On the left is an older Western Union (WU) telegraph line. Very likely it had iron wire strung among the poles pictured. Typical 1880's-1910's WU construction is viewed here (on left) as it was in the northeast and East with six pin crossarms. That seemed to be the standard in these parts until the mid to late teens when ten-pin crossarms became what I assume was the Western Union standard as well as copper wire and new (often cedar) pole rebuilding. The latter had steel pins with wood cobs as most of us are very familiar with. (FYI: Some of the old six-pinners had wood cobs as well). The line on the right might be a competitor's telegraph line, a telephone circuit or a newly added WU one. Anyway, it goes to show that these old lines ran on both of the tracks at one time. Good to keep in mind when you are out there doing insulator hunts :-) Photo taken in Tennessee probably in the late teens or a bit later.