The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-14
TROLLEY FIRE ENGINE,
They May Become Popular in COun'
try Places.
Local Experience In the Scheme-Ma-
chimes Being Built at Springfield.

chimes Being Built at Springfield.
A trolley fire engine ia the latest
schsme. While it can be used in any city
where there is q trolley service, it is
primarily intended for use in suburban
districts reached from cities by trolley
systems II often happens that tire breaks
out in outlying districts, and the flames
soon get beyond the control OF the local
department, and aid has to te summoned
from the nearet cities. 1t also happens
at times that the point ut which the
engines are most needed In situated on
some steep hill, or In some out of the
way place, where 1t would take a great
deal Of valuable time to get heavy city
engine TO the spot, II dependent only
upon horses for motive power.
Rough country roads, bout which little
IL known by the city department dri, srs,
aud hills have always been a source of
dread to irsmen belonging to depsrt-
ments subject to calls from outlying dis
tricts, and more than once an engine or
truck Fastening from the city,i In response
to q call for aid from some nearby town,
has been ditched and rendered useless
through bad roads and the ignorance of
the drivers concerning the locslities
through which they must necessarily 60
in order to reach the scene OF the fire.
Hills and rough roads, however, are no
bar to trolley spesd once the rails are
laid, and q fire engine mounted on a
truck riding over trolley rails is in no
danger of being upset by wsshou in the
road, or being delayed by long bills, or
by getting on the wrong road.
The city of Spring field Mass, was the
first to conceive Of this trolly service in
connection with the tre department, ard
an order was placed for Q fire engine
which could be mounted-at a moments
notice upon truck and run out over the
trolley lines to any point reached by that
system.
In accordance with this order such an
engine and truck are now being con-
structed for use in and around Spring
field. The engine itself in no material
repect differs from any other fire engine.
it being only in the method of carrying
it over the trolley system that its unique
features are apparent. II is constructed
with the greatest simplicity consistent
with strength and rapidity OF handling.
Two trucks sucn as are in common use
on every trolley system, are tttei with
motors and pair of carrying beams.
These carrying beams are sim ply two
parallel beams Of steel, which rest on sup
ports raised slightly above the body of
the trucks. 1he beams are placed so that
they are just outside the wheels of the
engine, thus giving the apparatus room to
be backed into place between them.
These beams run just beneath the nubs
of the engine wheels, and In them are
semi-circular rests for the hubs to ut into.
so that they may be let down in the form
of an adjustable leg, the object of which
is to support the carrying beams when
the front truck is withdrawn.
When there is a call for an zine to
some distant locality through which runs
a trolley line, the pins which sttach the
carrying beams to the front truck are
WltnurHWD, tbe lroHt lTuck Iollou out OF
the way. .and the carrying beams separated
after which the adjustable iegs are
dropped to support the beams and the
engi ne backed into place. The forward
truck Is then run into place and the
beams returned 10 their proper position.
the hubs of the engine being at the same
time placed within the .slipes. After the
coupling pins are in position me engine
is raised bv means OF four Norton jacks to
a height OF four inches above tho level of
the tracks and is then ready to start over
the trolley line.
The trucks ere fitted with their own
motors and can carry the engine, or the
whole affair may be attached TO On urdi.
nary trolley car or engine. Each truck IL
braked by'i,self, and every prccaution is
taken to avoid the possibility Of accident.
Once near the scene of the fire II Is the
work of but a few seconds 10 lower the
~ gine to the ground by means OF the
jacks, uncouple the front truck, drop the
csrryinc beams, and run the engine out
into position. should the trolley lire not
run siiicieptly near the fire. TO allow the
engine to be u'ed with effect, horses are
easily obtninable from the local depart
men,.