The Wide Bar Era

So the Code 3 360 is introduced around roughly 2001 and the Federal Signal Vista around 1998, at least from what I can find. But what about the Whelen Delta Independence series bar? Was this bar introduced as an answer to the competitors large capacity Lightbars? I've never seen one in person but I'm reminded of this sales ad that I saw in a catalog.

 

[JohnMarcson]

What always got me about the Delta was that they didn't really take advantage of the big bulbous ends. At least the Vista staggered the rotators more and the 360 used the base for three levels of warning lights. You could put lower level lights all around the different angles of the delta end parts, making a 45° angle on the inner and outer aspect of each protrusion. But on the top deck there really wasn't a whole lot of use of that real estate. I think the Delta could have been much more popular had it come out sooner and done a little bit more to take advantage of its shape.


-On review- The Delta's rotators are more staggered than I remembered, something about the design kind of creates an optical illusion of emptiness for me. I think it's better use of space than it looks like.

 

[C17LVFD]

I built a custom wecan delta. Full lower 500’s leds and 5 led rotators up top (I cheated and put SNM led rotators in) but it turned out REALLY WELL!

Def the brightest 48” bar I’ve built. Lots of customization possible. This bar I felt like was the response to not just the vista and 360 but the mx7000 as well.

They’re def unique and it was fun to work on.

Seth

 

[Master X]

I think they are a very unique bar to say the least, just seems that Whelen was a little late to the game coming out around 2004, but I do like how the independence has off set rotators like the vista. Code 3 never seemed to stray from the "rotators must stay in a straight line formula" at least not on their flag ship bars. I checked out some of @tsquale videos on them and boy are the rotators quiet.

 

[JohnMarcson]

I think they are a very unique bar to say the least, just seems that Whelen was a little late to the game coming out around 2004, but I do like how the independence has off set rotators like the vista. Code 3 never seemed to stray from the "rotators must stay in a straight line formula" at least not on their flag ship bars. I checked out some of @tsquale videos on them and boy are the rotators quiet.

The more I think about it, the more I think this was just a timing issue. Late to the game is probably a pretty good way to put it. The version of the Delta that had LED rota beams as rotators was pretty cool. I think it theoretically could have competed with some of the SLR rotator stuff, but by that point the form factor itself was getting outdated. Overall the idea that it just wasn't the right time for the bar sums it up well.

 

[1968]

I'd really like to see a California version of it. Could basically build an LAPD or LASD MX or Vista with all Whelen tech. Wish some agencies in CT used them. Would have loved to have seen it launched in the late 90s. I think a few agencies that had Vista's (expecially in the North East) would have used the Delta instead as Whelen is already extremely familiar here.