Keystone Fire Station No. 247 1950 - Marx look-alike - Redux - Pt 2

For me the most interesting part of the Keystone Fire Station set is the Burning Building. Measuring 8 3/4" (22.22cm) W x 3 1/4" (8.25cm) D x 6" (15.24cm) H, it has a water reservoir, hose, and two 'flame towers' or perhaps 'fire flags' (for lack of a better description). The reservoir holds water which is fed into the Keystone Pumper Fire Engine water tank and then pumped onto the two flame towers. The two flame towers are designed such that when hit with water they are pushed back as in a target game. The photos below will explain it much better. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina

In this shot the two flame towers are hidden behind the front wall

The two flame towers or fire flags, or.....

The holes in the bottom of the dowels allow them to be placed on pins just behind the front wall, theoretically allowing them to move back and forth

The water reservoir

One of the flame tower dowels being placed on its holding pin

The hose leads from the reservoir and, when not in use, is attached to a plug sticking out of the front wall

Here, the hose is now attached to the pumper fire engine. The water would flow into the engine and the pump atop the truck depressed to shoot water onto the 'fire'

Just as in a target game, you aim the water at either of the two roiling flames and they are supposed to fly backwards. However, the holes on the dowels in my toy have become so widened that it would be difficult - also, I am NOT going to mess with water on this vintage paper and masonite toy!!!