Gallery: Inside the ‘Wire Center’ That Connected Manhattan to the World

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    Christopher Payne
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    Phone and data lines enter the basement of 140 West Street as copper wires or fibers bound into cables.
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    Christopher Payne
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    Each copper wire connects to an individual landline in lower Manhattan.
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    Christopher Payne
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    This door guards one of three power rooms in the building.
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    Christopher Payne
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    Technicians service copper wires on both floors.
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    Christopher Payne
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    The cables of copper separate into individual wire strands in long frames, some of which extend almost the length of the building.
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    Christopher Payne
    06

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    This payphone was once used to test the lines; in 2011, Verizon sold almost all of its payphones.
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    Christopher Payne
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    A pillar of copper wires in front of equipment that processes fiber-optic cables.
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    Christopher Payne
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    Three telephonic switches connect calls through the copper lines. Here, one switch takes up a room.
  • A cut portion of a 3600 pair copper cable.
    Christopher Payne
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    A cut portion of a 3,600 pair copper cable.
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    Christopher Payne
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    This equipment processes the fiber-optic lines.
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    Christopher Payne
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    These copper wires are wrapped by hand using a wax string.
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    Christopher Payne
    12

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    Fiber-optic cables loop into this room from the cable vault underground.
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    Christopher Payne
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    Ethernet equipment in front of equipment that services voice and data lines.
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    Christopher Payne
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    Large batteries supply power to all the phone networks in the building.
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