Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Wooden Phones => Topic started by: Butch Harlow on December 04, 2018, 06:34:31 PM

Title: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: Butch Harlow on December 04, 2018, 06:34:31 PM
Earlier this fall I got a great deal on a 293A wooden wall phone. It needed some little knick knack parts like a door latch and the transmitter. The one I have doesn't work as well as it should and needs new wires, but for the life of me, I cannot get to to come apart. So I decided I would buy a parts phone to get all the pieces I needed. Along comes this dusty, dirty, mangy 293AL. I get it for a decent price and it shows up. I bring it home and after a few minutes looking at it I decided to go all soft and try to clean it up. Phones are apparently like stray cats to me, all I have to do is spend a few minutes with one and I get all attached to it. So, out comes the Howard's feed-n-wax and the brasso. After about 20 minutes of working I have another nice one for the wall. Everything is 100% original, the cord has a little fray right in the center and the watch case receiver headband is missing almost all of its cloth wrapping. The push to talk button is broken, so I will be on the lookout for one of those, however overall I kind of like the patina and imperfection of it. Inside is pretty fantastic and that was my primary decision to save this stray from the parts heap. Behold...
Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: Butch Harlow on December 04, 2018, 06:56:21 PM
A testament to its dirtiness, dustiness, and mangy-ness.

HAHA! not a parts phone after all (https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F172296030107)

Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: Ktownphoneco on December 04, 2018, 07:39:04 PM
Nice find Butch.   What you have there is a railway set.    The attached picture is out of Western Electrics 1949 Railway Dispatching catalog.   The number 1293AL is the catalog order number, but the sets themselves are simply stamped 293AL.   Double click to enlarge.

Jeff Lamb
Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: Butch Harlow on December 04, 2018, 08:02:06 PM
Thanks Jeff! My induction coil is marked No 29, and the condenser is 138a, otherwise it all matches up. The condenser also has an earlier date than the catalog of III-46. Also the big square thing marked 98A seems to have been added later. It had 4 wires that were vinyl coated brown solid copper, 2 were disconnected and 2 were connected at L1 and L2. I removed it altogether. Except for all the dust it seems to have had limited use, the insides are really clean and the case is in better than expected shape. I do wonder what the 98A thing is, so I will save it in case it has some significance I don't realize at the moment. Of course, I dont throw anything away.
Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: Ktownphoneco on December 04, 2018, 08:52:24 PM
Sets can undergo upgrades and changes based on non standard or unique working situations based on specific requirements.     That's not unusual.     If I had to guess, and with 2 wires coming off L1 and L2, I'd say it's probably some sort of protector.     It's the layout of the set that's unique to railways.   

Jeff
Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: Jim Stettler on December 04, 2018, 10:32:20 PM
That is pretty cool.I like compact woods and that  is the first compact railroad phone I have seen.
The only wood styles have seen have been the single box style. The single box style has room for the  selector with a glass cover.
That is a nice find.
Jmo,
Jim S.

Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: poplar1 on December 04, 2018, 10:34:16 PM
Quote from: Jim Stettler on December 04, 2018, 10:32:20 PM
That is pretty cool.I like compact woods and that  is the first compact railroad phone I have seen.
The only wood styles have seen have been the single box style. The single box style has room for the  selector with a glass cover.
That is a nice find.
Jmo,
Jim S.



If I recall correctly, the 160-A selector and ringer are in a box separate from the phone.
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=18947.msg207343#msg207343
Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: Jim Stettler on December 04, 2018, 10:50:05 PM
Quote from: poplar1 on December 04, 2018, 10:34:16 PM
If I recall correctly, the 160-A selector and ringer are in a box separate from the phone.
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=18947.msg207343#msg207343

The one I am thinking of is a   larger  plain top, plain front, magneto style  single box wood phone.  Bells were wood blanked like this one and the crank  handle hole had a wood plug. No magneto. I was told they operated with the selector. My impression was the selector went inside, I assumed in place of the magneto,
Do you know if  that style have the selector inside  or as a separate unit.
Jim S.
Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: RB on December 05, 2018, 08:47:08 AM
Man, that's sweet!! a definite keeper!
Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: poplar1 on December 05, 2018, 12:24:46 PM
Quote from: Jim Stettler on December 04, 2018, 10:50:05 PM
The one I am thinking of is a   larger  plain top, plain front, magneto style  single box wood phone.  Bells were wood blanked like this one and the crank  handle hole had a wood plug. No magneto. I was told they operated with the selector. My impression was the selector went inside, I assumed in place of the magneto,
Do you know if  that style have the selector inside  or as a separate unit.
Jim S.

I couldn't find that model in the WE 1922 catalog of railroad dispatch equipment. However, I did find a few on Ebay...I always thought that some antique dealer had tried to "improve" a railroad phone (such as the 317 DU shown first) that was made without generator or ringer....

Looks like some of them *did* have hand generators inside -- but not selectors:

317 DU
The 317 DU diagram shows the generator with dotted lines (as if optional but not included).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Railroad-Oak-Wall-Phone-PUSH-TO-TALK-Telephone-Western-Electric-317-DU/264065170589

Seller description:
This is a nice old oak wall phone that was used on the railroad which makes it rarer than the normal oak wall phone. It was usually in the yard in a box for the train crew to communicate with the dispatcher. It has a button that says PUSH TO TALK above it and below the button it says RELEASE TO LISTEN. It just had direct communication within the system, not to call out or receive calls. These phones were a basic phone box as for the public but were changed in the way of the crank hole was plugged and where the bells went they put a piece of wood then they added the push button for the railroad use.

317 AW
The diagram on the 317 AW here does show generator along with he push-to-talk/release to listen, the retardation coil, head receiver, etc.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Western-Electric-Phone-Push-to-Talk-317-AW-Oak-Telephone/223002366576
Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: poplar1 on December 05, 2018, 12:37:13 PM
Ebay auction screen shots:

Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: Jim Stettler on December 05, 2018, 05:57:20 PM
Quote from: poplar1 on December 05, 2018, 12:37:13 PM
Ebay auction screen shots:


Quote from: poplar1 on December 05, 2018, 12:24:46 PM
I couldn't find that model in the WE 1922 catalog of railroad dispatch equipment.
That is the model I was thinking of. , So I guess the selector would be mounted seperate.
Thanks for finding the referance.
Jim S.
Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: Butch Harlow on January 17, 2021, 06:49:22 PM
Things that happen when a couple years go by. Here is the fully refurbished 293AL. Looks pretty nice beside the walnut 293A.
Title: Re: Another parts phone that doesn't become a parts phone
Post by: Butch Harlow on January 17, 2021, 06:51:39 PM
This is actually an entirely different 293AL I bought just to get that button. A little differently configured inside, but the same basic thing. This one was much easier to refinish than the other one.