genegene
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Posts posted by genegene
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Just over the border in NY from me (I'm in Pittsfield Massachusetts) there is a old RR line that used to run from NYC to Rutland VT and maybe further.
Now the line ends in Wassaic NY (tracks pulled after this point) and then reconnects very very briefly in Chatham NY on a working line and then continues empty and track less up to North Petersburgh NY where it would have connected to another line at N42° 50.038 W73° 19.541
Seeing an old rail line that is empty or turned into a rail trail is not uncommon but to see one with out any listed BM's on it is.
On this entire line there are very few markers along the working section. On the empty line there are none at all.
I know that the line dates back to 1899 as one of the bridges has that date on it.
Is it possible that they did not mark this RR line or could it be that the info was never entered into the NGS Database because of inaccurate or missing data by someone and I quote Papa-Bear-NYC
?the datasheet was unpublished for lack of a description, as was true for a number of Borden's stations. -
I have a good idea that an Earthenware Cone is basically a clay pot and here is the Description of the BM:
MY5277 placed in 1850 42° 46.613 W 070° 48.265
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1850 (COB) THE STATION IS MARKED BY AN EARTHENWARE CONE, EMBEDDED IN THE EARTH 3 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE.
No other info was provided about the mark other then what is above. The location is in a sand dune and I was wondering what is the best way to find a pot like this?
I am thinking that a thin rod like what is on marking flags (that mark out fresh grass or where a new underground electric fence line for a dog) or a Coat Hanger, to poke into the ground until I hit something will work.
I know that its a long shot doing it the way that I am thinking or its most likely under about 5 feet of sand now.
Has anyone had experience finding any pots in sand dunes and how did you do it? Any thoughts on how I should go about finding it?
Gene G.
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Any chance of a PID, L/L & photo of your secret new disk? kayakbird
Sorry about that, KU2378 is the one I found on Vacation.
This is the first one that I submitted to the NGS and hope I gave needed info. After reading more info here on the forums I realized that I might catch some slack for my update.
When I do start updating additional BM's to the NGS I will seek help from others that submit regularly to make sure that it reads professionally and legible.
If you look on the GC listing for the BM you can see an image of the BM.
Gene G.
GRG
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I sent an e-mail to Aermotor, the co designers of the towers to see if they built them or have blueprints in there files.
If they have some that they can share then you could build one.
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I found a patent for another type of what you are looking for. SURVEY INSTRUMENT TOWER/.
Im still looking for the blueprints for the Bilby Tower.
Do you have the option of building one?
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I'm interested in seeing my log for a BM in Long Island that I found by Accident.
Gene G.
GRG
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I am sorry that you apparently do not feel that the Appalachian Trail is a national resource worth protecting.
I'm sorry that the NPS doesn't understand that Geocaching could be boost to there trail as we (Geocachers) would use it more and be able to help keep an eye out for problems and maybe even want to volunteer to help with trail maintenance. Geocachers got blamed for a lot of new trails and garbage on the trail. 99% of the time it had nothing to do with us but they blamed us anyways with out even looking into the matter further.
I have seen some really good caches that did not hinder the trail or make new trails on the AT that were archived for no reason.
These are just my views and do not represent the view of anyone else. Everyone is entitled to there own opinions.
Gene G.
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Sorry but I'm a Geocacher and we are not allowed to Geocache on National Park Lands.
If they want to PAY me to do it then that's one thing, but to volunteer to do something for them and then have them tell me that I'm not welcome to use it, they can do it themselves...
By the way there getting ready to expand there boundaries to .25 mi here in Massachusetts from what I understand. They are going to archive more caches and I'm not a big fan of that idea.
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Got mine in the Mail today. This is going to make my life a heck of a lot easier.
Thanks for doing this for us.
Gene G.
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By the way, you were #2 with 16.0% and #10 is in the lead with 22.0%
That one is going to be tough to beat, but I'm going to post it to the WMG FaceBook page and my personal FB to help you out a little.
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Nice looking stuff there Jeremy. You get my vote.
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Thanks, Ill give that area a look and see if I can find it in that area.
While I was reading the description in the area I thought it was on that side but one description said north and another said northwest so I was confused big time about it.
I'll let you know how it turns out the next time I go and look.
Gene G.
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I was just wondering if I could get a little help locating a BM as I am lost to the description of the new location of the New BM.
BM = MZ0487
1/1/1953 by NGS (GOOD)
DESCRIBED BY NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY 1953 AT WEST PITTSFIELD. AT WEST PITTSFIELD, BERKSHIRE COUNTY, DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE FOUNDATION REMAINS OF THE OLD BOSTON AND ALBANY RAILROAD STATION. 50 FEET NORTH OF THE NORTH RAIL. 170 FEET NORTHWEST FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE LARGE GRAIN AND FEED BUILDING. AND 3 FEET FROM A FENCE LINE. A STANDARD DISK, STAMPED H7 1933, SET IN THE TOP OF A CONCRETE POST, PROJECTING 2 INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND.
1/1/1977 by USGS (GOOD)
RECOVERY NOTE BY US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 1977 THE RAILROAD DEPOT MENTIONED IN THE ORGINIAL DESCRIPTION HAS BEEN TORN DOWN. A NEW TO REACH AND DESCRIPTION FOLLOWS. TO REACH THE MARK FROM THE STATE HIGHWAY 20 OVERPASS OVER THE PENN CENTRAL RAILROAD AT WEST PITTSFIELD FOLLOW CLOVERDALE ROAD SW ALONG THE SE SIDE OF THE RAILROAD FOR ABOUT 600 FT. TO WHERE CLOVERDALE ROAD CURVES TO THE LEFT AT THE OLD DEPOT SITE. THE MARK IS 50 FT. NW OF THE NW RAIL OF THE RAILROAD AND 37.4 FT. N OF A LIGHT POLE. THE MARK IS 83 FT. NW OF M.D.P.W. MONUMENT 90 B 1939. 90 B IS LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE CENTER 1 OF 3 6'' X 6'' BARRIER POST AT THE CURVE OF CLOVERDALE ROAD.
1/1/1980 by NGS (GOOD)
RECOVERY NOTE BY NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY 1980 IN WEST PITTSFIELD, 0.24 KILOMETER (0.15 MILE) SOUTHWEST ALONG CLOVERDALE STREET FROM THE EAST END OF THE US HIGHWAY 20 BRIDGE OVER THE PENN CENTRAL RAILROAD, ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE TRACKS WHERE CLOVERDALE STREET TURNS FROM SOUTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST, 24.35 METERS (79.86 FEET) NORTH AND ACROSS THE TRACKS FROM THE MOST NORTHWESTERLY CUT RAILROAD TRACK 6-FEET HIGH USED FOR A CABLE GATE FOR ACCESS ROAD LEADINF SOUTHWEST ALONG THE TRACKS, 16.1 METERS (52.8 FEET) NORTHWEST OF THE NORTHWEST RAIL OF THE TRACKS. THE MARK IS 0.2 METERS NE FROM A WITNESS POST.
The following locations are using Google earth (estimated) as I don't have the one for light pole that is in place.
The location of the MDPW mark is N42 25.785 W73 19.277
The location of the Light pole is at N42 25.788 W73 19.271
Can someone give me an idea as to where to look for the BM using google earth? I don't understand the wording as it conflicts with each other.
Gene G.
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I was looking for a BM and had Local and State Police show up and the SWAT team on its way.
I had no idea that the building that had the BM on it was entirely a bank. I thought there were two businesses in it one on one side, and the other side had something else on it.
The week before a bank had a hold up about 10 miles away.
I parked far away in the parking lot and didn't even go near the door.
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Do you think these are good candidates for making NGS logs? If the effort might provide useful information for someone in the future, I'd be happy to provide quality observation logs - I have updated coordinates (the posted ones are all of by more than 100 feet), photos, and descriptions on each mark.
Check out what everyone said about logging on the NGS Database on my recent post. Click Here
It was very useful and showed how much BM hunters like to help others to avoid mistakes that would make you look silly when posting to the NGS database.
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Thanks for the coords. I did the surveying a few months ago on google earth and mapsource as well and came up with about what you have.
Now I can go find it.
Gene G.
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Well I finally submitted my first find log to the NGS. Surprisingly it was quite easy and I plan on doing it more now that I am having fun finding the BM's
I am going to include my GPS coords in the listing and what kind of GPS it was or is this just over kill?
Is it good form to submit a photo of the mark as well?
It said it could take up 30 days to get the info updated and I am looking forward to to seeing my update on the NGS listing.
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Who do you contact about having a disk made up?
I would love to get one with the Western Mass Geocachers initials on it and start placing them at our yearly event at the different locations we go to in the state.
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This whole project grew out of the necessities involved in an itinerary-less vacation trip from Pittsburgh to Phoenix, and the desire to Geocache and Hunt Benchmarks in as many states as possible along the route.
Certain states were obviously out of the running, but we might go through Alabama...or maybe Illinois. The New England states were certainly off, but we could go through Indiana, or maybe Mississippi.
I decided that if I was going to convert all the counties for 20+ states, I might as well do all 50 states, and never need to do it again.
I knew that anyone could do this, but probably nobody would make the effort to go beyond their own immediate needs.
Then I thought I would share my efforts with a couple of friends here in AZ...but then I further considered why not offer this to anyone interested.
So, in answer to the real question:
The disks 'only' have the counties (and equivalent administrative regions) for the 50 states and D.C.
Anyone taking a trip to American Samoa or Puerto Rico is on their own.
Sending e-mail.
I was just wondering though how often do you plan on updating the info. BM's are added and subtracted all the time. Eventually wont some of these be out of date and need updating? I don't mind getting a new subscription every year or two just to keep up with the changes (if any)
Are they easily uploaded to GSAK?
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I think its about time to not make the site free.
I know that a lot of new people will not like the idea but if they are going to spam us all the time we should make them pay to do it.
I have also sent the blog a spam and harassment warning or what ever its called.
I think we should all do it every day until he is removed. when he starts up another one we do it to that one. Eventually he will get a real website and we can spam the heck out of his e-mail address and server
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A while back there was a macro on GSAK that would grab the data info from Geocaching.com and add it to the details of a benchmark in GSAK so you could add it to your GPS.
That macro is no longer working now and I want to have all the info on my GPS about the Benchmarks like I used to be able to do.
I can not print out the paper for all the BM's since I never know where I will be during the day and I was wondering what everyone was using to get this info to there GPS units?
I know that I can get the cords on the GPS but I need more info then that please.
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If I upload a bunch of them to my GPS will it tell me what I'm looking for and all official logs on them from when it was placed to when you did them?
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Any one ever heard of "Rocking the Goat". # 1 in New England (6 states)
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Love the new feature.
EARTHENWARE CONE
in Benchmarking
Posted
Thanks Bill those are some great links and I learned a lot from them.
I'm looking forward to finding some of those unusual BMs now and performing the proper way to dig them up for viewing only.
In the Carter link, what is that long stake with the handle on it called? That looks like it is what I should use to find underground markers.