This benchmark was placed by the CGS in the 1940s at the western abutment of the then-Southern Pacific railroad bridge east of Columbus TX.
For purposes of a visit to this benchmark, we will accept a photo of the abutment taken from the bank of the Colorado River. Within 10 minutes after we got off the bridge, a train roared by at track speed -- 50 mph.
From the NGS datasheet: (
visit link)
"AX1046 DESIGNATION - COLUMBUS BM
AX1046 PID - AX1046
AX1046 STATE/COUNTY- TX/COLORADO
AX1046 USGS QUAD - COLUMBUS (1983)
AX1046
AX1046 *CURRENT SURVEY CONTROL
AX1046 ___________________________________________________________________
AX1046* NAD 83(1986)- 29 42 25. (N) 096 32 11. (W) SCALED
AX1046* NAVD 88 - 59.99 (+/-2cm) 196.8 (feet) VERTCON
AX1046 __________________________________________________________________
AX1046
AX1046_MARKER: DB = BENCH MARK DISK
AX1046_SETTING: 36 = ABUTMENT
AX1046_STAMPING: COLUMBUS 1934
AX1046_STABILITY: B = PROBABLY HOLD POSITION/ELEVATION WELL
AX1046
AX1046 HISTORY - Date Condition Recov. By
AX1046 HISTORY - 1934 MONUMENTED CGS
AX1046 HISTORY - 1943 GOOD NGS
AX1046 HISTORY - 1987 GOOD USPSQD
AX1046
AX1046 STATION DESCRIPTION
AX1046
AX1046''DESCRIBED BY NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY 1943
AX1046''0.15 MI E FROM COLUMBUS.
AX1046''0.15 MILE E ALONG THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RR FROM THE STATION AT
AX1046''COLUMBUS, COLORADO COUNTY, 3 POLES W OF MP 84, AT THE LARGE
AX1046''STEEL BRIDGE OVER COLORADO RIVER, IN THE TOP OF THE N END
AX1046''OF THE W ABUTMENT, 13.5 FT N OF THE CENTERLINE OF THE TRACK,
AX1046''AND ABOUT 6-1/2 FEET LOWER THAN THE TRACK.
AX1046''A STANDARD DISK STAMPED COLUMBUS 1934.
AX1046
AX1046 STATION RECOVERY (1987)
AX1046
AX1046''RECOVERY NOTE BY US POWER SQUADRON 1987 (GES)
AX1046''RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION."