Google Earth Contest #1

[E-8]

Here's our first Google Earth contest.

For those wondering, here is the applicable language from Google Earth's license:

1. USE OF SOFTWARE

The Software is made available to you for your personal, non-commercial use only. You may not use the Software or the geographical information made available for display using the Software, or any prints or screen outputs generated with the Software in any commercial or business environment or for any commercial or business purposes for yourself or any third parties. You may not use the Google Software in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair Google's services (e.g., you may not use the Google Software in an automated manner), nor may you use Software in any manner that could interfere with any other party's use and enjoyment of Google's services.

We are conducting these contests strictly for fun and we believe that we are within the terms of service by posting the images.

We have had to strip the copyright from the images as that could give away clues about the location, but at the conclusion of the contest, we will post another image showing the copyright.

We'll be scouring the globe looking for interesting rail locations and posting two (maybe three) pictures.

Your job is to play detective and try to figure out the location shown.

Look at the buildings, roads, and other things you see in the image to try and learn about the location.

You may not get the exact location, but you might be able to guess the right country, state, region, etc.

TrainBoard staff members are not eligible for the first few contests.

There are no formal prizes for this contest, although we may offer a DVD on occasion.

Each contest will run 48 to 72 hours (normally) and then I will announce the answer.

If someone has it exactly right, I may make the announcement early and start another contest.

This is designed to be fun and to help us learn about locations around the world.

I hope you find it enjoyable.

We'll get started with our first contest in the next post.

Charlie

[E-8]

Here are our first two pictures. Good luck in figuring out this location:

http://www.trainboard.com/contest/contest1a.jpg

http://www.trainboard.com/contest/contest1b.jpg

[Mr. Train]

Well you have out done your self this time I am lost. Go ahead every one else tell me where this is and I hope you don't tell me it in NW ILL because I don't see any thing I have seen before.

[Stourbridge Lion]

Each contest will run 48 to 72 hours (normally) and then I will announce the answer.

Will you post any clues after the first 24 hours pass?

:lightbulb: :lightbulb: :lightbulb: :lightbulb:

[Steve F]

It looks like some of the yard is/has been electrified but I don't see the electrification lines continuing west past the overpass or east down the main line, it's hard to tell.
Mostly flat no distinguishing geological topography, nice roundhouse with a Wye to the east and the tank farm...RR property?
There isn't much auto traffic so I think small town?
Urban sprawl has come right up to the RR property but doesn't seem to have overtaken any of it like you would expect to find in the city.
Maybe a longer/wider shot for a hint.

[Scott Stutzman]

That's a very large roundhouse,And a large engine service building?,West of it.
Clues please.

[sandro schaer]

exactly this kind of contest goes on on www.mylargescale.com for months.

nothing new.




the tracks close to the roundhouse look like they're covered with coal. could be steam operation. or a coal unloading/loading facility.
if you look close at the roundhouse you see a loco in front of it. it looks like a diesel.

interesting yard.

[Keith]

Almost thought it might have been Harlowton, MT. One terminus of the MILW electrified territory.
Checking my station map reprint, circa 1915, I'm proven wrong.
Structures aren't correct.

[E-8]

exactly this kind of contest goes on on www.mylargescale.com (http://www.mylargescale.com) for months.

nothing new.

I didn't know that. I've never seen that site. I'm sorry if you thing we're copying them. I wasn't trying to come up with something "new", just something fun.

Sorry if you can't handle it. Don't look at it if it bothers you.

Charlie

[E-8]

Will you post any clues after the first 24 hours pass?

No. I doubt it.

Charlie

[E-8]

It looks like some of the yard is/has been electrified but I don't see the electrification lines continuing west past the overpass or east down the main line, it's hard to tell.
Mostly flat no distinguishing geological topography, nice roundhouse with a Wye to the east and the tank farm...RR property?
There isn't much auto traffic so I think small town?
Urban sprawl has come right up to the RR property but doesn't seem to have overtaken any of it like you would expect to find in the city.
Maybe a longer/wider shot for a hint.

Posting observations like this is a good thing because as more clues are posted, it will lead someone to find the answer.

Charlie

[jagged ben]

Seems pretty impossible to me, if it's not someplace you know already.

I'm still trying to decide if I think the location is in America. The cityscape looks rather American; lot's of individual houses and a gridded streetplan. OTOH, electrification makes Europe more likely. It also seems to me that the rolling stock is small for America, but I'm less sure of that. Also seems like an unusual number, for America, of structures with courtyards. Maybe.

[E-8]

Okay, a hint. It may take people some time to get used to this contest... this location in not in the United States or Canada.

Charlie

[Phil Olmsted]

Hmmm ... even with my Opti-Visor I can't tell which side of the road the autos are using, but I'm guessing southern hemisphere, a great big island/continent.

[r_i_straw]

but I'm guessing southern hemisphere, a great big island/continent.
You can deduce a lot from observing which way the shadows fall.;)

[Old Reliable]

I'm going with China based on the shadows, and what looks like a lot of coal on the tracks- indicating steam is in use. They use electric systems, as well. I really wanted to say specifically Taiwan, but I sure can't find it.

[E-8]

That's a good guess but no one is in the right country yet.

We'll go around another 24 hours and then I will post the answer.

Charlie

[Steve F]

OK, we know where it ain't. That still leaves a lot of territory like Mexico, South America, India, Africa, Russia, and more.
The rail line is basically heading in an East West direction (as far as we can see) The residential layout seems to have a Spanish/Mediterranean influence, I missed this until it was pointed out. It's hard to tell if the streets are even paved, it looks like some are not, and yet there is an overpass across the tracks. With enough time and clues we can keep narrowing it down until we come up with an answer.

[jagged ben]

I spent a little time looking at Cuba last night. The landscape seemed very similar but I couldn't find any roundhouses.

I think Mexico or Spain are places to try.

The shadows pretty much eliminate the southern hemisphere, although I think the tropics are still in play.

[E-8]

Good luck guys.

I'll be revealing the answer and posting a new one early tomorrow morning Eastern time.

Charlie

[SteamDonkey74]

I am thinking New Zealand or South Africa. Both countries have some steam knocking about. Both countries have coal... or at least, I think they do. Both countries have areas with gridded street plans.

[jagged ben]

I am thinking New Zealand or South Africa. Both countries have some steam knocking about. Both countries have coal... or at least, I think they do. Both countries have areas with gridded street plans.


Sorry, but the shadows eliminate those places. They are clearly to the north of the buildings, which means it's not in the southern hemisphere.

[r_i_straw]

That still leaves a lot of territory like Mexico, South America, India, Africa, Russia,
Pick one.;)

[Stourbridge Lion]

Good luck guys.

I'll be revealing the answer and posting a new one early tomorrow morning Eastern time.

Charlie

That still leaves a lot of territory like Mexico, South America, India, Africa, Russia,

Pick one.;)

:lightbulb: :lightbulb: :lightbulb:

[SteamDonkey74]

Sorry, but the shadows eliminate those places. They are clearly to the north of the buildings, which means it's not in the southern hemisphere.

That's assuming it hasn't been rotated.

We do get, at 45 N, sun coming in the north windows right around June 21, so I had considered it a possibility that these were taken in the southern hemisphere around December 21.

For all I know this could be India or Jamaica or Cameroon. There isn't a whole lot to go on.

[Scott Stutzman]

Maybe I'll wait till the next one, I have looked so many places now I'm starting to look at the same things again! I'm thinking Mexico or India though.

[r_i_straw]

That's assuming it hasn't been rotated.

We do get, at 45 N, sun coming in the north windows right around June 21, so I had considered it a possibility that these were taken in the southern hemisphere around December 21.
There is a compass watermark in the upper right that shows direction. True, in the northern hemisphere, the sun can glance in a north window around June 21 but only close to sunrise or sunset so the shadows would be very long at that time. This photo appears to be a little before noon.

[sandro schaer]

if you take the second picture showing a larger area it should be possible to find out if they're driving on the right or left side of the road. there are plenty of cars and some markings on the road.

i think they're running on the right side.


ok, next, obviously there are electric trains as well as diesels and possible steam locos. not sure if india has electric trains


what kind of industry could be in the upper left corner ?

[Curn]

Looks like Eastern Europe/Russia to me. All the other places I looked at like China, India, Western Europe, all live in small home packed together without many trees in between.

I found this place in Russia that got my hopes up. But its late and I'm throwing in the towel

Belgorod Russia
Looks close, but no cigar. Maybe in the next town?
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=50.597133,36.610089&z=16&hl=en&t=h

[RoadNTrack]

Neat contest! My guess is China. The elecric gantrys seem to be in the same style as they build, and the thing that really makes me lean that way is a close look at the houses. Many are built in the traditional courtyard-in-the-middle Chinese style. I haven't a guess where in that country, though.

[Ilovesd90macs]

Looks like Eastern Europe/Russia to me. All the other places I looked at like China, India, Western Europe, all live in small home packed together without many trees in between.

I found this place in Russia that got my hopes up. But its late and I'm throwing in the towel

Belgorod Russia
Looks close, but no cigar. Maybe in the next town?
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=50.597133,36.610089&z=16&hl=en&t=h



wow is that ever close. Its really late here, but I'm on a mission to find it!

[E-8]

Looks like Eastern Europe/Russia to me.

Our winner for the first contest is Curn. Although not right on, he is the closest by narrowing it down to Russia.

The location is:

Gudermes, Chechnya, Russia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gudermes)



http://www.trainboard.com/contest/contest1c.jpg

http://www.trainboard.com/contest/contest1d.jpg

Looking around this location is very interesting. Especially if you follow the tracks both directions.

Charlie

[Steve F]

Congratulation Curn for close enough.

[Stourbridge Lion]

:teeth: :teeth: :teeth: :teeth:

[Benny]

I was thinking greece or so, i saw one such pace that had my hopes up.

[Ilovesd90macs]

I spent two hours in India, but alas, I was in the wrong half of the world:cry:

Congrats to the winner!