What is it that attracts people to vintage fire engines? Is it the image of such vehicles dashing through the streets, sirens screaming, at speeds that for the rest of us would be illegal? Is it the memory of brave firemen (and sometimes women), who put their lives on the line every day? Or is it simply the bright red paint, the many chromed attachments, the ladders and the hoses, that help make old fire engines so fascinating? Probably all of the above, for vintage fire engines can be seen at collector car shows everywhere, as this restored Danish vehicle reminds us. My brother sent the photo from one of his European trips and it got me thinking about fire engines and how they've changed over the years.



I've never seen a horse-drawn fire wagon except in illustrations and movies, but I suspect those rigs must have been the most spectacular of all. They were not nearly as fast as modern engines (kids chased them on bicycles) but the sight of a team of horses galloping flat out, pulling a bright red wagon with smoke pouring from the steam-powered pumper, must have been spectacular, to say the least. Add the clatter of hooves and the cry of the steam whistle, and a spectator's adreneline would have been running faster than those perspiring horses. The above photo shows a restored 1874 Silsby steam fire engine during its annual pumping demonstration in Honesdale, Pa. For those who'd like to see many more firefighting classics, there's a wonderful museum in Phoenix called The Hall of Flame Fire Museum.

When I was a teenager, articulated fire engines were common in big cities. They were necessary because the ladders for scaling tall buildings were so long that a conventional truck couldn't be manoeuvered through street corners or crowded spaces. Even so, it was thought that a driver would have difficulty handling such a rig and so a second driver, or wheelman, sat high on the stern of the trailer, his only job being to guide the rear wheels, which steered independently. This required special training for it was often necessary to steer the rear wheels in a different direction from the tractor unit. If the two driver's actions weren't perfectly coordinated a serious accident could result. Articulated rigs still exist but the last time I saw one with a two-man team was in Manhattan in the 1980s. Perhaps one of our viewers can add an update in "comments."

Contemporary fire engines are, of course, more sophisticated than vintage machines. For example, the crew rides in an enclosed cab out of the elements, whereas, not so long ago, they stood on side-mounted steps or on the back, precariously clinging to handholds. Today I doubt there's a fireman anywhere who wouldn't rather be safely and comfortably seated inside the cabin. Oh, and as for the misguided person who decided that fire rigs should be painted in a sickly yellow-green hue because they'd supposedly be more visible, may he be doused with a gallon of "fire engine red." They don't call it that for nothing.

[Photo Credits: Denmark, Alan Powell. Honesdale, Peter Becker/Wayne Independent]