Brockway Trucks

RedMF40 · Feb 7, 2019

The post on Mack trucks made me think about my childhood obsession with trucks. I made it my business to know everything I could about them, and was always happy to see the odd Brockway, Diamond Reo or Autocar. The Brockways often threw me due to their initial similarity to many Macks. But the Brocks had a husky as hood ornament--not to be confused with a bulldog.

My brief research into Brockway's history shows that they were in fact bought by Mack in 1956. Production of the trucks stopped around 1977. To me, these trucks had a classic look even back when they were probably close to being new. Made in Cortland, NY--the town has an annual festival celebrating the trucks and it sounds like something I'd seek out if I were up that way. I'm providing a link to a site that has a lot of good photos of Brockways. I checked the official site for the preservation and history of the trucks, but the photos weren't nearly as good.
nnalert Brocks

ericlb · Feb 7, 2019

youll find some great photos of the brockways and their history online at american truck historical society

RedMF40 · Feb 7, 2019

(quoted from post at 08:30:34 02/07/19) youll find some great photos of the brockways and their history online at american truck historical society

Thanks, I'll check their site. The ATHS had an event some years back in the Baltimore, MD area. People came from all over the world for this. Since it was fairly local to where I lived, I found out about it by chance. Great display of trucks.

BTW, I posted this in Classic View since that's the only way I can insert an internet link. It appears there is no content in Modern View--just the topic.

Always an adventure navigating this site LOL.

Dan in North Houston · Feb 7, 2019

I grew up in West Virginia, back when there were more coal trucks on the road than cars. I remember seeing Brockways occasionally, because they looked so much like Macks, you had to look twice. Macks were probably the most common coal haulers, and if you had a Mack with a lot of chrome and an aluminum bed, then you were were living large.

D beatty · Feb 7, 2019

My cousin hauled steel for years with a Diamond T like the one in photo.

peteL · Feb 7, 2019

I had a friend in college whose brother worked at the Brockway plant. The union went on strike and Mack shut it down.

Welding man · Feb 7, 2019

Dan, I still live in WV. I used to do a lot of work for a couple of coal haulers. One of them told me, If you want to make money hauling coal you gotta have CATS and DOGS. IE. Caterpillar loaders and Mack Trucks but there were a lot of Paystars and LT 9000's hauling too. Never saw a Brockway

INCase · Feb 7, 2019

besides the hood and grill what differences were there between the Brocks and Macks?

unique franes? unique engines?

Brown Dirt Cowboy · Feb 7, 2019

ATHS.org been a member since 1985.

Dan in North Houston · Feb 7, 2019

Grew up in Elkins, not really the heart of coal country. I don't know whether there were more Macks on the road or Internationals, but between the two of them, that was most of the market for coal trucks.

RedMF40 · Feb 7, 2019

(quoted from post at 10:37:44 02/07/19) besides the hood and grill what differences were there between the Brocks and Macks?

unique franes? unique engines?

Couldn't tell you the technical details without doing some research, but Brockway was its own company since the late 1800s. Started as a coach or carriage maker, then transitioned to trucks only.

This is what I posted originally in Classic View:

The post on Mack trucks made me think about my childhood obsession with trucks. I made it my business to know everything I could about them, and was always happy to see the odd Brockway, Diamond Reo or Autocar. The Brockways often threw me due to their initial similarity to many Macks. But the Brocks had a husky as hood ornament--not to be confused with a bulldog.
My brief research into Brockway's history shows that they were in fact bought by Mack in 1956. Production of the trucks stopped around 1977. To me, these trucks had a classic look even back when they were probably close to being new. Made in Cortland, NY--the town has an annual festival celebrating the trucks and it sounds like something I'd seek out if I were up that way. I'm providing a link to a site that has a lot of good photos of Brockways. I checked the official site for the preservation and history of the trucks, but the photos weren't nearly as good.

Bob M · Feb 7, 2019

Very little in common between Brockway and Mack besides looks and corporate ownership.

Brockway were essentially "assembled" trucks using components from outside suppliers: Continental (gas) and Cummins or Detroit (diesel) engines; transmissions and axles from Brown-Lipe, Eaton, Spicer, etc; brakes from Bendix-Westinghouse, ect. AFIK only Brockway frames, sheet metal and trim were made in house.

On the other hand Mack manufactured virtually the entire truck: Engines (both gas and diesel), transmissions, axles, frames, sheetmetal, etc were all designed/built in house.

Note few Mack engine/transmission exceptions exist: Cummins and Detroit diesels were occasionally used. And the last production gas-powered Macks had Chrysler V-8 engines. Also we have a 70's Mack R grain truck with a Fuller 15 speed behind a Mack Econodyne diesel.

SARG · Feb 7, 2019

Don't know much about the trucks but I still have one of the 458 49G tractors they made.

Bob M · Feb 7, 2019

Back in the 50's, here in western NY virtually every town highway dept had 2 or 3 Brockway dumps set up for snowplowing/sanding .

It was a standing joke that a state law REQUIRED that DPW plows had to be Brockways. Amazingly a couple DPW Brocks are still soldiering on as farm dumps here.

Also local contractors used many Brockway 10 wheel dump and readymix trucks, tandem axle tractors on dump trailers, etc. - they were as common as Macks in the 50's and 60's.

Finally when I was in elementary school most of our bus fleet (7 buses) were Brockways - the lone "orphan" was a Reo(!)

John in Ct · Feb 7, 2019

For a while they used Mack R Model cabs but had different hoods, etc.

Keith True · Feb 7, 2019

They did use the Mack cabs the last few years of production.I had a 76 model 758 that had a Mack cab.The last of their cabovers used the F model Mack cab.I drove a gas Brock one time,it was the real Brockway cab,it was called a Wolverine.It belonged to a tractor salvage in Maine.

Mike(NEOhio) · Feb 7, 2019

Not the same company. The Brockway family built Brockway and Leader tractors in Auburn, Ohio.

formerly ny bill · Feb 7, 2019

the first vehicle I ever "drove" was a 1932 Brockway school bus that Dad cut down to make a hay truck. he would get it started up a row in Grandma gear and load bales off the ground while I steered. I was about 6 yrs old.
Brockways were made about 45 miles from here. there is a nice museum in Homer (near Cortland) with several restored Brockways on display. (Living History Museum) also has an antique tractor section and Homeville. Well worth the time to visit. My 504 Farmall was on display there 2 years ago.

JK-NY · Feb 7, 2019

You should try and get to the Brockway show some day. I have a 1971 Brockway I have taken to the show for 6 or 7 years now. Usually 100- 120 trucks there right in downtown Cortland. As mentioned there is also an awesome museum for Brockway trucks and a tractor museum in Cortland. When I was young Brockway was a common truck . My dad drove one hauling gasoline and fuel for years back in the 1950's and 1960's till they switched to Macks.

JK-NY · Feb 7, 2019

I believe Brockway usually won the NY State bid for trucks back then. The State DOT had a lot of them thru the 1970's. I also rode a Reo bus to school when I started school in the 1960's.

47fivewindow · Feb 7, 2019

I was between jobs and a friend offered me one driving a Brockway dump with a 903 comealong and two straight pipes and a 20 speed. If noise was power that thing would have flown. The owner had made a deal to strip the topsoil from a farm that was being sold to build houses. It was sold by the truckload with the buyer doing the loading. He had dirt running over the cab shield. I told the boss if I was pulled over I was going to get out and run.

caterpillar guy · Feb 7, 2019

There were a few around here. In MI they were not to common to see. There was a couple local guys had one. I think there was a guy that had a cabover too. Not sure though. A little before my time.

sms · Feb 8, 2019

I drove a few Brockways. Delivered two concrete mixers from the Philadelphia PA area to upstate NY, about a six hour ride. While bouncing along the highway I watched the screws vibrate out of the dashboard, big trucks don't ride well empty

RedMF40 · Feb 8, 2019

(quoted from post at 17:59:20 02/07/19) You should try and get to the Brockway show some day. I have a 1971 Brockway I have taken to the show for 6 or 7 years now.

Thanks, it's possible I can make it up that way. Sometimes head to Montreal and I could time it so that I'm there for your festival. I see it's in August. What model truck do you have--road tractor or something else? I'd like to see it.

JK-NY · Feb 8, 2019

Yes the show is in early August, not sure of date. Look up Brockway parade on U-tube and you can see
the trucks. There's several years of the show and parade on u-tube. I have a single axle model 361 road
tractor- it's on several of the videos ,along with some real sharp trucks.

Brockway Trucks

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