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From: dcatla!sunb!mclek@gatech.edu (Larry E. Kollar)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Touring the CO
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Date: 15 Aug 89 18:11:11 GMT
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X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 301, message 10 of 10

In  zygot!john@apple.com
(John Higdon) writes:
> If you live in an area that still has functional electromechanical CO equip-
> ment, do whatever it takes to wangle a tour before it's all gone forever.

During my summers as a teenager in Moline, MI (10-15 miles south of Grand
Rapids), the rotary stepper exchange (616-877) building often had its
doors left propped open.  I'd just walk right in and look around; one of
the Michigan Bell technicians there went to my church.  They threw all
sorts of old stuff out the back; I still have a few old Bell books and
wiring maps of the area that I just picked off the ground & took home (hey,
they threw it out; they must not want it anymore, right?).

It was fun to watch the step relays going up, then across as someone dialed
a number.  On a hangup, the rotor would rapidly spin out of the contact area
and drop:  ker-chunk!  Maybe these were more "modern" steppers than those
someone else mentioned, which stepped out and down.  LOTS of batteries; a
whole wall of 'em (and plenty of NO SMOKING signs all over the place :-).

I have no idea whether that rotary switch is still there; I doubt it.  I
seem to remember one of the techs saying they were gearing up to replace it.
Anyone at Michigan Bell know when/if it was replaced?

>[Moderator's Note: The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago also has
>such an exhibit in their Telecommunications Exhibit Area. It is fun to
>watch.  PT]

I've been there too; it's fascinating.  I particularly liked the "improvements
in sound quality" part of the exhibit.

--
Larry Kollar	...!gatech!dcatla!mclek
: life BEGIN funds @ enough_to_retire < WHILE work REPEAT ;