In major metropolitan areas where lightning exposure is low, such as in NYC, DC, etc., Bell companies didn't install protected entrance terminals. In this particular installation, I think that they originally DID install 134 type protectors with dual 100 pair stubs when the place was built in the 60's. The incoming stubs were spliced in a fire-retardant splice closure (usually 20/21 type bolted aluminum ones) to the incoming cable. The output stubs were punched down on 66 blocks. There was probably enough space to accommodate about 600 pairs comfortably.

My guess here is that NYT needed to bring in more pairs and didn't have sufficient space in the "H chambers" already in place. Since protection really wasn't needed, they replaced the 134's with these 3M binding post terminals. These were often used to terminate house cable counts, but not as often for incoming facilities. The fact that the stubs are spliced in a Raychem/Tyco closure leads me to believe that this is a lot more recent than you think. Although it's not legal to use a non-fire retardant closure, who's enforcing the rules these days? Bell did their own code compliance, but they're long gone. No local electrical inspection agency is going to have a clue.


Ed Vaughn, MBSWWYPBX