Brockway Motor Company was a builder of custom heavy-duty trucksinCortland, New York, from 1912 to 1977.
It was founded as Brockway Carriage Works in 1875 by William Brockway. His son George Brockway later turned the carriages into a truck manufacturer in 1909. The first trucks were high-wheelers. During World War I, Brockway built 587 Class B Liberty Trucks for the military. After the war they produced a new range from 1-ton to 5-tons.
They began with Continental engines but switched to Wisconsin in 1925. They bought the Indiana Truck Corporation in 1928 but were forced to sell it to White Motor Company in the early years of the Great Depression. A new range, the V1200 was offered from 1934 to 1937. The V1200 used a 240 hp (179 kW) V12 American LaFrance engine and carried loads up to 15 tons.[1]
During World War II, Brockway manufactured the B666 heavy truck, including the B666 Daybrook M-II-A bridge erector[2] and C666 Quick Way crane,[3] as well as G547 and G690 6-ton 6×6 bridging trucks, part of a standard design series also built by Corbitt and White. G547 "Treadway" trucks had a large hoist on the rear for self-unloading, while the G690 chassis were fitted with "Quickway" cranes, also used in bridging operations.[4]
All 6-ton military trucks (of all manufacturers) had Hercules HXD 855 cu in (14 L) I6 gasoline engines, developing 202 hp (151 kW) at 2150 rpm and 642 lbf⋅ft (870 N⋅m) of torque at 900 rpm.[5]
Post-World War II Brockway produced single and dual axle tractors and heavy duty triaxle dump trucks. The company was purchased by Mack Trucks Inc. in August 1956 and remained a division of Mack until its closing in June 1977. Mack cited "union troubles" for the closure.[6]
Brockway commercial trucks primarily used Cummins engines, though many were powered by Detroit Diesels. Some Brockway trucks were equipped with I6 engines fitted with Rochester 2G (DualJet) carburetors.[7]
There is a Brockway Truck show in Cortland each year with many events occurring at the official Brockway Museum located in Homer, NY at the Central New York Living History Center.[8]
The hood ornament used by Brockway was a husky dog with pulling harness, thus giving Cortland the nickname of "Huskie Town USA".
A documentary about the trucks and the Brockway company is available from Wiffle Ball Productions in Cortland, New York.
