telephone wires

[BATMAN]

I recently noticed old telephone wires along CN's main line east of Vancouver. The kind with lots of wires running from pole to pole. They looked very ratty with the insulation falling off and appeared to have very old glass insulators. Are these lines still used or are they just waiting for time to catch up to them. Any phone guys out there that might know?

[cwclark]

  Most likely, the lines are not in service. Those old lines used to be used for telegraph, ticker tape, and electric signaling between railroad towers in the golden age of railroading before the high tech computer chips took over. Those old glass insulators are worth money too. If i knew now what i didn't know then, i could have gotten hold of them along the SP sunset route when they pulled those type of telephone lines from service in the early seventies. There are lots of people out there that collect the glass insulators and will pay a handsome sum for ones in good condition.   chuck

[cacole]

More than likely, it's old, abandoned CTC wire that has been replaced by satellite communications for the signaling, turnout control, and communications with the train crews.

[R. T. POTEET]

The railroad may not use them but I sure as aitch wouldn't go parking my car underneath!