Well, we all knew this day would come along. Yes, my friend of 40+ years Fred Kepner has passed away. He passed unexpectedly in mid-October of this year. I always knew I would be the one to handle the sale of Fred’s collection of Steam locomotives and other railroad equipment.

We first broke this story just a few hours ago through TRAINS Magazine and my dear friend Jim Wrinn. The article is now on TRAINS Newswire.


I am pleased to announce that Fred’s entire collection has been purchased by Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad of Garibaldi, Oregon. They will keep a few of the steam locomotives for their new museum that is being added to their excursion operation. The rest of the collection is now for sale. Listed below and in the attachment is the entire collection.

OCSR crews have spent the last month securing the collection and the site. Many of the portable pieces have been moved and others put into secure storage. Security cameras are in place to watch the rest.

Parties that are seriously in one or more of these locomotives and other cars should contact me at the address and phone number listed below. Offers by any party will be kept confidential. I will be glad to answer all questions as I have been placed in charge of the sale and disposition of Fred’s collection.

Martin

Martin E. Hansen Partner
FRANCIS HANSEN & MARTIN LLP
1148 NW Hill Street
Bend, OR 97703-1914
Ph: (541) 389-5010 ▪ Fax: (541) 382-7068
meh@francishansen.com / http://www.francishansen.com

Fred Kepner Collection

• Mc Bryde Sugar No. 4, 0-6-0, 30-inch gauge, Baldwin 1900, C/N 17686 with 5 associated flatcars
• Oregon-American Lumber No. 105, 2-6-2, standard gauge w/ tender, Baldwin 1925 C/N 58193 *
• Oregon-American Lumber No. 104, 2-6-2T, standard gauge, Baldwin 1923, C/N 56851 *
• Glen Alden Corp. No. 28, 0-4-0, 36-inch gauge, Vulcan 1918, re-boilered
• Long Bell Lumber No. 4, 2-6-2, standard gauge, Baldwin 1907, C/N 31152
• Oregon Pacific & Eastern No. 1, 2-6-2T, standard gauge, Baldwin 1925, C/N 59206
• Sierra Railroad No. 38, 2-6-6-2, standard gauge, Baldwin 1934 *
• Great Northern No. 1246, 2-8-0, standard gauge, Baldwin, 1907 C/N 32297
• Sierra Railroad No. 18, 2-8-0, (No tender) Baldwin 1906, C/N 29790
• Sierra Railroad No. 36, 2-8-2, Alco 1930, C/N 68278
• Pickering Lumber Corp. No. 8, 3 Truck Shay, 1924, Lima, C/N 3254 *
• Charles McCormick Lumber No. 100, 2-8-2, standard gauge, Baldwin 1925, C/N 59284
• Southern Pacific wrecker No. 7180. Bucyrus C/N 4535. 1926, 160-ton w/idler car and tool car

The following are off site:

• Bonhomie & Hattiesburg No. 300, 2-8-2, Baldwin 1925, C/N 58241 In Mississippi
• Sierra Railroad No. 34, 2-8-2, Baldwin 1925, C/N 58679 In Jamestown, California
• Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. No. 101, Baldwin diesel, DS4-4-750. C/N 74814 In Klamath Falls w/coach
• Pickering Crane No. 2, Jamestown, Calif., American No. 1305 “Logger Special,” 1925

*Denotes Locomotives that will be retained by Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad

Sure sorry to hear about Fred's passing. It has been years since I worked with Fred, going back to the McCloud days. I helped lay the track that the 38 was stored on in McCloud, all done by pick & shovels, etc. Yes, I was much younger then!
I do think you'll have some issues with ownership of the Sierra 34, last I knew it was in great debate. California State Parks might have a say in it now, with all the time it has been stored in their roundhouse.
There are great opportunities for preservation here, and lots of mine fields! I hope for the best.

We have the signed and notarized sale agreement for Sierra #34 and proof of payment. There is no dispute on the fact that Fred owned the #34 outright.

Martin

Huge news. I imagine that a lot of these because of where they were stored, even if not much work was done on them, and because of their size (for the most part), have a great opportunity to run again at a certain point in time.

Thank you Mr. Kepner for ensuring their survival.

Martin,
That's good to hear, last I knew it was a big issue (but that was at least a decade ago). Still, the State Parks MIGHT have a storage lien on it! I hope it gets to stay at the Sierra just because it's a Sierra engine. You have a big job to do!

No, there is NO storage lien on #34. 20+ years ago I worked out IN WRITING with CSRM an agreement that they could display #34 IN EXCHANGE for no storage charges. CSRM signed that and I have that agreement in hand.

You are simply repeating the crazy rumors that went around decades ago that were WRONG then and WRONG still.

Martin

That’s interesting news. Martin, did you represent both sides in the transaction?

I did handle the transaction from start to finish.

Martin

.

Martin,
Sorry I was misinformed, and glad you did get an agreement in writing; we know that when personnel changes happen, agreements get lost in the shuffle sometimes. Very true with government organizations!
As I mentioned before, you have a daunting task ahead, I hope it goes well. So many changes happening in the Railway Preservation arena nowadays.

Martin,

That’s great! I hope both of your clients were happy!

I see a conflict of interest.

Robby

I see somebody who put an agreed upon deal on paper for the benefit of all parties involved to document it for the future, just when things like this occur. I see paranoia as well. I see my cat........ nothing to do with the above.

That sad (sorry to the Kepner family) and good news for the western steam world.

@Martin

Tender swap???

Somebody think with this opportunity to make some things a win-win situation within the
locomotive community on the west coast? You know all parties maybe this could be the
moment to straight some historical pieces back to originality?

I have this thoughts for very long time. Here my ideas:
(I use the original 1st owners names)

1. Give the Vanderbilt tender now coupled to McCormick Lumber #100 in Merrill back to
the original San Joaquin & Eastern #205 with George Lavacott.

2. Give the original McCormick Lumber #100 tender now with George Lavacott to the
original locomotive in Merrill.

3. Give the Weed Lumber #7/8 slope back tender now coupled to Weed Lumber #4 in
Merrill to Chehalis Centralia RR for Whitney Co. #2501 "Big Jack". I checked the technical
data in the Baldwin records - this tender is about 95%+ identical to #2501 original one.

4. Give the Porter tender now coupled to #2501 to MRSR for Carlton & Coast Porter #55.

5. Give the NWP tender now coupled to Porter #55 in Mineral to OCSR for future use or sale.

This would be the win-win for everyone. Each party give a tender, each party receive
a tender. This would only leave the transportation cost. Realize that any of these tenders
has an empty weight within the limits of a standard 18-wheel flatbed make that "cheap".
(For any discussions here about "but mine is in better condition" I doubt that the terms
History, Authentic and Museum are really understand. I recommend to wiki it.)

-> Goal:

San Joaquin & Eastern #205 the only surviving "logging style with vanderbild tender"
2-6-2 with her original Vanderbilt tender.

Charles R. McCormick Lumber #100 with its original unique very small (for a 2-8-2)
tender with equalized trucks.

Whitney Co. #2501 (very big 2-8-0 logging with a tiny slope back tender) would get an
original Baldwin slope back tender who is absolutely look alike as her original.

Carlton & Coast #55 is the last big 2-8-2 Porter would be combined with the last big
Porter tender.

That all would leave the Weed Lumber #4 without tender. Maybe a problem for a future
buyer maybe not? That lokie was 40 years a 2-6-2T or 2-6-2T with a cistern. Just at
the end of her logging live she get a tender. Since the main rods was cut up and scrapped
before her save by Gene Autry I guess a operating restoration is out of mind. For a display
restoration build back to 2-6-2T could be the best option.

For the MRSR related part I have no idea what state this company is right now..???

Just my thought....

Here is the visualization of my previous post for all who are not so familiar with the
mentioned steamers.