Inside a Crossbar Office

  
 

The 'tea cart' call testing machine

  
 

 

A special piece of Western Electric equipment found in crossbar central offices was a portable testing machine popularly named a "tea cart".

This allowed test calls to be made in a semi-automated fashion throughout the central office.

 

click images for better views

a teacart 1 P6120047.jpg (29085 bytes)
View of a 'tea cart'. Note the wheels.

 

a teacart 2 P6120048.jpg (29270 bytes)
Flat-spring control relays inside 'tea cart'.

 

a teacart 3 P6120049.jpg (31248 bytes)
A view of the keys on top of 'tea cart'.

 

 

 

  
BACK TO CROSSBAR MAIN PAGE