Odd Truck

[Phillyrube]

Picture is of an old Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) streetcar work truck. The upper platform is wood, so electricians can work on the 600 volt wires live. Notice the siren? I posted another picture a long time ago of a similar truck, with the siren clearly noticeable. Got some inquiries out on some railfan sites to see what the logic is.
My guess, it's a Federal 78. Philly Fire used these a lot in the 50s and 60s.

 

[FiremanSketch]

There's a great group/page on Facebook, Old Images of Philadelphia. Might return some answers there.

My guess is that the Mack chassis was probably used by PFD in its previous life & they never bothered to remove the siren.

 

[Phillyrube]

Found another one. Guy on railroad.net said the PTC had a couple of these, sort of like fire trucks, that responded to power emergencies.

(Looks like a Sireno?)

 

[FiremanSketch]

Interesting! Probably had a better response time than PECO

 

[Phillyrube]

Toured the Baltimore Streetcar Museum. They restored a BTC work truck similar to these, that also had a siren. Theirs is missing, so I refered them here to see if they could locate one. I also took photos of old photos showing a couple. I'll post them up when I get home, still on the road.

 

[Phillyrube]

Photos of Baltimore streetcar maintenance vehicles, with sirens. One of the tour guides at the museum said there was a firehouse like building under the church in the background, where one of these trucks responded from.



Restored maintenace truck at the museum, missing the siren. I told them to contact someone here I'm sure would be willing to donate a siren.