Post by diane9247 on Nov 2, 2015 6:57:50 GMT
In the very small town of Merrill, Oregon, there is a collection of 8-10 steam locomotives and several coal tenders. Some were restored many years ago, then again fell into disrepair. They were bought over several years, beginning in 1999, by a man named Fred Kepner, with the intention of restoring at least some of them. He moved them from various locations to Merrill, Oregon, where they sit on rails, continuing to rust, but at least they were saved. One was rescued a day or two before it was scheduled to go to a scrapper. Some had been dismantled, parts scattered out in the open, and otherwise abused. Also on the site is an assortment of equipment, such as cranes - one of them formerly military - vintage trucks, tractors and train-related odds and ends.
An excellent, short video by ryanniemi49 of Klamath Falls, Oregon:
Mr. Kepner's collection is well known among steam locomotive aficionados around the country. What little information there is in this post I learned when reading some old train forum posts about it. (See those links for more discussion.) There is a 2006 Google Earth placemark at the site by sgoodman. Photos below are my own. They are somewhat lacking in visual information because most of the collection is jammed together without enough space to get long shots. For train buffs: most of the "important" locomotives and tenders on the site have been identified (as of about 2009-13) in the forums. Some of these locomotives, I suspect the more massive ones, were used in the logging industry in Oregon and N. California.
Long-Bell Lumber Co.
If anyone can identify this one, I would appreciate it. I am guessing it's a tender, but why that shape and the steps?.
Steam collection Merrill.kmz (725 B)
An excellent, short video by ryanniemi49 of Klamath Falls, Oregon:
Mr. Kepner's collection is well known among steam locomotive aficionados around the country. What little information there is in this post I learned when reading some old train forum posts about it. (See those links for more discussion.) There is a 2006 Google Earth placemark at the site by sgoodman. Photos below are my own. They are somewhat lacking in visual information because most of the collection is jammed together without enough space to get long shots. For train buffs: most of the "important" locomotives and tenders on the site have been identified (as of about 2009-13) in the forums. Some of these locomotives, I suspect the more massive ones, were used in the logging industry in Oregon and N. California.
Long-Bell Lumber Co.
If anyone can identify this one, I would appreciate it. I am guessing it's a tender, but why that shape and the steps?.
Steam collection Merrill.kmz (725 B)