It's A Small World After All: Empire Pumper Truck - Red HP

This is the last Empire fire truck we'll look at before moving on to a different toy company. This pumper represents a mash-up of technologies from the early 20th century. Fire apparatus manufacturer's were taking the upright steam boiler's from horse drawn carriages and mounting them on motorized chassis'. Empire's diminutive pumper is a somewhat later version in the evolution of pumper trucks. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

Here's a couple of toy example's which shows the marriage between upright boiler and motorized chassis in better detail

Road Champs: 1912 Christie Front Drive Steamer (my collection)

Auburn #500 Fire Truck with Tall Boiler (my collection).

I believe this to be a 1930's (maybe very early 1940s) iteration of the upright boiler pumper, however, I can't find any photos on-line of upright boiler trucks from that era.

The somewhat later version as represented by Empire and is similar to the Auburn truck above.

It's A Small World After All: Empire Fire Truck v.2 - Red HP

Using Kent Owen Sprecher's Toy Soldier HQ website as my guide, I determined he identified two different fire trucks as simply 'fire truck'. One was listed among the small vehicles, while the other was listed in the Fire Department Vehicles. So, just to differentiate between the two, I simply call the one featured today as "v.2". In real life both of these could serve as pumper or hose trucks so it's really down to styling. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

Bottom row, far left "Fire Truck"

Courtesy: Toy Soldier HQ

v.1

Middle vehicle: also "Fire Truck"

Courtesy: Toy Soldier HQ

v.2

It's A Small World After All: Empire Fire Truck - Red HP

We are now on the trailing edge of our small plastic vehicles series. This final portion will be covering firetrucks and will probably last another couple of weeks. I have already posted several Empire Plastic fire trucks in various colors so today we'll look at the same type of truck in an appropriate fire engine red color. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

Colors already posted

Dark Green

Light Green

Yellow

Today's post: Red

It's A Small World After All: Empire Fire Truck - Yellow HP

 Soooo, yesterday I posted a nice "Happy New Year' graphic. Today, I woke up with a head cold. Now the whole family is sick! Happy friggin' New Year! LOL

Here's the last of my Empire fire trucks but not the last of my Empire trucks. Enjoy! Opa Fritz