“What’s Old is New Again” is a page of vintage telephone sounds that are recently recorded from real equipment! These are examples of modern-day operation of vintage telephone systems (Panel, Step by Step and Crossbar) and their associated tone plants to produce real authentic dial tone, ring, reorder, and busy signals! These are NOT recreations, these are the real thing! Most of these came from museums or private collectors. They are preserved here for others to listen and enjoy.
Connections Museum Seattle Washington
Various recordings of Step by Step, Panel, #1 Crossbar and #5 Crossbar equipment from the Connections Museum in Seattle, WA.
Western Electric 804C Tone Plant
Do you remember the classic “#5 Crossbar” sound? Most likely it came from a Western Electric 804C Tone Plant. A private collector recently put this on “display” in 2024.
Ellsworth Telephone Museum Maine
The Ellsworth Telephone Museum in Ellsworth, ME has one of only two #3 Crossbar switches still in existence, part of a #5 Crossbar, plus a North Electric CX-100 step by step.
Western Electric 355 Step by Step
Sounds from the tone plant of a 355 Step by Step
Western Electric 755 PBX
Sounds from the tone plant of a 755 PBX.
Paradise Township Telephone Company (Private Collector Step by Step)
Various recordings from a private collector with three different Step by Step switches owned by a private collector (FTR-Kellog, Stromberg-Carlson XY and AE).
Main Telephone Sounds Pages
Modern Telephone Sounds
Vintage Telephone Sounds
What’s Old Is New Again
International Telephone Sounds
Miscellaneous Telephone Sounds
Time, Temperature and Weather Forecast Recordings
Wawina, MN Telephone Sounds