608aattendantconsole

The PBX behind this looks like a Western Electric 702 (step-by-step, electromechanical) which were very popular in Pacific Telephone territory at the time. I have a tough time telling 701, 702, and 740s apart. Note that all 1970s-era Rohr Chula Vista images show rotary dials, suggesting step-by-step.

The plugs and jacks look like bantams rather than quarter-inch phone plugs. Do you agree?

In some installations, long distance calls tripped a mechanical counter. There would be a backboard with a bunch of mechanical counters. Each counter registered ZUM Units or something billable. Somebody from Pacific Telephone would come in with a Polaroid once a month and take photos. The photos would be how the user was billed.

You can almost hear that 600 Hz + 120 Hz dialtone...

It looks like Chula Vista had 7 attendants during peak hours.

This attendant console is called a Western Electric 608A:


This PBX attendant (operator) appears to be holding a message form. Before voice mail, the attendant(s) would take a message on paper then either page you or wait for you to call in to retrieve your messages.

Attendants also filled out a paper ticket recording each long distance call. For example, if you called the Auburn, Washington plant, the attendant would fill out a paper form and your department would get billed for the call.

The odd ball on the pen is used to dial the rotary dial at right. Sore fingers? Just did your nails? The pen gets worn instead of you.

Many photos show Rohr employees with Pac*Tel Motorola Bravo numeric pagers on their belts.

Auburn, Washington plant had a single-position attendant console: