Transcontinental telephone lines

Late in 1937 a large construction project was completed which added 16 telephone circuits to the transcontinental layout, and the work was so planned that 48 additional circuits can be obtained by the addition of equipment but without stringing additional wire. A brief description of some features of this project and the general development of the transcontinental telephone routes since the first one was opened for service in 1915 is given in this article. Although most of the discussion relates to transcontinental lines, the methods described are generally applicable to other similar situations.