Fire Trucks

Overland Amusement Co

fishnzit14903 Mar 24, 2002

I am looking for literature from the Overland Amusement Co., Lexington, MA. They built Crosley powered Hook and Ladder Kiddie ride Fire Trucks for amusement parks. I am currently restoring a 51.

Russ Fero Mar 24, 2002

Type in Overland Amusement Company on your computor. There are a lot of sites to go to, maybe you can get some answers from them. Just a thought?

k8zhd Mar 25, 2002

Looks like most of the hits for "Overland Amusement" are going to be for their roller coasters -- longer-lasting items than fire truck rides. My second exposure to Crosleys was in a hook & ladder truck at Idora Park in Youngstown OH when I was about 8. When I was in high school that truck turned up on the used car lot of the local Dodge dealer that I walked by almost every day. It was (to my car-crazed adolescent eyes) in great shape. I recall it had a rectangular dashboard instrument cluster. I still wonder what became of it.

fishnzit14903 Mar 29, 2002

Thanks for the remembrance. My 1951 Crosley/Overland Hook and Ladder Truck came from the Whalom Amusement Park in Mass. You are right about coasters being the hot item. Fire trucks are to tame.

chuckhk Sep 1, 2001

I now own 2 Metro Kiddie fire engine rides made by Overland Amusements of Lexington,Mass. one is Pocono Wild Animal Park--the other is Story Land Park.

Note: As far as we know there were two companies that made Crosley Fire Trucks. Both fire trucks were intended as kiddy rides.

The Overland was build by the Overland Amusement company and was a 5th wheel arrangement with a modified Crosley as tractor and a fully fabricated trailer.

The "Little Chief" was made by the Fly and Harwood company starting in 1949 it was built on and extended Crosley chassis with chain drive from the original rear axle to the new rear axle.

From what we have found from factory records they made one prewar fire truck for an Indianapolis 500 promotion and one FarmOroad Fire Truck to try and get interest for large factories and was never sold. After Crosley closed down and sold to AeroJet General it was used in one of their factories. It was found and restored.