T 288

I’ve known about the existence of this benchmark for a while, and I always intended to make it an adventure with Elaine on a nice summer evening when we could take a longer-than-usual lunch break. But that never happened, and once I heard that the Harrison Avenue bridge replacement project is beginning this October, I figured I’d better get myself to the bridge and officially document the mark while I still can. I also intend to report it as “Destroyed” if it is, in fact, destroyed once the old bridge is dismantled. (It’s possible that the original abutments will remain in place.)

My first attempt, on October 28: I took a walk over toward the bridge. It turns out that today, of all days, there was a train parked beneath the bridge and extending out as far as the University tennis courts, blocking the path I had intended to take. My intended path wouldn’t involve walking along the tracks; I would simply have to cross over them right at the bridge. I could have walked along the open track, but it’s extremely narrow and on a curve bordered by a rock face, so not only would I be unable to see if anything was coming, but there would literally be nowhere to go.

And today, October 29: I still didn’t get a definitive look at the mark, but at least I got closer (in a way) this time. The train is still there. It’s in a slightly different place than yesterday (I can’t imagine what they’re doing with it) but it’s still beneath the bridge and blocking a significant length of track on either side. Today I checked to see if I could catch a glimpse of the BM through the train cars, and I was able to! Interestingly, it’s circled with fluorescent orange paint and “TBM 4” is painted beside it. From what I could tell the paint looks fresh. I wonder if they are using it in the bridge replacement project?! Anyway, it’s a really good thing I didn’t try walking along the other track today, because a train came by while I was there.