newly aquired western electric 502

[southernphoneman]

I just acquired a western electric 502, the one with the white 2 position plunger on the left hand side. was this phone used for strictly a 2 line phone or was it also useful in party line areas, thank you, Gregg

[WesternElectricBen]

I always though 502's were used for privacy. I was always confused on the exclusion plunger. Though the fact its called "exclusion" makes me think exclude, like privacy.

We have discussed this here: http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=9277.0

Ben

[Phonesrfun]

The plunger key on the 502 was for exclusion.  See Paul-F's website, scroll down to the 502:

http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm

[paul-f]

Exclusion was one possible use of the plunger.

More uses are found in the BSPs -- some of which are listed here:
   http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#502

(note the shortcut to go directly to the 502 on the page.  You can go to many models on the page by adding the model number after the # in the URL)

There's also a summary in the April 2009 Singing Wires article, "EARLY WESTERN ELECTRIC 500 SERIES "SPECIAL USE" SETS  by Paul Fassbender and Russ Cowell