Vintage 1977 Western Electric / Bell System Central Office Trunk Circuit BoardOffered here is an original vintage Western Electric telecommunications circuit card dating from 1977. This is a large, heavily populated Bell System-era board originally designed for telephone switching/central-office equipment.
The board is marked:
LC08B CENT OFF TRK CKT
SER 840599278
ISSUE 2“CENT OFF TRK CKT” appears to designate this as a Central Office Trunk Circuit card.
The reverse side of the board is clearly marked “11 DR. ’77,” and numerous individual components also carry 1977 markings/date codes. These include Western Electric components marked WE 77 / WE 11/77, making 1977 a well-supported production period for this card.Notable Vintage Components
This is a particularly component-rich Western Electric board containing a large assortment of period telecommunications electronics, including:
Several white Western Electric ceramic IC packages marked 601A and 163J, dated WE 77
Numerous black Western Electric ICs, including 41N, 41AD, 41AO, 41BR and related WE-marked devices, many marked WE 11/77
Multiple Fujitsu UP337A REF sealed modules carrying 1977 date markings
Western Electric transformers, including a visible 269E WE 9M77
Large metal-cased modules/transformers marked 17253 INDR WE 1W MG77
Large red Western Electric 736-A CAP-PAK modules
Smaller vintage capacitors, diodes, resistors and other discrete components
Original black card extraction/retaining hardware
Extensive gold-plated edge connector contacts
The card measures approximately 11 inches wide by 8 inches tall, not including minor protrusions/hardware. Please refer to the photographs for exact dimensions and configuration.Precious-Metal / Vintage Component Interest
This board contains clearly visible gold-plated edge connector contacts, along with numerous vintage Western Electric ICs and ceramic components with gold-colored/gold-plated leads.Of particular interest are the white Western Electric ceramic IC packages, including the 601A and 163J devices. Research into Western Electric ceramic components of this era suggests that some examples may incorporate palladium or a palladium-bearing alloy in their construction, together with gold plating/layers and/or gold-bearing internal connections. I have not had the individual components on this particular card professionally assayed, so the exact composition and quantity of any precious metals beyond the visibly gold-plated areas are not guaranteed.
These older telecommunications components can be of interest to Bell System/Western Electric collectors, vintage electronics collectors, telephone-system restorers, component collectors, electronics historians, and precious-metal recovery enthusiasts.Condition / Important Disclosure
This board is approximately 49 years old and is being sold as a vintage collectible/parts item. It has not been electrically tested, and I cannot guarantee that it is operational. It should therefore be considered UNTESTED and SOLD AS-IS.These cards were obtained after having apparently been stored for many years. There is an unknown sticky substance/residue on portions of some of the cards. I do not know what the substance is. I will try to clean the cards up as much as reasonably possible before shipment. I have found that the residue does come off with isopropyl alcohol, although some residue may remain.
Expect normal age-related cosmetic wear, oxidation/tarnish on some metal housings, dust, discoloration, markings, residue and other signs of long-term storage. I prefer not to aggressively clean vintage electronics because doing so could damage original markings or components.Please examine all photographs carefully. The photos are part of the description and show the actual condition, components, markings and construction of the card.This is a substantial piece of 1970s Bell System / Western Electric telecommunications hardware with a large number of original period components still intact.Sold untested and as-is for collecting, restoration, display, parts, research or precious-metal recovery.