Metal Post Bm's

[Defcon1]

A couple of the Bench Marks close to where I live are described as being metal posts. Only problem is, I don't know what these metal post are supposed to look like. Is it just a metal rod? Has anyone ever found one? If so do you have a pic I could see so that I know what I'm looking for when I'm out hunting them? Here's two examples...

 

http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.asp?PID=RD1595

 

http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.asp?PID=RD1596

 

I checked DustyJacket's list of BM's but didn't really see anything like what I was expecting, perhaps I was overlooking it. Any help would be great!

 

Defcon1

Edited February 7, 2004 by Defcon1

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

...The 'Metal Rod' IS the benchmark itself. This is what it looks like opened.

 

GQ0209

 

And Closed.

 

GQ0209

 

We hope this helps.

 

Shirley & John

[Defcon1]

Yes, that helps a lot, but I know I didn't see anything like that. It does match the description, though. The nearby witness post was a lot shorter than anything pictured on DustyJacket's web page. Should I expect the mark to be well below the current ground level?? Well its not really "ground" per say, its the same rocks you see along side a rail road. Thanks a lot for the help, any further help would also be appreciated.

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

If you read the 'official history' for RD1595 you will see that it is .7 meters (about 2 feet) below the level of the street. Sometimes it help to have a metal detector along for those that get (or are deliberately) covered over. The 'official history' is usually accurate as to where the mark was placed. In this case it says the mark is 1 foot west of the witness post.

 

Good luck on finding them.

 

John

[Defcon1]

Thanks again for the help. What you said now sounds painfully obvious. I'll see what I can "dig up" on these particular bm's. Thanks again!

[Z15]

RD1595_MARKER: I = METAL ROD

RD1595_SETTING: 49 = STAINLESS STEEL ROD W/O SLEEVE (10 FT.+)

RD1595_STAMPING: P 718 1987

RD1595_PROJECTION: FLUSH Means is flush with ground level WHEN it was ORIGINALLY set

RD1595_STABILITY: B = PROBABLY HOLD POSITION/ELEVATION WELL

RD1595_ROD/PIPE-DEPTH: 3.3 meters

RD1595

RD1595 HISTORY - Date Condition Recov. By

RD1595 HISTORY - 1987 MONUMENTED NGS

RD1595 HISTORY - 19941025 GOOD USPSQD

RD1595

RD1595 STATION DESCRIPTION

RD1595

RD1595''DESCRIBED BY NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY 1987

RD1595''4.4 KM (2.75 MI) EAST FROM PORTLAND.

RD1595''4.4 KM (2.75 MI) EAST ALONG SANDY BOULEVARD FROM THE BRIDGE OVER

RD1595''INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 205 IN PORTLAND, IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE

RD1595''INTERSECTION OF 148TH AVENUE, BETWEEN THE 2 POLES OF A DOUBLE WOOD

RD1595''POWER POLE, 38.1 M (125.0 FT) NORTH OF THE BOULEVARD CENTERLINE, 18.4

RD1595''M (60.4 FT) EAST OF THE AVENUE CENTERLINE, 9.7 M (31.8 FT) NORTH OF

RD1595''THE NORTH RAIL OF THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD, 4.9 M (16.1 FT) NORTH

RD1595''OF THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF A RAILROAD CONTROL BOX. NOTE--ACCESS TO

RD1595''DATUM POINT IS HAD THROUGH A 5-INCH LOGO CAP.

RD1595''THE MARK IS 0.3 METERS W FROM A WITNESS POST

RD1595''THE MARK IS 0.7 M BELOW THE BOULEVARD. means it is 0.7 M below elevation level of the bvld, not buried below it.

 

At least thats my interpertation from 30 yrs of experience.

 

But keep in mind, commen sense would suggest it could be covered with dirt etc from almost 20 yrs or from settling of the collar which is only about 2 ft in depth. These were the conditions at the time the mark was set or the last verified recovery, usually by NGS as web site recoveries don't allow these projection field to be updated unless a complete new recovery is entered.

Edited February 8, 2004 by elcamino

[+seventhings]

I have hunted several dozen metal rods that are protected by "logo covers" on the Delmarva Peninsula. While the vast majority are described as being flush with the ground, almost all the one's I've found have been a few inches below the surface. They are usually covered with a layer of sod or four to six inches of pine needles.

7

[Defcon1]

I think that in recent years, whoever maintains the railroad has added rocks to the area and level a section of it off. (if you read the report, it would be the section containing the control box) I can't remember if this section is level with either Sandy Blvd (the road listed as the mark being below level) or 148th. I plan on hunting it again today, and I think that, with everyone's help, I will have more luck at it. The main thing was that I didn't know what I was looking for. You've all been great helps, thanks again!

Edited February 8, 2004 by Defcon1

[Dan Vull]

The 3-D driveable monument is the most stable I've ever installed. We drove one 85 feet in WI. Some of them have bio-greased sleeves 4 feet long to allow for frost heave. They are also wicked expensive to install, the ss rod is $20 per 4' section and it takes two guys the better part of a day.