I know of at least one failed museum on the west coast that has resulted in some equipment being scattered and now gathered back up but it sits outside on a siding rusting away with appearantly little being done about it. This would be Fred Kepner's Great Western Museum. The stuff sits in Merrill,OR. Does anybody know of any other failed attempts to form museums in the west where their gathered equipment sits forgotten? Just a wierd thought.
I've heard a story or two about that particular equipment. Is he willing to sell anything? At a reasonable price? That's one of the rumors, that it's pricey? Boxcab E50
AFAIK, the only thing that was for sale was the GN steamer. I too heard it was pricey though. I'm just wondering if there are any other similar places with a few locos that I may be able to go try and get photos of. I think I've gotten most things covered but ya never know.
John- Have you thought about the Museum of Railroad Technology in Sacramento and all the equipment that CSRM has squirreled away here and there in the more delapidated sections of Old Town Sacramento? That almost might qualify by now... As for the Great Western museum...Kepner has sold off a few pieces of rolling stock, including both of the Harriman coaches that the Yreka Western has been using for the past two decades or so (both went to the Oregon Coast Scenic in Tillamook, OR), the open air flatcar that the YW had also been using for the last two decades or so (sold to the City of Prineville for use behind their ex-Mt. Emily Lumber Company Shay #1), and an ex-McCloud River bucker plow, also sold to the Oregon Coast Scenic but left in McCloud due to its rapidly deteriorating condition. I've also heard they sold a Plymouth that had been at Merrill- maybe one of the ex-McCloud units?- to help finance moving some of the scattered pieces to Merrill. Three or four years ago the museum's lawyer released a lengthy list of rolling stock for sale, including these pieces already sold, but as far as I know no other pieces have been sold. But I could be wrong. If my memory is correct, asking price for the GN 4-6-0 is something like $35,000. Jeff Moore Elko, NV
There is the Oregon & Northwestern AS616 #2 sitting in Tigard. The rattlecanners have totaled out the paint job. Word has it that it was supposed to go to St Louis to the museum there. The unit has been sitting out exposed to the elements and vandals for about three years.
There is actually a reason I was asking. Jeff and I found something in Alturas while on our last trip. I didnt want to mention it till I could gather some info and to respect the privacy of the fellow living there. Just outside of Alturas near the airport we spotted some freight cars and a 44tonner near an old mill type structure. While investigating we found a couple of them to be marked for the NCO. Looking around further we noticed at least one more loco inside the building. We had no idea what this "collection" was. I've not seen these locos reported on any surviving list. The only mention I could find was of the ex SP Caboose on Dave Epling's Central California Rails' Caboose list. All it said was "museum, Alturas. We decided we needed to explore more and approached the modular home at the front of the property to ask permission to investigate. The fella was sketchy on it but did allow us to since he operates a small custom wood sawmill on site. Inside we found there were actually 5 locos and a combine! Totol equipment was: 1 44tonner (NCO markings) 4 ex military end-cab switchers (ALTX and NCO markings) 1 critter 1 combine 1 flat (NCO markings) 3 boxcars (one is ex SSW) 2 tank cars and the ex SP #1321 caboose. What did we find???? Well with a bunch of digging and a blind wild stab on Google, it seems we found the ex Alturas Railroad Museum. http://www.cityofalturas.org/railroad.htm I had asked the fellow what this was and he did mention it was a failed railroad museum and the stuff had been there for at least the last five years. Very interesting since Jeff had photographed one of the ALTX locos in Roseville in 2001, appearantly on it's way to the now defunt museum. Anybody know what is up with this equipment? Are there still plans to have a museum? Will this stuff be split up and sold or donated off elsewhere? I've never before heard anything of this and could find only the one reference. Makes me wonder if there are even more of these out there like this one and Fred Kepners stuff. Hmmmm?
I fear there are too many other examples like this last one described. I am sure that they can fail, for reasons both bad and good. The problem is that a scrappers torch may then eliminate history. Boxcab E50
Jeff beat me to the proposal that CSRM is failed, in that they have allowed some really wonderful steam locomotives and rolling stock to fall prey to vandals "out in the back" of their digs. They have put on three fantastic railfairs, yet let the ATSF 5021 and 2525 decay badly. On the other hand, Bob K of the 3751 group has said that those engines are really in good shape, and the color they display is not rust, it is primer. Bob knows of which he speaks, so I have very mixed emotions about this. :tb-sad:
Actually, I've been shooting this stuff since I got into trains ('93). Always sneaking around avoiding guards in the beginning. Then later I got the code to the gate off Jaboom St from one of the fellas in the museum office. That made it easy to just drive in. Now with all the development, most stuff inside, some stuff given away, there isn't much to see.
