N&W pre-1959 depot / tower telephone

[NW Mailing List]

 Good morning:

RF&P and C&O towers and depots I worked in had the three company telephone lines: dispatcher, message, and block. The magneto and bells was used on the block line and a selector was for alerting an operator to answer the message and dispatcher lines.  I am seeking to confirm that the N&W had a block line existed between stations.  The block line would have extended between two open offices.  At night, the block line would be cut through the office to the next open office.  The N&W wayside phones only has "dispatcher" and "message" selections but it could be that in reality the "message" was connected to a block line for communications between stations and wayside phones.

Also, attached are a Railway Telephone Company desk set. I do not know if Railway Telephone Company integrated the equivalent of a Western Electric 501F subscriber set within the unit, containing the inductive coil, condenser and wire terminals. This is certainly an aspect for which I require guidance from someone who have telephone wiring experience.

Best Thanksgiving wishes,

Frank Scheer
f_scheer at yahoo.com
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