1962c Gar Wood LP-600 (long version, part 2)

[captain3648]

They may have been weak, but I think these were the most fun to watch operate. As a child, my brother and I always followed the garbage trucks on our bikes hoping to watch them compact. I remember how disappointing it was when we were out of town and they didn't use this type of truck.

[ClassicRefuseTrucks]

I could not agree more. It remains my favorite after all these years. I wish they were still around

[islandbill]

I remember following these when i was young and the driver took me to the dump to see it empty. They bring back lots of cool memories but for a rear-loader, they were pretty week. I saw lots of stuff dump from it that was hardly crushed at all...

[ClassicRefuseTrucks]

I suppose this was a problem with many trucks in the days prior to ejector discharge. However, the later LP-700 with the CDC system (full-eject) was a tremendous packer. The only problem I remember with those, as with the 600 shown here, was the sweep panel, which was still incapable of breaking down solid objects on par with slide-sweep designs. There were also driveline issues with the double-reduction chains & sprockets, especially as the trucks aged. (cont.)

[ClassicRefuseTrucks]

....The last 700 I saw finally got traded in when the sweep panel hooks broke off, and it no longer locked in place. The disgusted owner loaded what he could through the side door, then promptly replaced it with a Loadmaster 320. But a fun truck to watch, and still the fastet reload time of any RL made. I also remember that the hopper sill was nice and low, which (being a kid a that time) really appealed to me !

[islandbill]

Yea, I guess the hopper sill was pretty low because I remember one time the driver threw in a big wooden chest but the sweep panel stalled. He kept repositioning the chest and trying again and again until it finally began to break apart and I noticed that it was full of stuffed animals. He let me save them all and I was able to reach them pretty easily. That entire chest and everything in it would have been history in one cycle of any other rear-loader though. I remember it stalling a lot!

[ClassicRefuseTrucks]

Sounds about right. Our guy bought his LP700 used as a 2nd truck and backup to his original Loadmaster, and the two trucks always worked close together. If a bulk object was encountered on the Gar Wood's route, he would leave it behind for the LM to get later.