What is this marker ?

[+_dxd_]

I realize this isn't a NGS or US&CGS marker, but it has to be some sort of location marker. I've found three of them now, all quite close to decommissioned Titan missile sites. They are concrete, about 4.5 to 5 ft tall. There is a large grey disc on top, with three bolts, grooves, and a round depression in the middle. The only markings are visible in the disc pic, in this case it was 4 B . This one was on a slight rise, there was another one about .1 mile away in a low spot. The first one I found was on a hilltop about .2 miles from another different Titan. Any ideas what these things are ? Thanks to anyone that can help.

 

 

[+Ernmark]

I seem to remember something similar showing up in the BM forums before but can't find any examples - they are a bit like the piers at the Hoover Dam:

GR1855 These have a regular disk in the middle, however..

 

..I do seem to remember a large grooved flat disk somewhere though..

[wister6813]

A concrete pedestal with tribrack. A number are in the NGS's database around the former Minuteman silos in Missouri. Based on the datasheets, each silo had two pedestals. I've never been able to find one. Examples are JD1937 and JD1938.

 

I have seen photos of the pedestals with the plate intact at some of the former Atlas silos in Kansas. I believe they are used to mount an instrument to align the missile when it is placed in the silo.

[+_dxd_]

A concrete pedestal with tribrack. A number are in the NGS's database around the former Minuteman silos in Missouri. Based on the datasheets, each silo had two pedestals. I've never been able to find one. Examples are JD1937 and JD1938.

 

I have seen photos of the pedestals with the plate intact at some of the former Atlas silos in Kansas. I believe they are used to mount an instrument to align the missile when it is placed in the silo.

 

Thank you ! I looked at those two you posted, and they seem to be the same sort of thing. So, I went to the NGS datasheet site and did a search, and came up with a possible PID, CG0918

 

But... when I select it, and click on Get Datasheet, I get a Msg=FATAL_ERROR - No Marks found

Reading down through the info, down at the bottom it looks like it is marked with a Nonpub Reason of Presumed destroyed ?

 

 

eta: a little searching for the first one I found, I think it may be CG0923 or CG0924, which come up with the same message ( I can't remember the mark on the first one)

 

To Ernmark - thanks for posting that obelisk, I may be in the area in a few days and will try to get a picture or two

Edited March 8, 2009 by dixiedawn

[+_dxd_]

And even more thanks ! I now have a PID for a USACE benchmark I found near the first Titan site I visited, but it's also "Presumed destroyed"

 

funny, doesn't look destroyed to me

 

[mloser]

I found a similar monument, SUSQUEHANNOCK, in Pennsylvania a few years ago.

 

 

 

I didn't get a good enough picture of the top plate and I can't see any noticeable holes to mount an instrument. I am still curious about the deep grooves in the plate. Two run corner to corner but there are others that seem random. The one to the left might be a backsight line to the azi. I guess I could revisit it and get some angles. The walk up is pretty nice!

 

I assume its permanence had/has something to do with the Safe Harbor Dam.

[DaveD]

The grooves cut into the plates on these monuments were designed to force center the theodolite and/or signal light over the center of the monument.

[+NB2E-HAM]

Were you really close to the missile site? The theodolite pedestals I'm used to seeing at missile sites are within the gated area and usually located at one corner of the concrete pad on which are mounted the launch tube's doors. Some sites (depending on the missile family/type) had more than one. The theodolite (mostly Wild T-3's/T-3AM's, there's currently an ebay auction for one with -GREAT- pics located HERE) were used to align the missile in the launcher tube. Many of the older missiles used a gyroscopic targetting system that depended on the missile's pre-launch rotational orientation with magnetic north and it's known starting (launch) point in order to navigate along it's flight path to it's target. If youre interested in more of the details do a google search for "Missile Wild Theodolite" or register and do a search on the Missile Forums located HERE.

 

Ric

Edited March 11, 2009 by NB2E-HAM

[+_dxd_]

Were you really close to the missile site? ...

 

The pedestals I've found have been between .1 and .3 miles away from the compound, I'd guess. For the pictures that I posted go HERE

and look at the topo map.

 

One was located approximately where that traditional cache icon is, at the access road. That one was inside fenced private property.

 

The one in the picture was located...mmm... switch over to satellite view and zoom in all the way. There is a dry watering hole just south of the access road with a dry river bed across the road heading towards the WSW. Keep going that direction another 350 ft, and you will see a light grey area with a white spot in the middle - that's the pedestal.

 

Other one was near This cache On the topo view of the map, go north of the crosshairs over the blue "pond" called Missile Tank, there is an almost round circle on the ridge - the pedestal was there. Switch over to satellite and zoom in, it's just south of the dirt road, white spot with a dark center, inside almost a triangle shape.

 

more than you wanted, I'm sure

[ccprob]

I realize this isn't a NGS or US&CGS marker, but it has to be some sort of location marker. I've found three of them now, all quite close to decommissioned Titan missile sites. They are concrete, about 4.5 to 5 ft tall. There is a large grey disc on top, with three bolts, grooves, and a round depression in the middle. The only markings are visible in the disc pic, in this case it was 4 B . This one was on a slight rise, there was another one about .1 mile away in a low spot. The first one I found was on a hilltop about .2 miles from another different Titan. Any ideas what these things are ? Thanks to anyone that can help.

 

 

 

Also found one of these 0.6 mile from the decommissioned Titan missile site in Catalina, AZ (now a church)

Marking is 18C. It is on a hilltop on bluffs close to Big Wash.

[+Rotareneg]

Here's some more photos: http://www.penryfamily.com/surveying/missile.html