[GreenKeys] What is to become of NADCOMM?

[William J. Neill]

As a former resident of Roseville, California, I recall that in 1994, the
city-owned Roseville Telephone Company opened a very nice museum of telephone
and communication technology history right on Atlantic Street, in the very
middle of downtown Roseville.  Perhaps an inquiry with the Roseville Telehone
Company might offer satisfactory results, particularly because there was (in
1994) a very large pool of retired employees who would gather at the museum
during the day to work on and keep clean all of the equipment.

Bill Neill
Conroe, Texas

Doug Alderdice wrote:

> At one time the Smithsonian had a rather nice telephone display in the
> basement of the Science & Technology building.  They had a working
> step-by-step switch encased in glass (or plexiglas) with two wall phones
> that you could dial from one to the other and watch the steppers
> work.  Near that was a section of a panel switch that had the risers going
> up & down.  Also in the same area were some examples of switchboards of
> various vintages.  All the telegraph stuff was behind glass, though as I
> recall there was a tape playing on a speaker of a sounder clattering
> away.  No teletypes that I can recall, though.  There was a wirephoto
> machine, now that I think of it.
>
> The last time I visited the Smithsonian was in 1986, so I am sure it is
> quite different now.  After all, there was still a lot of step-by-step gear
> still in actual service then, so they were exhibiting current
> technology!  Today, there are many who haven't a clue how to operate a
> rotary dial telephone.
>
> We hear the term "museum quality" a lot used to imply that an antique piece
> is in pristine or otherwise original condition.  Actual experience, though,
> is something else entirely, like the observation in a previous post this
> evening about the Model 28 with the missing keys, on display.  Since I have
> gotten into collecting telephone, telegraph and teletype equipment
> seriously, I have come to find that museum quality -- in its true sense --
> is something to be avoided entirely!  Heck, I want my stuff to look good,
> work, and be as original as possible.  There are many museums where none of
> the above apply to the mechanical or technical items in their collections.
>
> It's up to people like us to keep the old stuff alive & going and only hope
> that when it comes time to distribute our stuff elsewhere that it goes to
> another person or organization that can truly appreciate it.
>
> 73,
>
> Doug, KA2WFT
> Buffalo, NY
>
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