TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Bell System Competition: Private Telephone Networks

Re: Bell System Competition: Private Telephone Networks

jdj (jdj@now.here)
Fri, 22 Oct 2004 22:39:45 -0700

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 20:58:09 -0400, Wesroc wrote:

> In a message dated 21 Oct 2004 21:16:47 -0700, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
> (Lisa Hancock) writes:

>> Railroads: These were very large networks, connecting stations,
>> headquarters, shops, offices and wayside stations. These was
>> particularly important since otherwise toll charges would be incurred.
>> Railroads had their own signal depts, so they could easily maintain a
>> phone system. Wayside phones were often local battery (crank), and
>> many remained in service through the 1980s. Railroads also had
>> internal Teletype networks.

> Railroads and pipeline companies were "right-of-way" companies and
> could interconnect with Bell pretty much without restriction,
> including such cases as using their own lines to extend to what
> otherwise would have been FCO locations. Their PBXs usually had
> incoming and outgoing Bell trunks that could dial and be dialed and
> connected with the internal communications system, even for intercity
> communications.

Southern Pacific's SPRINT and Microwave Communications, Inc. (later
MCI) were pretty well known.

Most of what I heard on the SPRR telephone channels were patches
to/from moving trains but occasionally there were strange signals
including dtmf prior to an actual phone call. The call progress
signals were often very different from Bell stuff.

Post Followup Article Use your browser's quoting feature to quote article into reply
Go to Next message: Julian Thomas: "Re: Bell System Competition: Private Telephone Networks"
Go to Previous message: Neal McLain: "Re: Who Carries TV Signals and Long Distance -- Today?"
TELECOM Digest: Home Page