3:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: P.R.R. Fire Department |
Loading Fire apparatus onto railcars and taking them to other cities must have happened on more than one occasion. I located a newspaper article from February 1904 and it tells the story of P.R.R. steam pumper #8 located here in Altoona being loaded onto a flat car, then being hooked to a passenger train with its men and being sent to Baltimore to fight a rather large fire there. Being from the fire service myself I’ve gone across town to give mutual aide but wow this takes the cake. |
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| Author: | G. W. Laepple [ Wed May 17, 2006 3:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: P.R.R. Fire Department |
When the city of Milton, Pa. was devastated by a huge fire in 1880, fire apparatus from cities as distant as Williamsport and Harrisburg was loaded aboard flatcars and rushed to the scene. The blaze destroyed over half the town, and by the time the special trains arrived, it had burned itself out. Nevertheless, firemen helped organize relief and temporary housing for the 2,500 or 3,000 people made homeless by the blaze. Coincidentally, the fire apparently started from sparks from the smokestack of the car works in town, which in later years became American Car & Foundry and still manufactures tank cars. |
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| Author: | Danska [ Wed May 17, 2006 6:17 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: P.R.R. Fire Department |
About 1934, I lived in New Ulm, Minnesota. It was winter, snowy and 30 below.. About 6:30 AM the fire whistle went off and we found that a block of 3 and 4 story buildings in the business district were fully envolved. A call went out to the Mankato F.D. (30 miles east) to send help. The apparatus was loaded on flats and hauled to New Ulm on the CNW. That was the first train that was able to get to New Ulm in several days because of the snow. The ruins were thickly ice coated and remained that way until spring. Danska |
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