Bell System and other Manhole Covers

[Greg G.]

Saw this the other day walking along a sidewalk I had never been down before.  General Telephone I believe used to be Automatic Electric?

[AE_Collector]

I haven't seen one of those either!

GTE used to own Automatic Electric just as the Bell System in some manner owned Western Electric.

Terry

[SUnset2]

We're probably drifting slightly off-topic as we have switched from Bell System manhole covers to GTE manhole covers.  Here is one earlier than Brinybay's and one later than Brinybay's.  Both are at the same intersection in Edmonds, WA., not far from the Halls Lake telephone exchange.  Originally West Coast Telephone Co, then General Telephone of the Northwest, then Verizon, now Frontier. 

[Dan/Panther]

Awhile back, we discussed the possibility of making a mold out of one and casting copies. A member had one and had considered the possibility. What happened to that. They could me made cheaply and shipped cheaply also.
Does anyone recall, Donna Hoffa comes to mind ?

D/P

[Greg G.]

We're probably drifting slightly off-topic as we have switched from Bell System manhole covers to GTE manhole covers. 

We did drift, but that's ok by me.  I changed my original thread title to include "and other", but it won't change it down the line for replies unless you do it manually.

[AE_Collector]

Sure they will....see?

Terry

[HowardPgh]

This is a Central District and Printing Telegraph cover in our gravel parking lot in Braddock PA

[emale]

Will they fit in a "Flat Rate Box"? They are freakin Heavy! Im guessing at least a couple hundred pounds?

Terry

<edit> I just Googled "Man Hole cover weight". One site says 90 to 150 pounds, another says 250 to 300 pounds. I guess there are varying scenarios but any I have been involved in moving didn't weigh 90 pounds nor likely even only 150 pounds.

Terry

The Bell System lids are in the 250-300 pound range... four different sizes.
Back in 2001, myself and a coworker were working down in a manhole...
It was located near the corner of a state highway and a road entering an industrial park area.
There was a lot of truck traffic and they kept trying to make a right turn at the corner.
I just remember seeing a shadow over the hole from each truck as it tried to make that corner...
till one of them actually caught the lid with its back tire and pulled the lid back into the closed position.
We had a florescent light on a cord and an air hose with an air gun on the end,
both of those got yanked across the floor.
the ventilation hose got smashed by the lid. Thankfully the light was still working.
I climbed up the ladder to try and push the lid up to slide it open, but didn't have enough leverage.
My coworker then climbed up too but we were still unable to push it out.
About that time a couple of guys from a nearby business that had seen what happened
came over and helped us get the lid back off.
They also got the license plate of the truck..
It apparently pulled over for a second but then took off.
Highway patrol showed up and found the truck and driver over in the industrial park.
The metal guard was destroyed and the ring was broken into 3 pieces.

[ka1axy]

Summer St/Drydock Av (old South Boston Army Base) my walk from work to South Station.

NET&T represent!