Old electrical device of unknown origin inside Mansfield KCS depot.         
Mansfield's KCS depot has not been used in years, and vandals have broken almost all the windows. Inside, I found this old electrical box, and I have no idea what it was. From left to right, I've shown the inside, a closeup of the inside of the door, and a group of switches or buttons on the outside of the door. Any info?
Date: 2/26/2012 Location: Mansfield, LA   Map Show Mansfield on a rail map Views: 634 Collection Of:   Bryce Denny
Author:  Bryce Denny
Old electrical device of unknown origin inside Mansfield KCS depot.
Picture Categories: This picture is part of album:  Devices and Signals
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User Comments
Name Type Comments Date
John Teeter General Appears to be a RR telephone relay box; agents used to plug cables into the holes in the front to talk from station to station and possibly to trains. 2/27/2012 8:53:59 PM
Keith Halsey General Let me take a guess at it. It would be described in the manufactures catalog as A 50 line cross box. Starting from the left the protector terminal strip, terminates drops from open wire contains fuse links and carbon blocks (lightning arresters) one for each wire. Note trays bottom of door for spares. Next black short terminal strip bottom of box. Would terminate inside the building stuff like agents headset, teletype Telegraph. Jumper wires, between terminal strips. Served form cable 51 pair or 102 wires 18 or 22 gage. Cloth insulated and color coded. Round things in door are TR female ¼ inch or 5.35mm. Jack sockets not all were installed hence the blanks or plugs. Note 4 center bottom would allow agent to get on more than one line at a time. These would allow the agent using jumper cords with a male plug on each end to get on his own company communications lines but Western Union, and Railway Express. This allows an agent to disconnect every thing at night if a closed agency. 2/28/2012 7:25:23 PM
Keith Halsey General . Most important it made an easy place to do routine trouble shooting. There Is no reason for relays here and repeaters seldom fell that perfect location wise. The brownish yellow spot inside the door is what’s left of a mud dobber wasp nest. 2/28/2012 7:30:48 PM
Bryce Denny General Keith, thanks for the very detailed information. 2/28/2012 7:37:27 PM
Bryce Denny General Keith, thanks for the very detailed information. 2/29/2012 2:00:36 AM

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