Help with wording and new location

[+genegene]

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.

[+pgrig]

Hi Gene--

 

Working with your coordinates for the Mass DPW marker and the reports that MZ0487 is 50 to 53 ft. NW of the NW track, I put the mark roughly at 42.430000, -73.321453. This is a scaled mark, whose coordinates on the Datasheet are only approximate, and they seem to even put it "on the wrong side of the tracks" :-) --the SE side. The other references seem to relate to pieces of rail used to block off that little spur of road that appears to branch off westerly from Coverdale St. Hope this helps! My coordinates are probably lucky, since I was born in Pittsfield, but that was so long ago, the coordinates might be a little worn out... .

 

-Paul

[+Harry Dolphin]

Acme Maps shows a BM near that spot.

 

 

Extrapolated coords are about: N 42 25.787 W 073 19.287. The elevation listed of 1115.29 feet converts to 339.9 m. So, possibly that might be a different BM near the same location?

[+genegene]

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.

[Bill93]

The two later descriptions appear at first reading to be consistent.

 

I'd not worry about the "north" in the oldest description. It may be "railroad north" instead of "truenorth". It was a typical practice when working along a track to take the general direction of the rail line from city to city and assume the forward direction of the track was always the same ignoring any local curves. If this was considered an east-west line, then "railroad north" could easily be true northwest.

[foxtrot_xray]

If this was considered an east-west line, then "railroad north" could easily be true northwest.

Very true, and it could even be on the 'south' side of the tracks if the tracks do a loop through the mountains. (Though in the case I saw that, I actually saw them put 'railroad north', and not just 'north'.)