GCN291 Unfinished Railroad (MGRR Redux) (Traditional Cache) in Virginia, United States created by ed.skinner

This cache has been archived.

CardinalReviewer: There has been no response from the CO. Without recent communication on future cache availability, we can't hold this area for you any longer and so we are archiving this cache. Please pick up any remaining cache bits as soon as possible.

Thanks for your understanding,

Thanks,
CardinalReviewer
Volunteer Geocaching.com Reviewer
Known Virginia Geocaching Guidelines

GCN291 ▼

A cache by ed.skinner Message this owner

Hidden : 3/11/2005

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Located in Poe Terrace Park, part of the Fairfax County VA Park Authority network of parks, this Traditional cache is located amongst the ruins of a bridge abutment intended to complete a branch line between the Manassas Gap RR Southern Railroad in Alexandria. See the Fairfax County VA Park Authority Master Plan Archives for a glimpse of the "planned" features of this area.

**NOTICE** Please do not enter or cross the property of the private residence that bounds the park to the east. Only approach this cache from the west side of the park. If the property owner complains, I will need to remove the cache. Thanks. Now, on to the cache.

Inspired by pkpaul's Manassas Gap RR cache, I found the remnants of this Civil-War era railroad bridge abutment.

In 1854 a grading was started for a new branch line off of the Manassas Gap Railroad. The line was to be constructed from Gainesville eastward through Chantilly, Fairfax Court House, and Annandale. It would then follow the Indian Run stream valley to Backlick where it would cross the O&A mainline, and parallel it into Alexandria terminating on the Potomac River at Jones Point. An economic downturn in 1858 caused the Manassas Gap RR to halt all construction of this branch line (and others). The railroad was eventually bankrupted as a result of the war. See TrainWeb - Norfolk Southern Railway for more history of this area.

The cache is stone-colored ammunition can with red lettering on one side. The cache contains the standard cache memo, log book and a pen. I have loaded the cache with initial exchange items that would be of interest to my geocaching colleagues.

This park has not been improved. There is a path between the road and the cache, so if you end up bushwacking, you have chosen the difficult approach. Reconsider your approach because you will have to traverse a "sea" of Sweetheart Roses (nasty thorns). If you continue, you may consider the difficulty/terrain rating a 3/3 because of your bleeding wounds.

As with any Fairfax County Park facility, the park is closed dusk to dawn. There is evidence in the woods of adolescent drinking/smoking. If attempting this cache after dark, cachers should be aware that they may not be the only trespassers in the park.

Since the cache was planted, mother nature has increased the complexity of the cache by growing poison ivy near the rock pile. I have also been informed that there is a bee nest in the area. Keep an eye out and navigate carefully.

There is a one-use camera in the cache. If you are willing, please snap your pic, and I will post them here. See cache camera pictures here: GCN291 Camera 1, 2 and 3

Good luck.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Guvax, "Xvat bs gur Uvyy, ree... ebpx cvyr," gura ybbx qbja.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)