Heroes of the past (Oshkosh)

Rustyiron · Jan 30, 2025

This is the place I buy my cutting edges for my plows.

He has 100+ old Oshkosh, FWD, Walter and that's not including the Fords and Mack's along with probably a few other that I didn't recognize.

This guy came out of a rail yard in NJ. He said it was a 40's model. See the rail car coupler, there's another one in the back.
It's also a museum of some sort and he'll let you stroll around. I just drove around there today but only on one lot out of probably 3.
Sorry about my stupid finger in the pics.

groundcover · Jan 30, 2025

Bet those old girls have some stories to tell !

Gordon Gould · Jan 30, 2025

Think of how much snow has been pushed !!! How is it that they are there. Is it a specialize salvage yard ? Would be a interesting place to visit.

gg

Rustyiron · Jan 31, 2025

Gordon, Steve (the owner) is just passionate about the old iron. He just told me a little story yesterday about a Kenworth dealership who is repairing an old Walter for a town in western NY around the "lake effect" snow area where they've had several 4' snowfalls. The guy was looking for some odd wheel studs with some kind of flange and a flat spot for what he identified as an Oshkosh (no parts book or numbers). During the conversation the KW guy mentioned 8 spokes on the wheels. With that info Steve identified the truck as being a Walter, it's the only one that ever used 8 spokes. He had them in stock and shipped them keeping the truck on the road and solving a big problem for that town.
I believe that Steve is one of probably very few that is an "expert" with these dinosaurs. There were several trucks with missing front or rear axles so he must sell parts.
I bet you remember when many towns had an old Oskosh sitting around for those monster storms, and with all of the plow gear attached it pretty much makes them single purpose vehicles that when needed, there is nothing comparable in their fleet.
I see nicely restored (painted) trucks for sale in the $20-$30k range, what will that buy you these days! If you have any of these old beasts, you probably are aware of S.A. Mclean in Limerick Maine.

Gordon Gould · Jan 31, 2025

That's a good story. Sad to think about all that important knowledge and know-how of the past getting left behind save a very few like Steve.

gg

Hay Dude · Jan 31, 2025

Gordon Gould said:
That's a good story. Sad to think about all that important knowledge and know-how of the past getting left behind save a very few like Steve.

gg

Yep, now the only snow word being used is “snowflake”.
Thanks for those pics RI. That’s some really cool old iron.
Love the stacks cut right through the hoods.
I wonder if any of those trucks had air conditioning?

Engineer42 · Jan 31, 2025

Hay Dude said:
Yep, now the only snow word being used is “snowflake”.
Thanks for those pics RI. That’s some really cool old iron.
Love the stacks cut right through the hoods.
I wonder if any of those trucks had air conditioning?

My father used to tell me of when he ran a Walter (gas burner) for the state. The exhaust came out of the hood and muffler was on the roof. He ended up with carbon monoxide poisoning. But he said they were beasts with an A plow. He said the older ones had two guys in the cab, one to drive another to jack up the plow.

tude · Jan 31, 2025

Linn trucks were manufactured in Morris NY. My grandparents told me that their dirt road was plowed just once during the winter by the township. They got the Linn snowplow stuck one winter and it took them a week to dig it out.

they

Rustyiron · Jan 31, 2025

I don't recognize this Mack cab. It's a 10 wheel (6x6) wrecker. I think AWD is a requirement for his collection. There's quite a few Oshkosh airport type (cab over rear engine) of fire trucks, AWD of course. Perhaps it's the running gear that he's after. These are much younger, still cool but I didn't take any pictures of them.