TowZone

I might add that I confirm the train is stopped at least twice prior to recovering a vehicle from the tracks. Just know that you are not going to save that vehicle if you place your equipment and safety at risk because you did not confirm the tracks were clear and the trains were stopped. If the train isn't stopped and it hits the vehicle, then it takes out one vehicle and not two. This tow company could also be looking at a legal issue as well for failure to report. That is a Federal Crime, the RAIL ROAD DOES NOT PLAY. The cost of delay of train could be high for failure to report a vehicle on the tracks prior to recovery. Every Tow Company if not fully aware of this should be and go over it with the dispatchers and drivers. i'm willing to bet this was a new driver who meant well and thought he could save that vehicle in time. Lucky no one was injured or worse.

The Two Metal Poles worked much like heavy gauge metal fence posts back in the day. Instead of dropping into a slot the round posts were slid a larger round metal receptor welded to another metal rod that held the two bearings, wheels and tires just like the dollies we us today. I am sure someone has a time line of dolly innovations someplace as I recall seeing something like that at one time. Kinda surprised it isn't on the wall at the museum. I remember pan were then added to the posts, then the two posts became one round post then one square post (As Pictured). The square must have been found to be stronger as we progressed to extending Bars and back two an innovation of the original design. I was thrilled when the heavy metal was changed to aluminum, although I have see those who overload their trucks overload the dollies till they look like a sway back horse and are difficult to retract. The earliest dollies I can recall using were on the super cradle I pictured in the vintage forum. They were similar to the picture above but the pans were no where near as deep. I don't know where I picked up the "teeter totter" method using Jack Stands as I do not recall seeing anyone doing it around here. Now I am sure there were, I just didn't see them and those that saw me were interested when I called it a "teeter totter". Like I said that was what it looked like and later I found others around the country had done the same for years. KInd of like when I did an "Air Lift" only that has numerous names. Getting back to the "teeter totter" method, some may ask how the dollies were loaded other then using jack stands. You picked up one end of the vehicle set the dollies, then moved to the other end to load for tow. When these early dollies were designed there were no auto-loads. he wheel lift systems being designs were certainly not auto loads. Now I am far from a Historian, for that we would have to look to Wes Wilburn. He can surely fill in the blanks.

A car was crushed under a tractor-trailer in Manchester Friday. Firefighters worked for 1.5 hours to free the driver of the vehicle. MANCHESTER, NH — Manchester Fire, AMR, and Manchester Police responded to Campbell St for a car under a tractor-trailer. When crews arrived they had a car under the back of a tractor-trailer which had a fork truck on the back of it. A passenger of the car was quickly removed but the driver was significantly pinned. MFD crews used jaws of life, blocking materials, hydraulic tools, and cutting tools in an attempt to free the woman. They had the driver of the tractor-trailer try to raise the fork truck which gave them some room to work. They called Eastern Towing who came to the scene with a flatbed tow truck who assisted in lifting the fork truck. Crews removed the roof of the vehicle and after 1.5 hours the driver was removed. The driver remained conscious during the extrication but was given pain medication to tolerate the pain. She was transported to the Elliot Hospital Trauma Center with serious but what appears to be non-life-threatening injuries.I Sources at the scene say that it appears the tractor-trailer was backing across Campbell Street to make a delivery of a pallet of stone to a house. The truck driver was uninjured. NHSP Troop G and Manchester Police are investigating. Incredible video of extrication and still photos RESOURCE LINK

A semi recovery vehicle towing a larger truck through an intersection Friday night inadvertently snapped two utility lines, causing a power outage at nearby neighborhoods, Colorado Springs police said Saturday. The outage began about 7:40 p.m., when the truck drove under low-hanging power lines near Robinson Street and South 25th Street, and snapped the lines out of the poles, police said. Century Link responded to repair the lines, authorities said. No injuries were reported. No Further Details RESOURCE LINK

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A train crashed into a stalled car and a tow truck that was there to help in southwest Houston on Friday night, officials said. A BMW was stalled on the train tracks at Main Street and Hillcroft Street at around 11:30 p.m. A tow truck driver tried to help the BMW when the train came and smashed into both vehicles, police said. The people in the stalled car said they were able to escape in time without injuries. "By the time he hooked it up and pulled off, the train was close. Everyone had to disperse. It hit the car. It hit both cars," said Rajshah Haywood, a passenger in the stalled car. The train dragged the tow truck several feet down the tracks. Officials said no one was seriously hurt. RESOURCE LINK with video

I know you'll never tell, but I have to ask. Is the Gold the MACK or is it Protecting the Gold? Now, that I look at it a second time, I see there is another Pot of Gold just beyond the trees.

I'll let someone much more knowledgeable than I explain the recovery mechanics for the split booms. I never used one, but they were for side pull recoveries. A Wrecker Driver/Operator would swing the booms, side to side then tie off on one side while winching off the other. Sort of an early day rotator or simply side puller.

Here are some more images found in the archives. Image supplied by LarryLange Image supplied by Larry Lange Images supplied by Townhooker who added: Here are a couple shots of my Fentron Wrecker. We bought the truck in Oakland CA, had it trucked to PA. It was a 78 Chevy 4X4, it was a great truck, we parked it in the summer and ran in during the winter months. It was rust free! It was a nice truck, liked the auto idle for the winches, was a beast in the snow or off road. It was totaled out Jan of 08 when a wreckless driver plowed into the rear of it while I was working a wreck on the interstate. I almost lost my leg, but the truck took a hard it at 60mph. I loved those older Chevys, was a good wrecker I worked it hard! Michael Myers said: They went out of business in the late 1970's. They started out being called the Oberg Hydraulic (twin-boom) Wrecker. The same folks who do the Oberg Racing oil filter. Then they changed the name to The Fentron twin-boom wrecker Mfg'd by Fentron Hi-way Products. They were manufactured in Lynnwood, WA. north of Seattle, WA. Due to the high cost of labor in the Seattle area compared with that of Tennessee they just couldn't compete. Michael Myers - 253.588.1757 ext 150 I'll have to see if I can prompt Danny Cassello into this topic as he has more images.

Michael Myers is one of the best I know is the industry when it comes to identifying vintage tow trucks. He said he thought it may be a mid 70's Fentron @michael212

The new system did not pick up on quite a few of the Owners from the Previous system. So, that was a reason for this topic. Some Owners who were able to access the Old Owners Den found they could not access the new one. Several have not spoken up and some who did not have a supporter status requested access. Those members were advised of the requirement, some followed through others did not. While the industry has slowed and funds are not at a needed level for any of us, I have decided to Open the Owners Den to All Verified Owner Members through the end of 2020. Access will continue regardless of supporter status after January 1, 2020. Though non supporters will be asked to provide this needed support, we all want to get back to where we were before this Virus Event took us out. For TowForce we have been hit more than once with the system change a couple of years ago. I see once this passes for business to return to all industries very quickly as the economy kicks back in. I do not see a slow return, but I could be wrong. Take Precautions, Increase Your Precautions as the next 2 weeks will be critical. Now is the TIME to STAY OUT OF ALL VEHICLES, Require the use of PPE. When possible keep your drivers out and away for the office and shop. This will reduce the risk of spread within your operation. Companies are getting berated for extreme actions, keep that in mind when a tow company reports they have been directly effected. God Bless and those Owners who want in the Owners Den add a reply here. Drivers are always Welcome to request access to the Drivers Lounge, they is no requirement other than verified company information. Understand TowForce Members can only access one or the other and not both.

I do not recall Charlies having a Super Cradle though I do recall they had several Early Cradles. There was one that sat in front or the Gulf Station on Poplar Level for years. I also know where one is in near showroom condition. I check on it from time to time and let the owner know I would like to retire it to the Towing Museum when he retires. If he outlasts me I sure home someone gives it a good home. This one pictured died in an Alley behind a business and was hauled away as scrap. I thought about saving it, but the only think left was the boom. The rest needed far too much work.

Actually if it did, it never showed it during the 18 months I drove it. We'll it may have only been on there for about a year. It was lighted so it could be seen at night. A company that made them for cabs made it. I honestly didn't care much for it, but it was creative. Sure, got a laugh from other Tow Companies!

The Owners Den is a designated Owners Only Forum. The Topics in the this Club Level Forum are By Owners For Owners. It has been a supporter level forum on Tow411 over the years. Now for the first time I can recall we are opening this up to a select number of Non Supporters for the remainder of 2020 Simply ask for access either in this topic or via inbox. See you in the Owners Den. Drivers there is also a Drivers Lounge that has never seen much use. Drivers have never been require to attain a Supporter Status to access the Drivers Lounge. Sorry. No Owners or Managers.

However, Do Not Become Complacent and fall into a false sense of security because the traffic volume is much lower than normal. There are just as many stranded drivers on the roadways. Truckers are being pushed, Drinking & Drugs are on the menu when Alcoholics find the bars closed and the liquor stores open. Social gatherings are still occurring in small groups. Some of which include drugs, then there often on the roadway. It only takes that one distracted driver and a tow operator to let their guard down. This occurs went not follow procedures which have been followed for months. Officers are not responding to many runs, that does not mean they will not respond to a tow operator in the highway or interstate. Since this does not involve social contact you my very well get them when otherwise you would have to wait. Use Common Sense! Use Gloves on everything, use surgical gloves inside your work gloves. If you haven't to this point, how is the time to start. This virus has not yet peaked and while you may believe you cannot be that sick. Do Not Take This Home with disregard. I have heard from several drivers that had to leave the company they worked for either on their own or were fired. The Driver Pool will be Huge when this is over and the best companies will be the ones that either had a plan in place prior to or when this began. Don't Stick Your Head in the Sand.... TowForce is OPEN no Social Distancing required and numerous topics are waiting. Take this time to get your fleet ready for action when this breaks and give some experience advise to those seeking it on TowForce. Seems we don't find the type of topics we once did on Tow411. I suppose that is because on other forms of social media the posts seem to go off in other directions. We need to get back to those days... Here are a few of the Topic Titles from the past week. COVID-19 Be Smart - Are towers included in the COVID-19 hours of service relief? Truck Struck - 03.14.20 (TN) - WreckMaster Blog - Does it really matter if I calculate resistance? Extreme metal fatigue with total boom failure - 2020 Florida Tow Show Press Release HERO TOWER - 03.16.20 (TN) - Blocker Trucks - Effective or Not ? ? ? Mark Yourself Safe Here! List Equipment for FREE this Weekend. Note: FREE Equipment Listing Extended through the end of March... Numerous YouTube and now TikTok videos have been added this week. Using Rims for Rollover Recovery ? ? ? ? - Is Too Much Sanitizer Harmful ? ? ? And Is Bob Watson at it Again? Welcome our Newest Sponsor Grime Wipes. We reviewed these at the 2020 NTEA Work Truck Show. Check Out the Video Here https://www.towforce.net/topic/8993-grime-boss-wipes-your-partner-in-grime/

The York Regional Police Homicide Unit have charged two men with ties to the tow truck industry with first-degree murder after a man was killed in Richmond Hill back in 2018. On the evening of Dec. 24, 2018, police responded to Barnwood Dr., Bayview Ave. and Stouffville Rd., for sounds of gunshots. When officers arrived, they located a 33-year-old man who was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The victim was identified as Soheil Rafipour, of Toronto. On Tuesday, police arrested two men with ties to the tow truck industry Mohamad El-Zahawi, 38, of Toronto, and Abdelaziz Ibrahim, 23, of Hamilton, are charged with first-degree murder. The investigation is ongoing. RESOURCE LINK