The Siren Board

Yesterday I met with Fire Chief Mike Roman and Captain Tomm Driver on restoring this 1916 Denver Quadruplex siren. This siren was purchased by the city of Grand Ledge in 1916 and placed atop the city hall building. When the fire department moved, the siren moved with them. This siren was refurbished in the late 1990's with new bearings and was used for a few years for special events. This past year, I was able to get in touch with the chief about displaying this siren, and he was thrilled with the idea of preserving this old dinosaur.

Unfortunately this siren has sat idle for at least the last decade, and she is locked up tight. Fortunately, the rotors appear undamaged and in excellent condition, and all pieces of stator have been accounted for. With the help of the fire department, we are planning to remove this siren this spring, for a full disassembly, repair, and restoration. I will continue to update this thread as the restoration progresses. but for now, enjoy these pictures, while I source a local shop capable of brazing cast iron.

Remingtoncountry wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:20 pm

Yesterday I met with Fire Chief Mike Roman and Captain Tomm Driver on restoring this 1916 Denver Quadruplex siren. This siren was purchased by the city of Grand Ledge in 1916 and placed atop the city hall building. When the fire department moved, the siren moved with them. This siren was refurbished in the late 1990's with new bearings and was used for a few years for special events. This past year, I was able to get in touch with the chief about displaying this siren, and he was thrilled with the idea of preserving this old dinosaur.

Unfortunately this siren has sat idle for at least the last decade, and she is locked up tight. Fortunately, the rotor is undamaged and in excellent condition, and all pieces of stator have been accounted for. With the help of the fire department, we are planning to remove this siren this spring, for a full disassembly, repair, and restoration. I will continue to update this thread as the restoration progresses. but for now, enjoy these pictures, while I source a local shop capable of brazing cast iron.

GrandLedgeDenver1.jpg

GrandLedgeDenver2.jpg

GrandLedgeDenver3.jpg

GrandLedgeDenver4.jpg

GrandLedgeDenver5.jpg

GrandledgeDenver6.jpg

Dang this is one of my first sirens I saw, thanks for restoring it! Sucks it'll be off the roof tho.

Can't wait to see it when the restoration is finished!
Wonder what it would look like in FD red?

WillamsH28 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 06, 2023 1:52 am

Remingtoncountry wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:20 pm

Dang this is one of my first sirens I saw, thanks for restoring it! Sucks it'll be off the roof tho.

A new department is in the works. The fire chief would like to display it and use it for special occasions. whether it would be placed in the department for display or on a tower for display hasn't been fully discussed.

Luke. Thanks for posting this on ARS. Going to be a neat project. There is something even more satisfying restoring this for a small fire dept. that will really appreciate and treasure your efforts. Can't wait to see how this unfolds, especially with the stator repair.


Will you be cleaning up that older replacement motor, or looking for something that is closer to original?

jerrylovessirens wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 06, 2023 3:40 am

Luke. Thanks for posting this on ARS. Going to be a neat project. There is something even more satisfying restoring this for a small fire dept. that will really appreciate and treasure your efforts. Can't wait to see how this unfolds, especially with the stator repair.


Will you be cleaning up that older replacement motor, or looking for something that is closer to original?

Jerry, hello and thank you for your response. Upon further research, it is highly likely the Howell Red Band motor is original to the siren. The company was in business in 1915, and their motors have been found on other sirens of the late 1910's and beyond. It was possible to order just the siren with no motor, so I suspect this was the case. I believe the fire chief is going to look further into city records, if not I may do so myself to see when exactly the siren was purchased, whether it came from Woodhouse Mfg or straight from Hendrie and Bolthoff in Denver, and hopefully whether it was shipped with or without a motor

I was informed by the fire Captain that the siren was refurbished when he joined in the late 1990's. I was able to rock the motor shaft at the added lovejoy coupling ever so slightly, so I believe being protected from the weather that this motor is in decent shape. I will certainly be pulling it apart as far as necessary to clean and lubricate it, so at that time I will make the decision on whether to rebuild it or pit a little lipstick and oil on the pig.

LukeH wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 06, 2023 3:00 am

WillamsH28 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 06, 2023 1:52 am

Remingtoncountry wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:20 pm

Dang this is one of my first sirens I saw, thanks for restoring it! Sucks it'll be off the roof tho.

A new department is in the works. The fire chief would like to display it and use it for special occasions. whether it would be placed in the department for display or on a tower for display hasn't been fully discussed.

Oh actually that'll be super cool. maybe I'll make it to one of those events and film it

Went back over to the Denver today to get a better assessment of the repairs needed, and dug some of the corrosion out to attempt to free it up to no avail, but I did take the opportunity to take a few more photos and soak EVERYTHING in penetrating oil.

I have decided getting it freed up in it's current state is unrealistic. I am heading back this weekend to begin carefully removing bolts to attempt to remove the heads and rotors as one assembly. I will soak this assembly in some proper solvent to help soften the scale and get them separated.

There is some minor cracking on the forward rotor where corrosion has caused excessive pressure, as well as some minor surface corrosion where the rotors have seized in the heads. fortunately, the damage is isolated to the ports of the rotor, and no cracking is visible on the face of either rotor. Both rotors will be sent off to be inspected, repaired and re-balanced.

Both stators have experienced cracking and breakage due to corrosion. Again, fortunately, all pieces are accounted for and these cages will be sent off for repair in the form of brazing. Unfortunately, I have to send a rotor with them to ensure proper clearance is maintained, so I do not expect to have both heads back fully repaired for several weeks.

for now, enjoy some photos.

notice the modern lovejoy coupling. i think someone has been here before

carolinasignalco wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 17, 2023 9:09 pm

notice the modern lovejoy coupling. i think someone has been here before

Yep. The siren was refreshed in 98/99, used for a couple of years and then sat. Unfortunately with the ports open, allowing corrosion to build between the two metals.