INDUSTRY: New Turbine Power

INDUSTRY INDUSTRY

On a test run, San Francisco's new Fire Engine 14 surged effortlessly up the steep streets of Nob Hill. On the flat, it accelerated from a cold start to 50 m.p.h. in 45 sec. (v. 60 sec. for older models). The new American-La France Turbo Chief pumper, which was undergoing performance tests in San Francisco last week, got its impressive pep from a gas turbine engine, the first ever used in a fire truck, and the latest of the expanding uses of gas turbines. Although gas turbines first came of age in turboprop planes, they promise to have a much...

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