Modern engineering

[SteamGene]

In 1856 the ancestor of the C&O bored the Blue Ridge Tunnel under Rockfish Gap in the Blue Ridge.  They bored from both ends and broke through on Christmas day, less than six inches from a perfect meeting.  In 1944 the C&O built another tunnel close by to replace the Blue Ridge Tunnel.  When it bored through, the two tunnels were off by four feet. 
Gene

[pdlethbridge]

what a boring story

[Jim Banner]

Gene, does that mean that in 1944 the best men and equipment were overseas dying for their country while the best the C&O could muster was a cook and a theodolite that had been dropped once too often?

[grumpy]

Jim
During the period `1968- 1969 I was responsible for the construction of the sewer tunnel under Circle Dr. We used a small diesel loco with an exhaust scrubber and a train of mucking cars to haul the mud up from the tunnel. The digging was done with a tunneling machine. The criteria was that you had to be able to see the light fom a flashlight at the other end.
At the time it was extremely difficult to keep line. Now I am sure that they position now by sattelite , and computers.
Don

[Yampa Bob]

Not exactly on topic but has to do with "navigation".  We have a saying in Colorado: "You can't get there from here". 

When surveyors laid out the townships and sections for Colorado, they worked from both directions, East and West.  When they "met", they were off 1/8 mile or more in places. The offsets are called "deviations" which is a fancy word for screwed up. Kinda hard to shoot a mark through a mountain.

Today they are revising all legal descriptions according to GPS coordinates.  A surveyor friend of mine now works alone with a GPS receiver/antenna on a tripod, says it is "extremely accurate". 

Latitude and Longitude are no longer used.  The current system is the "Universal Transverse Mercator" or UTM. The UTM locates a spot on the ground within 1 cm or less.  Many cities are now adopting the "National Grid" for locating addresses.  Police and emergency vehicles are guided to the scene by GPS homing. The dispatcher updates the vehicle onboard computer/gps from the command post.

Since the military turned off selective availability (SA), any citizen can navigate cross country to within 10 meters of a "waypoint" with a  GPS.   When we travel,  or snowmobile in the mountains we carry 2 cell phones, 2 GPS,  topo map, extra batteries, and an avalanche beacon.  The GPS units have a built in electronic compass and altimeter.  We know exactly where we're at and never get lost.

There is a growing hobby called "GeoCaching".  People hide small "caches" and post coordinates on a web site, so travelers can find them and write in a log book.  Orienting has become an international sport.

Well, I'm rambling as usual, but I teach cartography (maps), navigation and GPS locally, it is a fascinating pastime.  BTW, if you are interested in a GPS unit, I recommend the Garmin "GPSmap 60CS" with color display.  We have all the topo maps for Colorado loaded on ours. 

Bob

[Redtail67]

Yampa Bob:

I have been using GPS for about 15 years or so. Mostly as a hunter and camper in the Colorado mountains. It is an extremly accurate and most times reliable form of navigation.

It also is a life saver. I have used it two seperate times to save the lives of my companions. One who had severed his femoral artery, 5 miles in by horseback in one bad bad place. The other who had been thrown into a tree by a crazy mule and burst a lung. I was able to contact Creede Sheriff and he relayed me through to Flight For Life out of Colorado Springs. Thus the ability for me to give the exact coordinates by UTM Grid to the pilot who then transfered that to his chopper was able to land excatly where we were. Had it not been for that both of my partners would have lost their lives.

The pilot gave me his business card after the second time around so I could call direct. Its funny now but was not then.

I will never go to the mountains with out one and I bought all my kids and grandkids that hunt and camp one for their use. I urge anyone who ventures into the outdoors to get one.

In order to encourage my kids to learn the basics of it I would hide a $100.00 bill in the mountains then give the waypoints to find on a map then transfer the information as to coordinates. Then I would go out with them as they set their courses to find the money.

I have told you I want to talk more with you about the GPS and I still do. I just have not had the time to sit down and get it all in my head about what I want to ask you. I will soon.

I also would state that a person should always carry a map and compass and at least be able to use them in a basic way. Take extra battseries for the GPS but remember you can break it, horse step on it or what ever and the old fashioned way will have to work for you then.

No matter what I mark when I return to that spot by GPS I have never been off more that 3 big steps. I have plotted out hunts for my grandson who lives in South East Texas while sitting a my home here in Colorado. After laying it out for him on a Topo I would mail it to him. Amazing stuff and a valuble item for anyone to have.

Could not help but comment as I have been a big fan of GPS for a long time.

Redtail67

[Yampa Bob]

I forgot to mention that I also carry two Suunto compasses with luminous dials just in case.  Of course my watch works in a pinch  

Funny, we got a cell call one time, a guy had a GPS, but he forgot to mark a waypoint where he left his car.  We had to go get him.

We have a great mountain behind our house, so anytime you feel like hiding some $100 bills come on up. 

Bob

[Redtail67]

Yampa Bob:

The kids learned fast with that cash incentive..lol

Redtail67

[Yampa Bob]

Remind me sometime to tell you a story about a $20 bill I have that I "grabbed" from Vince Lombardi.

Bob

[rocknblues]

If you don't mind, I will remind you to tell that story. It sounds interesting to me. I will grab a cup of coffee, and listen intently.    -  Rock

[Yampa Bob]

Hi Rock
Well, since we are already off topic, I'll make it short. About 46 years ago I attended a salesmanship seminar conducted by Vince Lombardi.  Mr Lombardi opened his lecture by holding up a $20 bill and asked "Who wants this?"  I was in the front row, and without hesitation I jumped up and said "I'll take it".  He said "now there's a man I want on my team, the rest of you hesitated and lost".  He gave me the bill and shook my hand.  Obviously the bill is in my safe deposit box, to me it's priceless.

Bob