Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery

Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery

      Forest Lawn

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      We’ve all encountered hearses. However, if you are laid to rest, the hearse may not be the final vehicle you'll ride in (or … on). The last few feet you traverse under combustion power might actually be in a quirky, purpose-built groundskeeping machine that you won’t find outside of a cemetery.

      Earlier this year, I received an email from Forest Lawn Funerals, Cremations, and Cemeteries. This is quite outside the usual range of my correspondents, but it made sense. The memorial park in Glendale, California, hosts an annual cars-and-coffee event where they display and polish an impressive collection of classic hearses. The next event is scheduled for this summer (August 9, 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.… the link is for last year’s event).

      The park shared some images of its vehicles, and while the classic hearses certainly exude elegance, I was immediately intrigued by the agricultural and industrial support machinery visible in the background. I reached out to the park's PR team for more details about the dirt- and casket-moving machines they maintain, and they provided me with some insights.

      Forest Lawn

      From left to right, the machines include a dirt hauler, a casket loader, a custom flatbed, and a familiar John Deere lawnmower. According to the park's team, all these vehicles work together to ease the grieving process. Forest Lawn has several of each machine, alongside casket lowering devices, irrigation trucks, lathes, mills, fabrication tools, and more.

      Ricardo Rojas, the Automotive, Mechanical & Transportation Supervisor at Forest Lawn-Glendale, helped answer my inquiries regarding these machines.

      What powers them?

      Dirt Hauler: Equipped with a 1987 Chevy 350 engine, a 400 turbo automatic transmission, a 1984 GMC top-kick rear differential, and front axles from a 2019 Isuzu truck, modified to fit the vehicle's width.

      Casket Loader: Powered by a Ford 2.5 propane engine, it features a heavy-duty Ford 5-speed transmission that connects to an NP 205 transfer case and a 1-ton GMC rear differential, with an Isuzu single front axle.

      Custom Flatbed: Uses a 1987 P-van front axle, a 1-ton GMC rear differential, and is powered by a gasoline-fueled 2.5 Ford engine, with a C4 automatic transmission.

      John Deere: Features a 65 HP Kubota diesel engine, hydrostatic transmission, 4-wheel drive, and a wide mower with a 105-inch cutting deck.

      Forest Lawn

      Were these machines specifically designed for this cemetery?

      Yes, all the machinery is purpose-built for the memorial park.

      Fabricator Juan Henriquez maintains the equipment at Forest Lawn.

      What are their specific functions?

      The dirt hauler transports the amount of dirt equivalent to a casket to excavate burial sites.

      The casket loader transports caskets to the burial plots.

      The flatbed serves as a tent transporter and utility vehicle, assisting with services or other park requirements.

      The John Deere lawnmower maintains the 250 acres of parkland, along with the custom flatbed mentioned earlier.

      Were these machines custom-built, or are they commercially available?

      All the machines are custom-built from scratch, created back in the 1950s using military powertrains, and have undergone refurbishment and modernization since then (except for the John Deere, of course). The hearses include a 1950 Meteor-Cadillac “Statesman,” a 1959 Cadillac “Park Row,” a 1963 Cadillac “Crown Royale,” a 1965 Cadillac “Silver Spirit,” and a 1967 Cadillac “Victoria.” Objectively, these are much more aesthetically pleasing than the groundskeeping machines, but the entire fleet is essential for the cemetery's operations. You can take a closer look at them here:

      Forest Lawn

      If you'd like to see these vehicles in person, plan a visit to Glendale this August.

      Do you know of any other uniquely specific vehicles you’d like to explore further? Feel free to reach out to me at andrew.collins@thedrive.com.

Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery

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Introducing the Tidy Little Vehicles That Operate a Cemetery

Your final journey on the road is likely to be in a hearse. However, the last vehicle that transports you will be something more unusual.