My younger Buff years

[mikeindabronx]

OK..How many of you Bronxites remember streetcars (aka trolley cars) ?. I can remember riding the one that ran on Webster Ave. across Gunhill Rd. to White Plains Rd.

 

[68jk09]

The Orange Hut....Broadway & Northern Blvd still there.... http://lostnewyorkcity.blogspot.com/2008/12/orange-hut.html

 

[raybrag]

OK..How many of you Bronxites remember streetcars (aka trolley cars) ?. I can remember riding the one that ran on Webster Ave. across Gunhill Rd. to White Plains Rd.

Don't remember them, Mike, but I do remember them in Brooklyn.  Then there were the trolley busses . . .

 

[tem217]

and the people who used to run across the streets and "dodge" the trolleys in Brooklyn were called.."dodgers"
....hence the Brooklyn dodgers....

 

[raybrag]

I used to get off the LIRR at Atlantic & Flatbush, then walk one block over to Pacific St. to catch the trolley bus for a short ride up to Smith St., then walk a few blocks over to St. Francis College on Butler St. (but go in the back thru the handball court on Baltic St.).

 

[johnd248]

Bad thing about the trolleys: when one got stuck, they would all be backed up behind the stuck one. There was no way to get around.  Remember a big snow storm when one got stuck and the line was as far as you could see.

 

[memory master]

And then came the electric bus with the pantograph.....

 

[XPFD3]

On the subject of trolley cars.  I am sure New York must have had them too but I remember seeing a picture of hose bridges the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) carried on their emergency trucks.  The hose bridges could be put in place and the trolley cars could run over hoselines laid across the tracks. 

 

[raybrag]

Something like this?

Photo is from the 1926 Ohio Brass Company catalog.

 

[XPFD3]

That is them Ray. Thanks for the research and posting.

 

[68jk09]

Not sure about the hose bridge for the Trolley's but the Satellites in the FDNY do carry a hose bridge for use if needed.....more so for apparatus moving nearby rather than general vehicular traffic flowing thru . 

 

[raybrag]

Something like these, Jack? (leaving out the railroad tracks)

 

[nfd2004]

I wanted to pass this on.

One of the retired FDNY WAR YEARS Firefighters asked me if I knew of anybody who had "Home Made Movies" of these busy years during the 60s and 70s. Apparently there is some interest in making some type of movie about these FDNY War Years Firefighters.

I'm sure that perhaps another problem might be is that video film would start to lose its quality over so many years, unless they had been put on some kind of digital disc. etc.

 

[mack]

1952 Harlem rescue -  FF Stan Hirshfield Ladder 40 rescued 4 year old boy with team effort. - thanks Chief JK

 

[68jk09]

I saw this picture before - WNYF?  Can anyone identify?

The lead FF in the extreme left window is Stanley Hirshfeld then in LAD*40....he Retired years later as a BC in BN*4 his Son Greg was a FF in ENG*289....Stanley's Brother in law was former Chief Of Ops Lewis Harris who's Son is a current LT in LAD*142 approaching 40 yrs OTJ.

 

[nfd2004]

When Linda Wells of Oklahoma heard about the kind of work those FDNY War Years Firefighters had done, she wanted to produce a video in their honor.

She dedicates this video to ALL of those FDNY War Years Firefighters who worked during the busiest time, in the busiest part of the World, doing what they did best. I have referred to them as "The Greatest Generation of Firefighters". Anybody who was there to see the kind of work these individuals did would certainly agree.

I want to thank them for all they have done for me personally as well. So many times they offered me their thoughts and ideas on how to do the job as a firefighter better. I can only say thank you for all you've done to help me.

I can also assure you that the people of the City of New York are also very thankful for the job you have done.

Thank you so much Linda for taking the time to produce this as well.

PLEASE NOTE: I have deleted the original video and replaced it with this one. I believe the other one had been hacked into. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCtRC7EfaRI 

 

[nfd2004]

PLEASE NOTE: I have replaced the original video in the previous post. I believe the first one had been hacked into. 

I would like to point out a few things at the very beginning of this video as the FDNY War Years Photos begin. This involves the first THREE Photos.

First Photo:
This photo includes a group of four FDNY War Years Firefighters. The member who is the second from the left is Retired FDNY Captain "Jbendick". His son is FDNY Lt Tommy Bendick, who is the owner/operator of this site. Some of the companies that "Jbendick" served in were; Engine 96, Squad 2, Engine 75, Engine 68 and Engine 23.

Second Photo:
  A black/white photo including a group of firefighters. Looking at that photo, I would say in the center is Retired FDNY Battalion Chief "68jk09". At the time of this photo, it appears to me that he was the Lt of Squad 41. Some of the companies that I believe "68jk09" served in were; Ladder 108, Rescue 2, Engine 332, Squad 41, Engine 275, Ladder 126, and Battalion 46.

Third Photo:
  This third photo was taken by our own "mikeindabronx", aka Mike D. This photo shows two FDNY members with a fire on the second floor of a travel business. As we all know, "mikeindabronx" is considered "Our Most Valuable Player" and currently with over 19,000 post contributed, "we can understand why".
  His own numerous pages of EXCELLENT Photos can be seen on his web site;
  www.fdnysbravest.com

There are other photos used as well in this FDNYs War Years Video.
Another name mentioned in some of the photos is Jay Walsh. Jay is also a FDNY Lt.

  These individuals were there to preserve this very special time in the history of the FDNY. Without them, this story could not have been told. I appreciate what they all have done.

 

[*******]

Thank you Bill for the post and a special thank you to Ms. Wells for the tribute. Again, sorry, but these years were the best of times but more so the worst of times. The best, of course was the men, the worst the junkies, the bugs burning out parts of this great city, but mostly the City of New York for allowing it, and allow it they did. As a Lt. in 50 engine 1970-73 as with all the units in the area we had a lot of work. Our busiest for many months was box 2323, Cauldwell and 160. The response then was 50-1,50-2,73, 19,42,B55, D6.  One month alone summer of 72 we had 17 all-hands or higher at this one box. The dispatchers simply called it "gasoline alley." If we were out on the air the dispatchers would come on the air and say "50 start out for gasoline alley, box to follow." One day returning from another box I see a column of smoke in that area. I asked the dispatcher "do you have a box for gasoline alley, we have a column of smoke that area." He responded', no. We said we were responding, a few seconds later he came on and said "coming in now 50, getting a lot of calls." Came back to qtrs one day from a 2nd at 2323, pulled up to qtrs, there was a relocated engine in qtrs. As we were walking into the FH the guys saw a large column of smoke that area followed a few seconds later on the bells 2323, went to another 2nd.Point, take a 100 streets away going South from Cauldwell and 160, make it Park Ave. and 60th street.  Would the powers of be have allowed this to happen in that neighborhood, of course not, but the poor at Cauldwell and 160 had little voice or little notice of what was happening, they suffered and so did the men and families of the FDNY. Bill Bode a long time member of L19 retired around 1974, died before he had one year in retirement, not that common but close for many others. As Captain of E82 1973-76 the indifference by the city was many years there and many to follow. The box there was of course 2743, Charlotte and 170, the response then 82,85,45,31,59,B27,D9. The picture in the tribute of burned out buildings in a large lot I believe was Charlotte Street. This neighborhood in the 40's,50'and 60's was teeming with people. Six and seven story tenements, H types with 2 and 3 families in apartments. The picture shows what the city allowed to be left. Here we had Gasoline Gomez. Every 8 to 10 days Gomez would pay Charlotte Street a visit. He wasn't bashful, would let us know that he was back. 6x9 tour on his visits he would set a small rubbish fire 1st floor rear of a vacant around 1900. Then around 2200 he would set a room going 1st floor rear same or close by building. Then around 0300 we would have 3 or 4 floor going in that or close by building. The "request for fire marshal response signal" would be transmitted for after each box, never had a response. How hard would it have been for the marshals to sit on a roof in the area and look for the guy carrying gas cans in the street at that 0300 hour? Finally God stepped in. Overhauling at a 0300 job the guys stretched a booster to the rear yard of the building for rubbish. They heard moans coming from under the overhaul rubbish, it was Gomez. He had blown himself out of a upper floor window when he lit the gasoline. Burned and broken up he survived. Beat the court case by stating that he simply went into the building to light a smoke and woke up in the hospital. But he never visited again.The busiest month we had in 82 was July 75 when we (with interchange and relocators) had 210 structural fires with 205 hours of structural work for the one month.  The firefighter pictured in the shot of 82 I believe is Willy Doyle. Many many years in 82 during the busy days. Hurt his back at a job and was on light duty. Came in for his check one payday. Told the guys that his back was killing him, if he didn't know better he would think he was having a heart attack. Said he was going lay down in the bunk room to let him know when the checks were in. When the guys went to wake him later Willy had died from an apparent heart attack, another war years victim. And again, take away the 100 blocks, would the city have allowed 70th street and Amsterdam to let Gomez visit every week or so, of course not, why then did they allow it in the South Bronx for 15 years. Again, thank you Bill for the post. If there was a picture of Willy Doyle laying in that bunk that would tell the whole story.

 

[1261Truckie]

Bill, thanks for posting the Tribute and the stories behind the photos.
Chief, thanks for sharing your memories.
Those years were indeed a "helluva" time

 

[imlost2you]

Hi Everyone and thank's on the video.
I am linda Kent And Believe This Or Not I Was in New York Around 1975 and was such a young firefighter that you older guy's sent me back to the firehouse. every time i turned around. grew up halfway in firehouse at Nicoma Park OKLAHOMA!!!!, And Nicoma Park Police Department, And TINKER AFB Oklahoma. Also And Not To Forget With The Civil Air Patrol (Bratt Patrol) Working Natural Disasters.
Hi Guy's