[GreenKeys] Model 15 Stuff

[Paul Wills]

>
> Gentlemen - - - START YOUR COMMENTS AND ANECDOTES. I think it will be 
> interesting and entertaining!!!
>

They were used to report train consists up and down the Northeast Corridor 
as late as 1978 or 1979.  When the system was retired, I ended up with a few 
printers and a bunch of parts.  They even had a stunt box to automatically 
select which printers they wanted to send the information to.  They finally 
retired the system when the train consist report was "absorbed" into the 
regular ticketing and reservations computer system.  I was already to 
replace the stunt box with an 8080 based computer too!

As far as anecdotes: Although not exactly related to the model 15, a friend 
of mine was in charge of communications design for the local transit 
authority in Philadelphia.  When they first opened the center city tunnel 
which connected two previously isolated stub end rail lines, they needed a 
way to report trains from one end of the "trunk" to the other.  My friend 
designed a simple network using Extel printers.  Each control point, three I 
believe, had a printer which would broadcast anything typed on any terminal.

There was one crusty old operator at one tower who everyone was sure was 
going to complain about this intrusion of "new technology."  When they tried 
to explain the system, he took to it like a fish to water and explained that 
it was just like the old Teletype loop he used to work with.  There was no 
need to convince him of anything there!

PDW