By Joanne Braun
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review
SEWICKLEY, Pa. — After leaving the only home it has ever known four years ago, an important part of Cochran Hose Company’s history has returned and is ready to work.
The Sewickley fire company’s newly restored 1927 American LaFrance fire truck will be a part of Monday’s Memorial Day parade in the borough, which starts at 10 a.m.
“It has been missed. People are always asking about it and wanting to bring their kids or grandkids down to see it,” said fire Chief Jeff Neff.
The truck’s appearance in the parade will be its second since it was restored. In March, longtime firefighter Larry Freitag, a 41-year member of Cochran Hose Company and a 30-year member of the Edgeworth Volunteer Fire Department, died. Along with Bill Scalercio, Mark Quinn and John Szakach, Freitag was a member of Cochran’s antique fire truck committee.
A few months before, Freitag said he wanted to ride the truck to his funeral. His wish was fulfilled, as the casket was placed in the back of the truck and taken to Sewickley Cemetery.
The truck now is equipped with a casket holder, made by firefighter Ron Karasek, who refinished the wooden ladders and repaired the radiator.
The company sent the truck away to be restored after it began overheating and problems surfaced with the brakes and tires.
“We just enjoyed using it too much to put it in the corner,” Szakach said.
The truck, called a triple because it has a 100-gallon water tank, 1,000-gallons-per-minute pump and a 1,000 foot hose, left Cochran for Ron’s Garage in Eighty Four for restoration on Oct. 2, 2005.
Some of the work included taking apart the motor and restoring lights and gauges. Two benches were added in the back so children can sit and ride.
A wooden steering wheel with aluminum spokes was installed, similar in appearance to the original wheel. At one point over the years, the original wheel had been replaced by a black plastic one.
“It would almost take two guys to turn the wheel when it was standing still before,” Scalercio said.
Real gold was used for the hand-painted gold leaf, some of the pinstripes and the lettering.
The “Penna.” abbreviation for Pennsylvania was kept on the truck because it was the state’s proper abbreviation when the truck was new. The headlights, handrails and siren are nickel-plated instead of chrome.
“We wanted to try to get everything back to as close to how it looked in 1927,” Scalercio said.
Sewickley Valley Historical Society donated funds toward the restoration, as did the former Shuttleworth Estate in Sewickley.
“It’s a tradition and ingrained in everyone here,” Szakach said.
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