Toll Switchboard

JerryP · September 10, 2013, 07:20:48 PM

This is my first post so please forgive any mis-steps. I have a WE toll board that was removed from service around 1980. It was just cut in clear so I don't have any of the relays on back. I have traced out much of the wiring and have several subscriber jacks to work without relays. I would love to get at least one of the cord circuits working but have no information or wiring diagram. As best as I can tell this is a modified 551 board. Any ideas or help out there?

Russ Kirk · September 10, 2013, 08:09:25 PM

Some photos would be helpful.

JerryP · September 10, 2013, 09:26:00 PM

Hope these help

AE_Collector · September 10, 2013, 10:44:55 PM

Looks to be at least "related" to the 551 series of cord boards. I don't know if there would have been relays with a toll board or not. Relay board was typical with common battery subscriber Exchange boards but I have no idea how toll boards would have worked. Are there lots of cut wires? They may have just been "Multiple" to the next operator position.

Welcome to the CRPF by the way!

Terry

G-Man · September 11, 2013, 07:24:23 AM

First of all, do you have any firsthand knowledge about this board?

Are there any numbers stamped on it such as underneath the keyshelf? They most likely would start with a "J" "ED-" or "SD-."

What office is it out of? Any idea as to what area it served?

The sheet underneath the Plexiglas on the keyshelf appears to be for toll-routing or If not what does it pertain to? Does it have a date?

Random thoughts that are not in any particular order...

While almost certainly manufactured by WECo, it were a tollboard then it most likely would have been No. 1 or 3CL board.

The board shown is definitely not a 551 pbx board; for one thing it's too tall, no station appearances, and no relay gate, but something looks kinda hinkey with it as far as being a toll board is concerned.

The hole for a stand-by magneto does not make sense for this sort of board and it should have a key-sender instead of a rotary dial. If it were a 3CL then you would have seen provision for cord circuit relays.

If I recall correctly, the No. 1 tollboard was superseded by the 3CL in the late 1920's-early 1930's.
The Western Electric 3CL design was so popular that both Stromberg Carlson and Kellogg copied it.

I would kinda lean towards an answering service board but there is something odd about the spacing of some of the jacks which are almost like they are for Bantam test jacks as on a testboard.

Quote from: jtpatty on September 10, 2013, 07:20:48 PM
This is my first post so please forgive any mis-steps. I have a WE toll board that was removed from service around 1980. It was just cut in clear so I don't have any of the relays on back. I have traced out much of the wiring and have several subscriber jacks to work without relays. I would love to get at least one of the cord circuits working but have no information or wiring diagram. As best as I can tell this is a modified 551 board. Any ideas or help out there?

G-Man · September 11, 2013, 07:33:53 AM

Additional-

Do the orange and white handled keys have labels such as COLLECT REFUND next to them?
Any other labels?

JerryP · September 11, 2013, 12:56:03 PM

Thanks Terry...G-Man The board was removed from service in Jesup, GA 1979-80 time frame. I know there were at least 2 boards because I had 2 at one time. I had to leave one behind when I left Jesup in 1981. There are no numbers/letters to be found other than 10 and Western Electric on front. The last cord on right has only 1 plug and a white back key along with 2 buttons marked R and C. I believe these are for coin return and collect. I have no idea what the two orange keys are for in center of key shelf. Jesup was still a dial exchange in this time frame thus no TT pad. The jack strips show (in different locations) Operator Jesup, Operator Screven (a nearby town), Operator Special, Repair Service. The sheet contained various contacts, alarm reporting numbers, etc. I recently visited Telico Plains, Tn museum and they have an identical toll board. I could not get around to the back to see what was there.

poplar1 · September 11, 2013, 01:11:16 PM

Could it be a DSA board--in other words, what you'd reach when you dialed "0" from Jesup or Screven?

JerryP · September 11, 2013, 06:28:35 PM

You got me there. That is a new term for me but sounds possible. With the calculagraph I thought toll. Can you enlighten me on dsa?

G-Man · September 11, 2013, 06:55:40 PM

Quote from: JerryP on September 11, 2013, 06:28:35 PM
You got me there. That is a new term for me but sounds possible. With the calculagraph I thought toll. Can you enlighten me on dsa?

A Calculagraph could have been used on a Dial Service A board but also on the repair or Chief Operator's desk, an answering service switchboard or anywhere else that the need for the timing service tickets would have been needed.

In some telco business offices they were used to stamp incoming correspondence to show when it was received.

Some answering services used them to stamp the time and date to verify when a call came in and when the message was delivered to their customers.

K1WI · September 11, 2013, 08:34:07 PM

Stretching the memory on this one...but remember this type of position in an "A" board I worked on in the early 1970s. There were two positions like this at the very beginning of a line up of #3 or 3C positions (not 3CL) they were referred to as the "official positions" they were used to handle miscellaneous calls , like some repair service calls, inward and leaveword operator and route and rate. This was at or just prior to implementing DDD (area code dialing)
Unlike most 3 boards these only had "T" or toll trunks ( not R , S , and T) and all other circuits were misc incoming.I do remember that they were no longer used by the mid 70s but were kept in place due to the fact that the spot where cables entered the board (CTS) was directly behind them. it's probable that different boards custom tailored their setup.

Andy F K1WI
PS. Being the "A board man" was the best gig I ever had with Ma Bell.

the phone house · September 11, 2013, 09:15:04 PM

Welcome and Good Luck Jerry"...

Weco355aman · September 11, 2013, 11:43:47 PM

The switchboard is not a 3Cl or 3CH. I have 2 3cl boards that are complete
that i have mostly working. This could be a #3 that is older. The Dial on it
indicates it was used in a small exchange. The toll boards used in large exchanges would have DC/MF (not DTMF) and most likely be connected to a
5 Xbt switch. Here is a link to my 3CL got to toll then open folder to see Switchboards.
http://www.strowgercentraloffice.com/gallery2/

Weco355aman · September 11, 2013, 11:48:08 PM

http://www.strowgercentraloffice.com/gallery2/index.php/toll

G-Man · September 12, 2013, 12:58:35 AM

Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc.

(Toll Switchboards as of 6-23-58 - Presented in the same chronology as presented in the document)

Toll SWBD. NO. 1 (A&M ONLY)
TOLL SWBD. NO. 2 (A&M ONLY)
SWBD. NO. 3 (A&M ONLY)
SWBD. NO. 5 (A&M ONLY)
SWBD. NO. 3B (A&M ONLY)
TOLL TANDEM SWBD. NO. 1 (A&M ONLY)
TANDEM SWBD. NO. 3 (A&M ONLY)
TOLL SWBD. NO. 1B (A&M ONLY)
SWBD. NO. 3C OR 3CL
SWBD. 3CF
EMERGENCY TOLL OFFICE

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Toll Switchboard