Dog Star

Although Brockway is one of the less well known American manufacturers, the company was successful and had a long history stretching back over 100 years

- Norman Chapman

Cortland, New York State was once known as ‘Husky Town USA’, not for its relationship with the dog but for being the home of Brockway Trucks, which used a depiction of a Husky as its brand and hood ornament. While it is 40 years since the manufacturer disappeared, its memory lives on in Cortland in the shape of the Brockway Museum and annual Brockway Truck Show.

Established in 1875

There is plenty of history to draw on. The company was established in 1875 in Cortland by William Brockway as The Brockway Carriage Company, focusing mainly on the fabrication of railway and horse-drawn carriages. But by 1909 Brockway’s son, George, had decided to concentrate on lightweight commercial vehicle manufacture. Later, the company also built buses and motor coaches.

The company’s first commercial vehicle was powered by a three cylinder two-stroke air-cooled engine and was fitted with a two-speed planetary transmission.

Within two years, the company name had been changed to the Brockway Motor Truck Company and weight-carrying capacities were 1½ tons. All models at this time were produced with Continental four cylinder petrol engines.

First World War activity saw the company concentrate on models for the military, including the WD Class B Liberty 4x2 truck. Post-war, production resumed with various models such as the Model E Highway Express, rated at ¾ ton to 1 ton.

Other models were between 1½-3½ tons capacity and a 5-tonner was launched a little later.

Engines were now four- and six cylinder petrol units, supplied by the Wisconsin Motor Manufacturing Company of Milwaukee.

Decline and rise