Random Shot #44 Mack Pinnacles

A trio of new Mack Pinnacles at the dealer. The axle forward model has the more manly grille than the set back version at left, but there aren't many on the road. Unfortunately they are no longer particularly distinctive. Too bad. The big Mack letters from previous years are reduced to a more discreet label near the bottom - that's okay.

TRIBUTE TO OLD PARKED CARS

Old Parked Cars is one of my favourite blogs. If you haven't seen it you should. (Look at the My Faves list on the left, and just click.)

I know this isn't a truck - but it's almost big enough to be one. I saw it today outside my office. The last great Oldsmobile - the 1983-84 Oldsmobile 98 Regency. (I hope the snow tires will not be needed soon.)

Oldsmobile did make trucks at one time, and after Ransom E. Olds sold the company he went on to found REO trucks.

Wow.

Random Shot #43- the definitive rental truck

Penske truck rentals reportedly operates more than 200,000 vehicles world wide. So what is so special about this one? Nothing - and that's the point. This truck seems to me to be definitive of the Penske fleet. A sturdy cab/chassis from International and a well built box.

Penske Automotive Group owns car dealerships (about 150 at last count) and is a majority joint venture owner with GE Equipment of Penske Truck Rentals. The operation was the Hertz heavy truck rental division until 1985 when Roger Penske (famed for car racing among other things) bought Hertz out, but continued to use the Hertz name until 1992.

Whoever rented this one will be greeted by a parking ticket when he finally returns to pick it up - or did he just drop it off here?

Random Petes

Seems like a Peterbilt day - they were everywhere I looked.

The big black unnamed and unmanned Pete was sitting on Hollis Street, missing one half of its B-train trailer. Big mid-rise sleeper with pin stripes, and the 7" exhaust stacks -looks boss.

The pristine white Brennan Farms Pete was waiting for a load for Hartland, NB at the former Dover Mills (now P&H Milling) flour mill. It has a low rise sleeper and straight stacks,

I also like the Mac trailer (no relation.) http://www.mactrailer.com/

[P&H stands for Parrish & Heimbecker, Limited, which acquired the Dover Mill in early 2009, and have decided to post their own name on the flour mill.]

The third Pete was also a B-train and it tried to get in the KW photo - it would have been a worthy shot too.

KW Big Gulp

Atlantic Industrial has it new Vactor 2100 hydrovac unit set up on a bright shiny KW day cab. The 2100 is a combination sewer cleaner, with water jet and vacuum systems. Vactor is part of Federal Signal Corp that also produces Elgin street sweepers. (It also used to own Emergency-One fire apparatus.)

See http://www.vactor.com/

The City of Halifax used to run its own trucks for sewer and catch basin cleaning. With the combined Halifax Regional Municipality, they are also hiring out the work and Atlantic Industrial has been busy all over downtown for the past few weeks, following Hurricanes and other heavy rain events.

Atlantic Industrial Cleaners and Atlantic Industrial Systems are part of the Envirosystems company

www.enviro-systems.com

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Autocar withdrawal

After seeing some classic vintage Autocars on Biglorryblog the other day, I've been going through Autocar withdrawal. I did see an Autocar tilt cab garbage truck yesterday, but it was really a White in Autocar clothing.

Therefore it was nice to see Ace Towing's vintage Western Star with Autocar cab today. The set back axle, the cab, etc., looks Autocar, except for the hood.

When White acquired Autocar, they used the Autocar cab to upgrade their Mustang line, which later evolved into other model numbers. So when White set up White Western Star, they also used the Autocar cab. When Western Star was spun off it used the A'car cab too.

That cab was in use for about 40 years as far as I can tell - late forties to the nineties.

Ace Towing also has a dumpster hauling operation, and that is what this unit is used for.

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Ouch

CN Rail service truck #177215 was sideswiped by a CN freight truck on Saturday morning, on Africville Road, behind the Fairview Cove container terminal. The accident crushed a couple of acetylene tanks on the service truck and the HRM Fire Department spent all day watering down the tanks.

Fortunately there were no personal injuries, but the service truck looks like a write off.

CN uses a variety of service trucks to maintain rail cars, carrying carmen to the various yards and terminals for a variety of minor repairs to air lines, couplers and other train components. The trucks are well outfitted with welder, air compressor, small crane , generator and a variety of other kit - an expensive unit to replace. This one appears to be a Ford F-250 or F-350. Update: reported by a usually reliable source to be a Ford 550.

Photo taken Sunday October 3.

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