Teletype machines,     from  Skokie , Illinois   it was part of the Bell System .

This page only covers Teletype Machines that were part of my life,   there were many more models I had nothing to do with, they are NOT represented here,
 these machines were  mechanical marvels,   just think (?)  something with  NOT  a single transistor or integrated circuit that could encode and decode the entire alphabet..   Mindless !!

In my radio shack in the mid 1960's ,  great stuff, you could find UPI, or AP , or the FAA,  plus many more services pounding out the news and aviation weather 24 hours a day ..  I had a model 15 and a model 14 Typing Reperf and a model 14 TD, .   my model 15 is behind me. wonder where this was,  3 old model 15's  and a model 40, looks like it had a ''intergraded controller" inside the cabinet..  that converted ASCII  to teletype  SSI,  (Standard Serial Interface)

UPRR used may model 40 printers in the same configuration,  Back then we were using 2400 baud modems to a stand alone printer
My other equipment was a Model 14  Typing Reperferator,  It could punch tape from the incoming signal, which you could save..  On the right is the model 14  Transmitter/distributor

see one in action    from KJ6EFH
 

https://youtu.be/wc2dRHg1Lfs

 

 Here's the Model 19,, basically a model 15 printer that had a tape punch that used the main keyboard,   it allowed for punching your message, then feeding it into the model 14 TD  (the left part of the machine), you could send at a whopping 60 words per minute.  My neighbor and friend George  KØGY  had one of these.. What a heavy weights , I think the loop current power supply had Mercury vapor tubes (( I think ???)
This certificate was/is something I treasure,  the 1966 Armed Forces day RTTY transmission from AIR in Washington DC.
I got it all,  please note ,  some , well maybe many model 15 machines had weather symbols rather than punctuation.  Which worked great when receiving FAA aviation weather,  BUT makes regular text seem a bit confusion..  I handled lots of traffic for MARS,  mostly the same message over and over,,   '' HI mom, I arrived safely at Lackland AFB Training center.  Will write soon, Love......"

Little did I know a few years later I would wind up in Thailand, and Viet Nam..		  
           
When I started at the URPP (Union Pacific)  in 1977 we used model 28KSR, Model 35ASR
and model 37's mostly RO (read only) stand alone printers		  
Model 28KSR   Keyboard Send Receive    NO TAPE,,   5 level Baudot code
These was used at LOTS  of UPRR Depots
 Here's a typical model 35,  these things weighed a ton,,   well maybe not a ton, but too heavy for two guys to easily move,  when we were taking these out of service here in Idaho, we would donate them to the state Deaf School in Gooding Idaho

These were ASCII machines had a tape puncher and reader built in..

This machine was used at LOTS of UPRR Depots

This is a model 37 RO  (read only) that was used at the Pocatello Yard Office, in the early 1980's   These were ASCII machines with Upper and Lower Case Fonts, and a real pain to fix,  They were a treat to watch work, remember NO transistors or IC.  Just gears and wheels,   they would run at 150 WPM..  the model 37's were used for the famous Washington to Moscow Hotline during the cold war,,

behind me is a Model 40 Friction feed printer.

 well as times change, all those total mechanical machines went away,  and in came the model 40,
we had a few of these in 1977 when I started, but they were expensive.   They were made to last forever, and be servicable until the end.. really a pleasure to work on, replaceable key switches ,,  each key had a switch, easily replaced , the cover just slid off the CRT  all boards were easily removed and swapped out,   most were repaired on the spot.

This is not a UPRR picture but typical installation in the early model 40 days
a friction feed printer  (roll paper)

Heres me with a 132 column 40 printer..  really a FAST printer, ,
lots of gold coated IC's , it was noisy  but it could print fast.
UPRR comm office Pocatello,  with  several model 40 devices,  , over the years things went from 2400 baud ASCII to other data transmission standards, and (see white box, right) we got 'cluster' controllers that could handle 12 or more devices on one transmission circuit to Omaha.  WE used hundreds, maybe a thousand plus of this type of equipment.  
The Bell System leased these devices, but maybe in the early 80's they began surplusing these out,  UPRR bought TONS of this stuff. Really CHEAP, like scrap metal prices.  I eventually became the ''go to guy'' if a technician anywhere on the UPRR need help troubleshooting these,,,, I taught dozens of technicians how to fix the printers.
Some liked doing working on these,  a bit of greasy parts, and springs, oil, etc ,    but some techs HATED it...  not being electronic.  It's a guess , but I would think UPRR had 3 or 4 hundred of the printers in service and maybe 7 or 8 hundred CRT unit..   

Times changed, Computers were coming,  but only after a round of 3270 type dumb terminal  equipment.  Never,  until laser printers came along never was there  a printer would pound it out as fast as a model 40,,   years ahead in design and durability. 

UPRR went to Token Ring LAN's,  finally we went Ethernet, and the world I knew went from 100 words a minute  using a  110 baud modem, to (well) LIGHT SPEED.

its kind of sad , but things keep moving forwarded, and I'm proud to be part of that progress.  Its all magic, 

Some notes..
I owe my 30 year career with the UPRR to these facts,  
 
1. I had Teletype in my ham shack, when I was a kid.. I had some Idea how it worked
2. I had an associates degree in electronics
3. I was a HAM,  might I say olden day ham, that actually had some idea how his equipment worked.

4? and maybe the fact I had 6 years in the USAF under my belt





Like I say I trained LOTS of the RR technicians to fix this equipment after one of the big bosses decided he didn't like us "traveling teleprinter supervisor"  ,,, he wasn't our boss and had real heartburn, when he couldn't boss us around.

So a deal was struck with the IBEW to get all the electronic technicians on board to fix these devices.
 

I spent about 10 years of my career traveling and training, helping to install equipment from Teletype's  to Ethernet LAN systems,  then we merged with the SPRR,,  (what a mess) and I bumped into the Electronic Ranks and quit traveling. Stayed in Pocatello area,   

What a great bunch of people,
North Platte, Cheyenne, Rawlins , Green River,  Denver, Provo, Salt Lake City, Ogden, Pueblo,  
 Las Vegas, Yermo, Los Angeles, Stockton,  Seattle,  Hinkle ,  Oakland,  Pocatello, Nampa, La Grande, 
Portland,,   AND MORE  
These were always stopping points during my journeys  to see how things were going, to buy a safety lunch or
breakfast on the railroad dollar for all the tech's..

 

 

 
   
   
Here's a Christmas card I mailed out to all the tech's I worked with,  when the LAST teletype on the UPRR system was unplugged..
A sad day, when you think of all the great things Teletype did for the UPRR.. Times change, and now with LAN networks, ultra high speed data rates, 

All this old stuff, and the guys that fixed them,  are just history in the dust bin,,   a Pity !

Being a collector of junk, I had many of these Model  32/33 machines pass through my hands,   they were light weight,  way back when we used the model 35's  I ask my boss  KØIJ  why didn't he get something light weight so we didn't break our backs moving stuff..  his answer,,,   I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT PLASTIC JUNK ON THE RAILROAD !!!

 Lastly I leave you with a picture in my shack,,   Yes the model 28 machine is there and I can connect it to my radios and send and receive.  Every new years day ,  was the green keys event.  its been given up on,  couldn't get anyone motivated , BUT I STILL   fire up the 28 and call cq,,  talk to a few hams,  but I have never contacted another real TELETYPE.
maybe 2021 will bring some luck      ,,,NEWS FLASH  in fact 2022 did bring success, I worked a person running a model 15,,  WOW 
   
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THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPED OVER THE LAZY DOGS BACK  1234567890
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