449713A2
XPost: nyc.transit

On Nov 18, 5:49 pm, "Adam H. Kerman"  wrote:



> >In step offices, the trunk code caused an immediate switch to the
> >tandem trunk.  "To avoid a second dial tone on these calls, a special
> >group fo rapidly accessible senders was developed for use with dial
> >pulse trunks from step to crossbar tandem and 4a crossbar."
>
> Ah, so it wasn't like hearing a second dial tone dialing an outside
> line via a PBX. But I had thought the trunk code set up the trunk
immediately.

Right, no second dial tone, and the trunk was set up very quickly.
There was mention that sometimes dialed digits had to be temporarily
stored until the tandem was ready.

While 1+ was the usual toll code, SxS had a variety of front end
codes.  I've seen phone book instructions where oddball numbers were
used depending on the destination of the call, and in a few cases,
there was a second dial tone.  In 1971, while most of the country had
DDD, a few places did not (when cheaper direct dialed rates were
introduced, such places got the cheap rate.)

For whatever reason, step by step, like large old dial PBX's (eg 701),
had very irritating signal tones.

But dialing a local call or PBX call on a SxS was fast--as soon as the
dial spun back it was ringing.  This was because the system was
finished making the connection, as opposed to common control which
only began to build up the connection.  Automatic Electric actually
advertised that as a selling point of SxS.

At TCI or ATCA telephone shows, sometimes hobbyists set up various
demonstration switches, and sometimes they interconnect them.  It's
neat to dial a number and watch it go through the machines.  With
step, when you dial say 58, you see the connector go up five levels
then over eight levels and the other phone ring.  (Though with
crossbar it's hard to see anything).



> >Party lines were more common in rural areas where the cost-per-line of
> >a local loop was high.  But it was popular and common in cities, too,
> >as a way to save on plant and for subscribers to save money (two party
> >about 25-35%cheaper).
>
> I meant in Chicago. I knew there were party lines in New York.

I don't know the Chicago city rate structure of the 1950s and 1960s,
but I'd be very surprised if there weren't quite a few party lines
within the city in that era.  I'd expect party lines to be discounted
as they were elsewhere.

I'm also surprised Chicago was 2L-4D.  Phila was 3L-4D, like NYC, and
Phila isn't as big as Chicago.  (Phila switched from 3L-4D to 2L-5D
(WAVerly- to WAvery 7-) in the 1940s to have more exchange codes.)

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