+rwyman Posted September 20, 2003 Share Posted September 20, 2003 As a railroad worker, I've found many benchmarks along the tracks. In Posey County, Indiana there was one next to the crossing signal relay house where the Illinois Central track crosses Boonville-New Harmony Road just east of State Route 65. It got hit by farm machinery and knocked over. Then someone stole the marker from the top of the post. I have a photo of the post with the brass marker. Can anyone identify this benchmark? rrman@shawneelink.net How can I post a copy of this photo? It is a high-res digital 2 meg picture taken in 2000. Quote Link to comment
+rogbarn Posted September 20, 2003 Share Posted September 20, 2003 Can you provide some more information for us please. Any of the following will be very helpful: coordinates stampings on the disk agency marked on the disk a picture, either in a post or somewhere on the net and provide a link There's probably another thing or two that I've forgotten that I'm sure someone else will pick up on. For now, that will help us figure it out. Possibilities include: a. It's a USGS marker that is not in the NGS database b. It's previously been reported as destroyed and doesn't appear in the geocaching database. c. It's previously been reported as not found and doesn't appear unless you hit "show all markers" after you do your initial search. d. something else. Anyway, there are several people here that seem to enjoy trying to track these kinds of problems down. Quote Link to comment
+rogbarn Posted September 20, 2003 Share Posted September 20, 2003 rwyman sent two pictures directly to me: 1. A picture of the disk. It says "U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY", "BENCH MARK" and is stamped "463 feet", "12 MSM" and "1958". 2. A picture showing a plowed field with railroad tracks running along the side. The disk indicates that my previous answer a. is the most likely situation here. There are literally hundreds of thousands of markers that have been set by many different private and public agencies. Only a small percentage make it into the NGS database for many different reasons. Many benchmarks along railroads were set by the USC&GS (now called NGS) but I didn't realize that the USGS also set markers along railroads. Thanks for the posting. Quote Link to comment
+rwyman Posted September 20, 2003 Author Share Posted September 20, 2003 I know I have seen other railroad benchmarks. the trick is to remember WHERE I saw them. Now I have an excuse to travel back to some of my old railroad territory where I was a signal maintainer. Since these benchmarks are near railroad crossings, I would usually find them while doing maintenance work. I wish now that I had taken photographs previously like I did with the Posey County benchmark. I would guess that the benchmark that is mentioned in this thread was never put on the official list. It is definitely in the "Missing" category now that the plate has been stolen. The post is damaged and leaning over so it is probably useless anyway. I'll go get the GPS coordinates for it in the near future. Wearily wending our way.... Quote Link to comment
+gnbrotz Posted September 21, 2003 Share Posted September 21, 2003 I believe the coords for this spot are: N 38° 06.110' W 87° 38.401' Greg N 39 54.705' W 77 33.137' Quote Link to comment
Z15 Posted September 21, 2003 Share Posted September 21, 2003 See this thread for more INFO Mike Survey Tech (Retired) Quote Link to comment
+rwyman Posted September 23, 2003 Author Share Posted September 23, 2003 Oops! My face is red. This benchmark is in Vanderburgh County not Posey. Sorry about that - old age tends to do things to your memory. Wearily wending our way with GPS in hand.... Quote Link to comment
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