bobmay

Oldest system I worked on was Stromberg Carlson SxS PAX. In 1975 these were used in all the K Mart stores for the intercom telephones you see hanging on the posts in all the different departments. Used to do scheduled maintenance, I forget if it was quarterly or semiannual. We would use graphite, and oil to lubricate the moving parts including the contacts. (manufacturers procedure) As you can imagine the systems worked awful after puttng lubricants on the contacts. Go off hook, and they woul spin like propellers slinging the lubricant all over, while they searched to make contact. After a day or two of barely working they would settle down, and work great. I was thrown out of one store by the manager when I showed up to do the PM. The managers all knew the system would work like sh*t after the PM, and it was like December 20, their busiest week when I showed up. He stood his ground, and showed me the door! Around 1977 they switched to Ericsson crossbars which required no PMs, and worked flawlessly.

bobmay

Please don't tell me I trumped everyone on this topic. I know I can't be the oldest telephoneman on this site. Please tell me I am not!

Java_Bob

I worked on SxS myself (the noise got to me), the days of cleaning those contacts are not missed..... did you have the gigantic battery banks with the end switch??? and some switchboards to and to the enjoyment..

then a couple of cross bar systems (POS by the way)..... then the Stomberg EAPX 1600 the size of a small school not really that big but it did srink the playground of a stepper room

Cheers

Java_Bob

I have some books if you want them, schematics complete of a Stomberg 1600 from like 74 or 75,,,, and some on the steppers

MSYoung

Since my background is all Bell System and its' children, the oldest PBX I worked on was a 701. That was a SxS switch just like the Central Office was. The next oldest would be a 756 and a 770. After that it got modern with a Dimension 400

Ramjet

You guys are a little older than me. I started in 1977 with Western Electric. When they found out I was an aircraft electrician in the Navy, I was picked to install all the conduit, outlets, and lighting for #1 & 2B ESS offices being installed. Did alot of power nd microwave work, some SXS and Xbar. Started the PBX thing in 1984 with the breakup. Worked on some of the Horizons and Dimensions inst at the time.

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Two snips, a snort, a turn, a fly, and a grunt, and it was so simple, like the jitterbug, it plum evaded me!

Pirates_Ghost

1945 I-Bell, Silk wrapped wire, peg wrapped tip and ring...
Not really a SYSTEM, perse......It was a old house with multiple phones (from the 20's-40's) that the owner wanted to keep. Had to re-run the orginal silk wrap wireing (stuff has paper insalation ) throughout the house and out to the "servants quarters" where they hid the modern Dmark box from the local Telecom.
THEN I had to figure out (using a punchdown block) how to wire the old to the new to make it all work.....
Lots of "Snaking" in really old crawlspaces, and then having to install a volt adjuster to make the damn phones ring.....I'd have to say it was a challenge..

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You can't wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you - Look, if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor, just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

jimtpg

My first switch was GT&E's version of the #1ESS. It was the 490L AUTOVON switch. They first came out in the late 60's. A few years, and many beers later, I used to have to maintain a Korean war vintage portable cord board. It was in a metal case that included the batteries, Supposedly portable, it weighed in around 250 lbs, and was about the size of your average washing machine. Ah, those were the days!!!! Jim

adono

The oldest I worked on was 2 tin cans and a bit of string and it was a lot easier to work on than most nowadays, albeit, the ACD queues were a bugger to set up.