How do I interpret this call in the description?

[TillaMurphs]

For ER0669, there is a call in the description that says:

 

74 FEET NORTH AND 117 FEET EAST OF THE HIGHWAY AT THE RAILROAD CROSSING,

At this location, the old railroad ran in a North/South direction and the highway runs east-northeast (at 78 degrees). How can you be north and east of the highway?

 

Would it be safe to assume they meant north of the highway and east of the railroad? Or is this some unique style of description that the USGS enlisted just to confuse us mere mortals?

[tosborn]

I think this reads such that "North" and "East" are relative directions with respect to the highway. So, this is how I would interpret it: at the point of intersection between the highway and the railroad, proceed 74 feet perpendicular to the direction of the highway in a Northerly direction (based on Topo maps that would be a true azimuth of about 348.3 degrees). Then, from that point go parallel to the highway 117 feet in an Easterly direction. That puts you almost exactly on top of the BM X on the topo map. You'll cross over the tracks on that second leg.

Edited August 20, 2011 by tosborn

[Bill93]

On Google Earth, it looks like 74 ft northerly of the crossing along the RR and then easterly parallel to the road would put you in a likely area.

 

Going perpendicular to the highway for 74 ft would then require you to cross the RR on the second measurement, and I doubt they did that. An equivalent would be to measure east along the road from the crossing and then 74 ft perpendicular, but that's not the order of the calls.

 

As much as I like to take north and east as literal directions, I doubt that is the case here. True east might bring you back too close to the road.

 

If you see a Right of Way marker, figure that the mark would be set just inside the roadway from the line.

Edited August 20, 2011 by Bill93