Induction Telephone & the Railroad - 1945

[RadioJonD]

1945 Pennsylvania Railroad Ad - http://www.plan59.com/av/av019.htm

 

[DPD1]

Yeah, that was a pretty cool system that not many people know about. I found a page all about it once, but now I lost it. That was what those long antennas on the top of the PA locos were about.

Dave
http://www.dpdproductions.com
- Featuring the TrainTenna Railroad Radio Antennas -

 

[Dorpmuller]

Yeah, that was a pretty cool system that not many people know about. I found a page all about it once, but now I lost it. That was what those long antennas on the top of the PA locos were about.

Dave
http://www.dpdproductions.com
- Featuring the TrainTenna Railroad Radio Antennas -

What frequencies did the trainphone operate on?

Rich

 

[RadioJonD]

What frequencies did the trainphone operate on?

Rich

As I understand, induction of the telephones was to telegraph wires along railroad trackage; very interesting concept for that day and age, for sure.

Check these links -

http://www.privateline.com/PCS/history3.htm

http://www.privateline.com/PCS/hawks4.htm#anchor4873464

 

[Nasby]

As I understand it, the trainphone was not fully a radio nor was it fully a telephone. Or in otherwords, it was half radio, half phone.

 

[icom1020]

This book would probably cover induction.
http://www.karensbooks.com/cgi-bin/...ct&product=4705&back=javascript:history.go(-1)

I have found a few at Powell's in Portland by S. Kip Farrington, who covered railroad progress in the 1950's including chapters on railroads using radio.

 

[gcgrotz]

These days they use their cell phone to call a take out order to Wild Wings Cafe when they know they have to stop at the diamond here in Charlottesville.

 

[Cowthief]

Induction telephone technology is still in use to this day, as assisted listening (T-Coil) in some public places.
Early secret service wireless earsets were a small induction coil on the collar and an earset with a T-Coil.
You can build your own, simply run a loop of wire in your room and connect to an amplifier.
It works but you will pick up all manner of noise.

 

[N2ICV]

This link is to a PDF. all about the PRR Train Phone System.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46594796/PRR Train Phone.pdf
Enjoy!

 

[OCO]

Great article! The crews must have been crazy about those portables......

 

[RohnsRadio]

very cool guys.. i had forgotten about induction phones. brings back memories.