[GreenKeys] Urban Giants

[Jack Hart]

ZCZC

I worked in "32 A of A" on the TTY switchboards, updating them to use
Model 40's (in the mid-1970's). At the time, they had Model 28KTR's with
three-speed shifts on the positions. This part of the facility was called
"NY1" and every Long Lines TTY circuit in the metropolitan area and
Long Island went through the building.  When I was a TTY repairman
on Long Island, I always had to call NY1 for a FOX test, etc.

The building was also the host for the original mobile telephone
systems (on 30/40 MHZ). The mobile caller would push the
button on his handset and call the "mobile operator". The operator
at 32 A of A would then come on the channel, ask for the calling
info and put up a cord to complete the call. 

My last time in the building was in the 1990's when I had to put
a bi-directional amplifier in for the AT&T Board of Director's
meeting in NYC  at the time...so I had to "jump".
The building even has its own entrance from the subway
on the lobby.

When I worked at 140 West Street, another Art Deco telephone building
next to the World Trade Center (in the late 1970's), I would
often walk to 32 A of A for meetings and then go around
the corner to Canal Street where there were still some remnant
stores from the old "Radio Row" days. (Radio Row was demolished
when the WTC was built.) There was always a lot of "junk" from the
WU building around the corner. I found a 35ASR for $100, but
couldn't figure out how to get it home on the Long Island
Railroad(!).

73 DE Jack K0TTY (currently sitting in a hotel at Lexington and 44th Street
in NYC)

NNNN


-----Original Message-----
From: GreenKeys [mailto:greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim
Haynes
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2014 10:16 AM
To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [GreenKeys] Urban Giants


Video about the Western Union and AT&T Long Lines buildings in Manhattan,
now owned by Telx.com

http://vimeo.com/97945495


jhhaynes at earthlink dot net
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