Back before we had all the digital instruments we have today, trucking companies kept track of driver activities via tachographs. These were mechanical devices that could track vehicle speed, total miles, hours, and more using analog gauges in a box like this one made by Wagner/Sangamo. Whether it works or not remains to be seen, but the clock is ticking! Located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, this 1940s piece of technology is available here on eBay for $95. Thanks to our buddy, Howard A, for the tip!
We don’t know the various sources that made these devices, but one of them was Wagner Electric Corp., which marketed its tachograph under the Sangamo brand. These boxes of tricks were generally sold to truck companies and bus operators to find out what their drivers were up to and to adhere to whatever safety standards existed in the mid-20th Century. Wagner’s device had a speedometer, odometer, and clock built into a single piece of hardware.
When used properly, you could determine a driver’s habits in terms of speed and time, and paper charts were produced inside the sealed and lockable boxes that came with a key (which the seller’s unit has). This was old-school by today’s standards, with internal styluses making marks on rotating paper. We don’t know how effective they were, but in the post-1950s era, what else could you do? We’re told this unit has normal wear and tear, has a clicking clock that may or may not keep time, and has not been tested. But for 95 bucks, what the heck?
Cool piece of history here. And a tip of the hat to Howard A AND Russ Dixon for the write up too. Its so funny. My company has an app from a company called Samsara. We are on a two way camera and every move is tracked. Speeding, running stop signs, agressive moves, all tracked and reported back to our managers. What a long way companies have come. For the price, I think its well worth it.
A genuine, for-real “Stool Pigeon!” Can you imagine, someone wanting to buy something that used to cause them so much grief? For years I had drivers coming to me, wanting to have their tach-o-graphs disabled, or rather, to make it so they could turn them off then right back on when it was convenient. I’m sure these were despised worse than the scales, the highway patrol, or at least a flat tire in the dead of winter. There were more than a few drivers lost their jobs because of one of these. But they told the bad news in all readable misery.
But these were only the beginning. Enter the late 80s and ECM/ECU controlled engines. Fleet owners loved the computer controls; they could map out the truck’s performance curve, program it into the ECM and seal it with a password.
I remember one crude hauler company that had over 50 trucks. They were all cloned to limit rpm to 1850 and road speed to 65mph, plus restricted maximum rpm between upper shifts until high range. Drivers all stopped in asking us to remove the restrictions. I knew the back doors to some systems but I would’ve gotten the firing squad (literally) if I ever caved in.
There was a driver persuaded a mechanic at a Cat/TEPS dealer about a hundred miles away, to remove the limits. For a brief period, he enjoyed travelling 75+ mph empty. Well, his truck started showing excessive tire wear and when it came in for service they plugged in the ECAP.
Unbeknown to him, the Cat ECM had a stool pigeon of its own; it showed the dealer code of the last place the system was analyzed/modified at, plus the ID of the ECAP itself. The driver was immediately terminated and the mechanic that found the back door and programmed the changes got himself in a lot of trouble as well.
You couldn’t program more horsepower but you could change the rated speed from, say, 1800 to 2100 rpm; you could remove the road speed limits, allowing vehicle speed to be limited only by engine rpm. And you could remove the rpm limits for most of the lower speeds except low range. In short, you could give a 3406 CAT PEEC 460 some long legs.
Well, guys, if I was still at my last place of employment and I dared to display that device it would’ve gotten used for target practice. I can’t think of anyone who would look at one of them and feel nostalgic.