A modeler friend suggested this to me, as he lived near such a company, somewhere in the mid-west. Many small communities send old or antique, beloved pieces of equipment to be fully restored for display purposes or for annual parade use. Newer equipment; damaged in traffic accident, from severe weather or at a fire scene, are sent in for complete repairs, to be returned to fit-for-use status.
Restoration Facility layout: Picture main in foreground w/ spur branching off behind (or in front, if it fits better) running parallel to it, (from either left or right, again, as it fits best) about 1 to 3 car lengths, (your call) inside fenced, gated property. Large, wide concrete ramp at spur end, situated so all incoming/ outgoing trucks can be handled safely. Ramp slants gently from flatcar deck height (some pieces could arrive in drop-end gondolas; be handled from end in same way) to ground level, allowing trucks which can still move under their own power to roll down safely and also allow large towtruck and/or forklift to handle severly damaged pieces in same manner. Main building sits parallel to and behind ramp area, with wide aisle between both. Can be wood, masonry f/glassor metal wall construction, to fit any modeling era. Large overhead door (doors, if facility has twin repair lines) at incoming end, allow entry. Similar door(s) at opposite end or side toward viewer at end, allow exit of finished units. Incoming parking area segregated into IN/ OUT sections, to handle overflow when business is brisk and/ or train is overdue for pickups. Small office is located at OUT end of structure, w/ small lawn, a visitor/ employee parking area, flagpole w/ Old Glory; maybe a beautifully restored hand pumper with gleaming brass
A MODELING TIP: All IN/ OUT apparatus on cars or parked in lot, could, if desired, be covered w/ simulated canvas/ poly tarps, made from small squares of heavy duty aluminum broiler foil, painted to proper colors. Threads, glued to tarp corners as tie-down lines, would help to achieve a bit more realistic appearance. IF you model older era (like me) and have some, too modern, out-of-era trucks, then tarps down to the wheels, would cover enough to disguise the vintage of any of the fire-fighting pieces on your rail cars and in the facility lot. …papasmurf
Very good idea for a facility that can repair almost any kind of specialized equipment, with or without rubber road wheels.
When driving through West Texas I noticed a number of places in the Midland-Odessa area which appeared to be in the business of receiving, refurbishing and re-distributing oil field equipment. Just another possibility for somebody who hasn’t collected fire trucks.
My logging shortline will have a few pieces of `woods gear’ near the main shop - coils of steel cable, electric winches (for high lines), diesel gensets… It’s getting near the end of the log-hauling season and that sort of gear has to be pulled out of the woods before the snow flies.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I had a similar idea: a business that converts stock autos into law enforcement vehicles.
The business would receive auto racks of stock autos from the manufacturer (these could be simply painted primer gray) as well as boxcars of sirens, the cage stuff they put between the front and back seats, equipment to convert the cars from gasoline to propane, etc. Then the business would ship finished police cars of various color schemes/markings either via auto rack or auto box. You could have a couple inside a garage area with working lights that are being tested.