Multiple Toymakers Fire and Police Emergency Playset No. 49-59899 (1977)

While waiting for parts/pieces to come in for my Marx Prehistoric playset, I've been out in The Cave attempting to play catch-up taking photos of toys I've had around here forever. One of the first I pulled was this rare and unusual playset by Multiple Toymakers, the Fire and Emergency Playset N0. 49-59899 from 1977. My sample was unassembled when received but missing some minor parts. The set is in a plain white box (now yellowed with age) with simple line-art graphics and consists of:

-Large cardboard 'burning' building

-6 Fire Emergency Vehicles

-10 Firemen

-3 Police/Rescue Vehicles

-4 Policemen

-6 Emergency Road Markers (missing in my set)

-Firemen Accessories

The burning building measures 12" (30.48cm) H x 5 1/4" (13.33cm) W x 3 1/8" 7.93cm) D and I used it some years back as part of a 'neighborhood on fire' scenario on my old train layout. It's dimensions are perfect for O-gauge 3-rail train layouts.

I said previously that this set was unusual? Why? The odd disparity in sizes they chose for the set contents. The vehicles are all basically the same size at ca6 1/4" (15.87cm) - 6 1/2" (16.51cm) long. That means, the cars are just as big as the fire trucks! Then there's the figures. Most of them are 45mm but Multiple decided to throw in two 60mm ringhand figures with two sprues of fireman accessories! The policemen are in aggressive 'shoot-out' poses, the kind you would most likely expect to see in a 'cops-&-robbers' playset, not a burning building set. One person in the fb groups suggested Multiple may have based this off the old 'Emergency' TV show that was popular in the '70s and that could very well be. The tie-in could be implied without actually having to pay royalties. I haven't gotten around to shooting photo essays for all the individual pieces - and I may not this time with everything else going on, but be assured that if I do they'll get posted here. 'Til then - Enjoy! Opa Fritz

The unassembled set

The assembled set

The 'driver' doesn't actually sit behind the wheel, rather his feet slip into this hole in the floorboard

There are small clips on the fire engines to accept firmen allowing them to stand on the truck without falling.

A couple of comparison shots with Auburn vehicles. 

The fire trucks match up quite nicely, but...

...look at the size of the Police car - it's a monster!

Here's the building in my 'Bad Day in Marxville' series of posts I did back in 31 May - 6 Jun 2018

Auburn Fire Chief's Car - Green

Today on Fire Truck and Emergency Vehicle Friday we continue our look at Auburn Rubber Company's line of rubber/vinyl vehicles. We looked at the blue version of the Fire Chief's car a couple of weeks ago and today we'll look at the green version.  Like other toy companies, Auburn would make a particular toy in multiple colors and so it is with their cars (BUT as far as the fire trucks are concerned I haven't noticed anything but red trucks in their line).  The silver detailing has been worn off of this particular toy and it does show a pretty fair amount of play wear. In the last photo a Marx 35mm Fire Chief has been posed next to the car to give you a size comparison.  Enjoy!

Auburn Fire Chief's Car - Blue

Today on Fire Engine and Emergency Vehicle Friday we bring you the Auburn Fire Chief's Car in light blue. The Auburn Rubber Company actually began life as the Double Fabric Tire Company of Auburn, Indiana in 1910, but reorganized as the Auburn Rubber Company in the 1920s. Their first venture into the world of toys began with a single rubber palace guard figure. Its success led to an expansion of the rubber toy line. In 1953 they started to phase out rubber in favor of a rubber-like vinyl and by 1956 there were no more of the old rubber toys. The Fire Chief's car featured here would fall into the vinyl category being of a late 1950s design.  Auburn made a fairly complete line of Fire and Emergency vehicles - the fire chief's car, several types of fire engines, a police car, etc. A hallmark of Auburn was their use of silver paint to highlight details, a very nice touch indeed, but the biggest drawback is that these things got real dirty, real easy, and they are a bear to clean properly without damaging the silver paint.  Enjoy!