Thursday, March 4, 2010

Wednesday Mystery Spot

There was a great response to last week's Mystery Spot as folks tried to puzzle out the location of the sleek Mercury train. Cmadler guessed the track curve between Depot Town and Prospect, Phantom Railfan agreed and said he'd seen other photos from this perspective, Joe agreed as well and said he thought the mysterious building was Marsh Plating. John D. guessed the LeForge crossing with the old Motor Wheel building in the background.
BF guessed the intersection between the tracks and Prospect...and then went out there to take pictures! The first pic he took is at Prospect and the tracks; second one is taken from Grove, both looking west.



It turns out that the old picture matches the current-day view from the Prospect Street bridge, complete with background tower. That makes the visible road crossing the Grove Road crossing, and places the as-yet-unidentified building as on the southwest corner of Grove and the tracks. I'm still working on that building and will report results when I can confirm the building.
Phew.
In keeping with the Mercury theme, this week's Mystery Spot features another view of this beautiful train. There are a few subtle clues in the photo; can you find the location? Good luck!

7 comments :

Dusty D said...

Does anyone else think that smoke looks fake? A retouching job?

BF said...

Tracks crossing the river just a few yards west of Forest.

Dusty D said...

BF: Interesting guess BF...we'll see! :)

cmadler said...

Maybe, but I wonder if it's not the crossing between Superior Rd and Leforge.

Joe said...

I also will guess the Forest St. railroad bridge but something tells me I am being tricked.

BF said...

cmadler: I don't see any place to stand to take a picture like that at Superior. You could stand at the extreme western end of the small peninsula of land sticking out west into the river at that crossing (west, behind the Riverrain apartments), but you would be almost face-on to the train.

Note the concrete bridge support. If it's the crossing I'm thinking of, then the support is the one still in use at Forest, though a little worse for wear.

Eric Anschuetz said...

I would also bet that this is the Forest Ave. crossing - one of our favorite places to fish and "hang out" as a child.