One of the finest small city railways could be found in Oklahoma City in the 1920s. The population was only 125,000 at the time, but Oklahoma Railways operated an extensive city line, plus interurbans to Norman, Guthrie, and El Reno, plus a very heavy freight operation. After a reorganization in 1927, the company improved its operations with new cars and more trackage. But bigger plans ended with the crash in 1929. The company went thru the depression trying to maintain quality service, but went into bankruptcy again in 1939. After reorganization the next year, several lines were abandoned and replaced with buses. All new expansion was to be by bus. A number of relatively new used cars were purchased during the 1930s to replace older cars. And then came Pearl Harbor.

Two Navy bases were established in Norman and more cars were needed. The Navy purchased 8 interurban cars and leased them to ORC. Freight cars were rebuilt back into the passenger cars from which they had been converted years earlier. Business was great. But the management which came in just before the war had decided that rail would go. The major freight lines were sold to the Santa Fe and Rock Island who operated their diesel in place of the electrics. And then came peace.

The Naval bases closed and gasoline became available. Traffic took a nose dive. In the fall of 1945, the company was purchased by Oklahoma Transportation Co., an intercity bus operator. They proposed conversion of all rail lines. There was much opposition from Norman because of the University. Guthrie and El Reno were abandoned on November 9, 1946. By April, 1947, the last of the city cars quit rolling when new buses became available. Early in September, 1947, OT put additional buses on the Norman run just as talk of new freeways replaced interest in keeping the rail line. On September 27, 1947, the last car made its run.

Equipment was varied and very interesting. Here are examples.

Cars 69 thru 74 were built by St. Louis Car in January, 1917, under order 1139.

Cars 111 thru 120 were built by St. Louis Car in February, 1929, under order 1508. In 1947 they were sold to Mexico City as 170 thru 179.

Cars 121 thru 130 were builty by St. Louis Car in March, 1930, undere order 1535. In 1947 they were sold to Mexico City as 180 thru 189.

Cars 141 thru 150 were built byKuhlman in 1927 as Eastern Michigan Rys. 3250 thru 3259. They were purchased by ORys in 1936.

Cars 217 thru 220 were built by St. Louis Car in May, 1916, under order 1106.

Cars 221 thru 224 were built by St. Louis Car in May, 1923, under order 1314A, as five of the six cars which were Ft. Wayne Van Wert & Lima Traction Co. 91 thru 96. When the line was abandoned in 1932, O Rys acquired five and put them into service. The disposition of the sixth car is unknown.

Cars 225 thru 229 were built by American Car in 1927, under order 1445, as Rockford Public Service Co. 301 thru 306. They were purchased in 1936.

Cars 232 thru 234 were built by St. Louis Car in February, 1925, under order 1361, as Springfield & Xenia Ry 162 thru 164. The U S Navy acquired the cars in 1943 and leased them to O Rys.

Car 401 was built by Niles in 1910 as part of a group of 10 center door interurbans numbered 121 thru 130. In 1913 it was rebuilt as a freight motor. With wartime traffic needs, it was again rebuilt as a passenger motor which was practical in spite of being less than attractive.

Car 402 is said to be also one on the Niles cars, but it appears to have been only a wood box car rebuilt as a passenger trailer.

Oklahoma Rys. created a group of locomotives which outlived the line. All were built in their shops.

601 was built in 1907 and rebuilt in 1929. It was scrapped in 1947.

602 was built in 1918 and scrapped in 1947.

605 was also built in 1929. It was sold to American Aggregates Co as 605 and was dieselized. It was later renumbered 5095, and was used at Green Oaks, MI.

606 was also built in 1929. It was sold to the Niagara Junction Ry as 12 in 1946, and it was scrapped in 1952, when they got their new locomotives.

Here are a few pictures of the Oklahoma Railways city and interurban operations.

AMDG

6/22/1999