http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:06:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1052624 Chris J Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:54:56 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1052624 I worked in the NJ state prison for 24 years starting in 1981. The first few years we had one of the OLD style switchboards. The officers had to know how to work it for after hours. What a blast it was when someone called for a supervisor and if he didn't pick up we could just lean on the ringer switch! Good times, fond memories. I worked in the NJ state prison for 24 years starting in 1981. The first few years we had one of the OLD style switchboards. The officers had to know how to work it for after hours. What a blast it was when someone called for a supervisor and if he didn’t pick up we could just lean on the ringer switch! Good times, fond memories.

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1050858 BlindPoet Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:49:06 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1050858 I had an aunt and a cousin who worked for Ma Bell as switchboard operators when I was a child. I loved going to visit them at work and watching them plug in the cables to connect calls...it was absolutely fascinating to a five-year-old. (And--RETCH!--I DO remember what SPAM smells like!) I had an aunt and a cousin who worked for Ma Bell as switchboard operators when I was a child. I loved going to visit them at work and watching them plug in the cables to connect calls…it was absolutely fascinating to a five-year-old. (And–RETCH!–I DO remember what SPAM smells like!)

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1050245 Repack Rider Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:33:19 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1050245 I lived in California then and now. I'm sure such centers existed in every good sized city, and ours was conveniently located near the school. I lived in California then and now. I’m sure such centers existed in every good sized city, and ours was conveniently located near the school.

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1050119 Eric Smith Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:14:00 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1050119 Way back I had the good fortune to tour Ma Bell’s switch in Dranesville, VA. All electro-mechanical relays at the time, a whole gymnasium sized room full of racks of ticking relays. Everything it did then probably now fits in a pizza box. Wonder what they've done with all the rest of that space. Way back I had the good fortune to tour Ma Bell’s switch in Dranesville, VA. All electro-mechanical relays at the time, a whole gymnasium sized room full of racks of ticking relays. Everything it did then probably now fits in a pizza box. Wonder what they’ve done with all the rest of that space.

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1050115 nlpnt Sun, 23 Mar 2008 22:45:02 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1050115 Repack Rider; Are you by any chance from Burlington, Vt.? Verizon still has the old phone company building across the street from Edmunds School. Repack Rider; Are you by any chance from Burlington, Vt.? Verizon still has the old phone company building across the street from Edmunds School.

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1049969 Repack Rider Sun, 23 Mar 2008 05:39:15 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1049969 When I was a kid in the '50s, the big telephone building was just a block away from my elementary school, a convenient field trip. I went several times. When I was a kid in the ’50s, the big telephone building was just a block away from my elementary school, a convenient field trip. I went several times.

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1049962 Stannous Sun, 23 Mar 2008 04:02:36 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1049962 There's a room at my local San Francisco AT&T office that I'd like to take a peek at but I'm not holding my breath: http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/04/70619 There’s a room at my local San Francisco AT&T office that I’d like to take a peek at but I’m not holding my breath:
http://www.wired.com/science/d.....6/04/70619

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1049940 nlpnt Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:16:03 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1049940 THINGS TO DO: 1. Call phone company to see if offer still applies. 2. Buy a can of Spam, refresh my memory as to what it smells like. THINGS TO DO:
1. Call phone company to see if offer still applies.
2. Buy a can of Spam, refresh my memory as to what it smells like.

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1049853 Rick Auricchio Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:13:42 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/03/22/ever-seen-your-telephone-switchboard/#comment-1049853 The previous comment sure smells like spam. The previous comment sure smells like spam.

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