Old Call Boxes, the ultimate secure communications device

[kd7yvv]

When I was a kid I saw these call boxes in Union City NJ when I was growing up.

Fire alarm call box - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It is my understanding that these are still in use.

Also in Union City, police call boxes.
Looks like this:

Large Size Cast Iron Police Telegraph Box Gamewell New York | eBay

A NICE PIECE OF POLICE HISTORY. THIS IS THE SHELL ONLY WITH THE ORIGINAL HINGES. IT IS ABOUT 20” TALL. READY FOR YOU TO FINISH AND ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION. IT IS VERY HEAVY. THE BOX HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR PAINTING.

www.ebay.com

As a matter of fact, if you go on Google Street View, inside the Beacon Diner
on Bergen Blvd. in Fairview, NJ, you can streetview into the restaurant and
see one on the wall.

Anyone in Union City or that area know if they are still in use?
I haven't been back to New Jersey in 25 years.
I was watching Adam 12 and they used a police call box and that reminded me
of my childhood. It would be interesting to hear from users to learn if these are
still in use around the country. Old old technology I'm sure, but it would also
be nice to see pictures of the inside of these. It is my understanding some still have
the type of receiver used on the old candlestick phones.

Here is an image of one, and an image of the inside of one.

early police communications

https://texashideout.tripod.com/boxint.jpg

Here is one I remember from long ago, still there.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[ecps92]

When I was a kid I saw these call boxes in Union City NJ when I was growing up.

Fire alarm call box - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It is my understanding that these are still in use.

Also in Union City, police call boxes.
Looks like this:

Large Size Cast Iron Police Telegraph Box Gamewell New York | eBay

A NICE PIECE OF POLICE HISTORY. THIS IS THE SHELL ONLY WITH THE ORIGINAL HINGES. IT IS ABOUT 20” TALL. READY FOR YOU TO FINISH AND ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION. IT IS VERY HEAVY. THE BOX HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR PAINTING.

www.ebay.com

As a matter of fact, if you go on Google Street View, inside the Beacon Diner
on Bergen Blvd. in Fairview, NJ, you can streetview into the restaurant and
see one on the wall.

Anyone in Union City or that area know if they are still in use?
I haven't been back to New Jersey in 25 years.
I was watching Adam 12 and they used a police call box and that reminded me
of my childhood. It would be interesting to hear from users to learn if these are
still in use around the country. Old old technology I'm sure, but it would also
be nice to see pictures of the inside of these. It is my understanding some still have
the type of receiver used on the old candlestick phones.

Here is an image of one, and an image of the inside of one.

early police communications

https://texashideout.tripod.com/boxint.jpg

Here is one I remember from long ago, still there.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

Great resource at
- NECRAT bet he even joins this thread

Lots of the Police (Adams 12 type) have been removed/sold with the advent of cellphones and now Smaht Phones

However (YMMV) many municipalities have keep the Red Fire Boxes , some now RF, some a mix and many still wireline

 

[rr60]

My Box 322, note the center cog. Yes Tone and tap was communications and very common. Way back.

 

[bep]

Hmmmm, that reminds me, I have a pristine box like the one above in my attic somewhere. Time to hunt!

 

[nosoup4u]

There is still one on the front of the High Bridge firehouse. I don't know if it is just for decoration or if it will actually do something.

 

[kd7yvv]

I'd be curious if there are places where the police still use them.
I did see a story on youtube where Boston is keeping theirs going since
not everyone owns a cellphone.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

My Box 322, note the center cog. Yes Tone and tap was communications and very common. Way back.

View attachment 146387

Who rewinds these? How did they ensure they were rewound?

 

[kd7yvv]

Who rewinds these? How did they ensure they were rewound?

I believe they got rewound by the fire brigade after the initial response.
I know when I was a kid they still had the pull boxes. I never had cause to
use one but my dad told me they used to have a man who went around the neighborhood and turned on each individual street light with a stick.
He said that this went on into the early 50's. The pull boxes were still in use
back then and I know they were in use when I was a kid in the 70's but
I'm not sure if they were in use in the 80's or even today.

 

[mark40]

Who rewinds these? How did they ensure they were rewound?

The department I retired from had these into the late 90's when they were phased out. A fire officer would rewind the box upon completion of the incident/call.

 

[steve9570]

We still have them in Boston. they get rewound by the responding ladder or engine after the fire is out. the box is wound. I can Still can call out the taps they make sounding the location of the call.

Steve

 

[rr60]

Boston & about Fireboxes

 

[RadioChief55]

There are no working Police box systems. But many fire box Gamewell systems. Union City does not have a system. The last Hudson County systems were Bayonne, Kearny and E Newark, Those 3 were removed in the past 15 years. I maintain the Gamewell System in a Bergen County town. They are the fastest way to report a fire, I have put the system up against central station monitoring and calling 911. We have street boxes and master boxes that monitor fire alarms in buildings. This site will give you a lot of great information about gamewell systems in NJ. Welcome to Backtaps.com....The forgotten history of NJ telegraph fire alarm systems

 

[RadioChief55]

Here is the inside workings of a fire alarm room with a box coming in.

 

[PM08203]

Atlantic City’s Gamewell system was replaced by ‘PERTS’ boxes and beat officers made their ‘hits’ on them….the PERTS boxes have since been removed. Ocean City NJ had pull boxes that were mounted on the wooden utility poles…..each of those poles had a red strip painted on them at the location of the box…..you can still find perhaps six of the poles still standing with the now extremely faded red strip.
I thought Lambertville might still have a Gamewell system if someone could check.
In western NY…Erie County….several places still have pull boxes including Buffalo, Depew and others.

 

[kd7yvv]

There are no working Police box systems. But many fire box Gamewell systems. Union City does not have a system. The last Hudson County systems were Bayonne, Kearny and E Newark, Those 3 were removed in the past 15 years. I maintain the Gamewell System in a Bergen County town. They are the fastest way to report a fire, I have put the system up against central station monitoring and calling 911. We have street boxes and master boxes that monitor fire alarms in buildings. This site will give you a lot of great information about gamewell systems in NJ. Welcome to Backtaps.com....The forgotten history of NJ telegraph fire alarm systems

Radio Chief, if you're in Bergen County, specifically the Fairview area, I lived
at a house (now gone replaced by an apartment building) at 200 Bergen Boulevard. The Gamewell box I posted a picture of is inside what used to be "The Point Diner". I think it's called "The Beacon" now or something like that.
There was a fire at 200 Bergen Boulevard, in the auto shop.
You can still find this on Youtube. Thank you for the site. I'm in Washington
State these days and miss New Jersey terribly. I don't know if the Gamewell box in the diner is connected to anything but it's nice to see something
from my childhood still around.