Inside a Panel Office

  
 

Some views of the last working Panel office

  
 

 

Panel switching was developed around 1915 for use in large metropolitan areas, and this particular machine provided some of the first dial tone (automatic calling) service in the Seattle area back in 1923. 

The Telephone Pioneers at the Vintage Telephone Equipment Museum in Seattle, Washington have carefully installed and now maintain this system: the world's last functioning Panel central office.


click images for better views

vint panel pano 1 1200px.jpg (125356 bytes)
Superb view of the inside of a Panel office (must click)

 

a panel P6120075.jpg (53918 bytes)
Bob Dickensheets sets up test call from Panel test board

 

a panel placard P6120022.jpg (20815 bytes)
Placard describing history of switch

 

See more views of this one-of-a-kind switching machine on the pages listed below:

Panel Page 1

Panel Page 2

Panel Page 3

Panel Page 4

 
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