Local Rubbish Service
Los Angeles, California USA

An album of classic trucks owned by the former Local Rubbish Service, of Los Angeles. CRT thanks Kathleen and the crew at Local for allowing this access to their vintage iron Photographs and Video by Bill Tetreault 1970s Medallion/Cougars Top-Pack "THE DINOSAUR"     This 1977 International Cargostar was purchased in January 1978, and was originally equipped with a Bowles body. About 1990, the original body was replaced with the top-packer shown here. It was purchased used, and installed by Spartan Truck Company of Sun Valley, California. Although initially believed to have been a Spartan-built body, information has recently come to light identifying this as having been manufactured by either Medallion or Cougar's.     The truck shown in the photos below was, until recently, still in regular service with Local Rubbish. On a visit to Local's facility in May, 2010, Zachary Geroux reports that this truck has finally been retired, and (sadly) sold for scrap. Rust in peace, Dinosaur, you were one helluva truck! Local Rubbish: Active and Retired Trucks First up is this old International Cargostar, equipped with a typical Bowles pullback type body. Bowles lift arm Bowles barn doors A retired Bowles half pack, probably from the 1970s. And yet another Bowles half-pack, probably of 1970s vintage. Interior shot of one of the pullback pack cylinders. Full view of the battered packer blade and hopper. Here's another working Bowles, with the later style "horizontal brace" type body which debuted in the early 1970s. This example is from 1982, and is fitted with the old style pullback packer inside. Looking at the end of lower horizontal brace, we see the tip of the right blade guide in its channel. A few feet back is a small access cover for roller maintenance. On the job, here's what it looks like inside after the first couple of stops. COMPACTION CONTROL INDUSTRIES (CCI)     Local's newest is this pullback style half-pack. This is a 2000 model, and still uses the classic pattern. It had been reported at CRT that Bowles was believed to be out of business. However, they had merely changed the name to CCI, which stands for Compaction Control Industries, and are still building these at the shop in Bloomington, California. CCI is owned and operated by Duane Bowles, son of Samuel Vincen Bowles, who founded the company and the man who may be rightly considered the father of the modern front loader.     This may explain why so many 'vintage' Bowles bodies have been sighted in the SoCal area. While a great many are undoubtedly old, more than a few are probably much newer (the bodywork is virtually unchanged) than had perviously been believed. Local Rubbish Vdeos 10/3/10 Photos and video by Bill Tetreault Logos shown are the trademarks of respective manufacturers