Brockway Motor Company


Brockway Motor Company was a builder of custom heavy-duty trucks in Cortland, 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 started 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 depression. A new range, the V1200 was offered from 1934 to 1937. The V1200 used a 240 horsepower V12 American LaFrance engine and carried loads up to 15 tons.
During World War II Brockway manufactured the B666 heavy truck, including the B666 Daybrook M-II-A bridge erector and C666 Quick Way crane, 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.
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.
All 6-ton military trucks had Hercules HXD I6 gasoline engines, developing at 2150 rpm and of torque at 900 rpm.
Brockway commercial trucks primarily used Cummins engines, though many were powered by Detroit Diesels. Some Brockway trucks were equipped with inline six engines fitted with Rochester 2G carburetors.
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.
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.