Oklahoma Interurbans and Streetcar Railroads

(Please note that the latter two photos are not of Oklahoma interurbans.)

While Oklahoma interurbans were not widespread the state was home to a few hundred miles of systems along with a handful of local street railway lines. Many of the state's interurbans took the western approach when developing their routes; operating as freight feeder lines for the main line railroads, which allowed for far more revenue and many survived well past the industry's downfall in the 1920s and early 1930s. The Sand Springs Railway, for instance, became so successful (despite operating a very small system) that it survives today as a Class III, shortline. The state's largest interurban was certainly the Oklahoma Railway, which radiated north, south, and west from Oklahoma City. Other lines could be found in Tulsa (the Sand Springs), McAlester, Fort Gibson, and the state's extreme northeast corner where some companies served all three states (Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri).

Tulsa-Sapulpa Union Railway: The T-SU became one of Oklahoma's larger interurbans. It began service in 1908 connecting Sapulpa, Kiefer and Mounds but fell into bankruptcy just a few years later in 1912 at which point it was merged with the Oklahoma Union Railway. This interurban had completed a route from Tulsa to Sapulpa giving the entire operation a through line between Mounds and Tulsa (about 25 miles). Bankruptcies in the late 1920s reorganized the system as the Tulsa-Sapulpa Union Railway by 1943. Interestingly, its freight operations became more profitable as time went on, largely thanks to the regional oil business. Today, it has a much wider array of freight it moves. For more information about the railroad please click here.

Pittsburg County Railway: This small operation eventually served McAlester, Haileyville, and Hartsthorne on a 17-mile system that dated back to a streetcar line of McAlester, which later became known as the Choctaw Railway & Lighting Company. It was owned by several businesses over the years but became independent by the 1920s. The company was able to build up a somewhat profitable freight business that carried through the end of World War II. It was finally forced to abandon in 1946.

Shawnee-Tecumseh Traction Company: The S-TT was a very small operation using a 6-mile line serving its namesake towns and opening in early September, 1906. Given the small towns it served it was never very profitable although did survive until 1927.

El Reno Interurban Railway : The El Reno Interurban Railway began operations in 1902 serving the City of El Reno. In 1911 the railroad was renamed the Oklahoma Railway and survived until 1933 when streetcar service was abandoned.

Metropolitan Railway: The Metropolitan Railway was Oklahoma City's first interurban beginning operations in 1902. It lasted only two years before being renamed the Oklahoma City Railway in 1904, which then became just the Oklahoma Railway that same year. This interurban railroad lasted until 1947 and streetcar service was abandoned a year earlier in favor of buses.

Chickasha Street Railway: The Chickasha Street Railway served the town of Chickasha beginning operations in 1910. It remained in service until 1927 when it was abandoned in favor of buses.

Tulsa Street Railway: The Tulsa Street Railway was the City of Tulsa's primary interurban railroad line. It began operations in 1906 and provided streetcar service until 1928 when it was abandoned in favor of buses.

Lawton & Fort Sill Electric Railway: The Lawton & Fort Sill Electric Railway served the area of Lawton and was the first interurban railroad, becoming the Lawton Railway & Lighting Company in 1912. Streetcar service on the line lasted until 1928 when it was abandoned in favor of buses.

Northeast Oklahoma Railroad: The Northeast Oklahoma Railroad served the Miami area connecting such towns as Commerce, Cardin, Picher, Treece, Cravensville and Columbus. It operated about 23 miles of trackage and remained in service until the 1930s when it was discontinued.

Oklahoma Railway: This interurban had a late start and did begin operations until December, 1911 when it purchased the El Reno Interurban Railway that had recently completed a 29-mile route connecting Oklahoma City and El Reno. A few years the company had two additional lines radiating from Oklahoma City serving Guthrie and Norman. In total, it was a rather large company owning 78 miles of main line. After passenger traffic began to seriously decline in the 1920s the Oklahoma finally looked to develop a more serious carload freight business, which it actually became quite successful with. To help facilitate this business it purchased the small Oklahoma Belt and Oklahoma City Junction Railway. The company was able to stay in operation until World War II when it finally sold the freight lines to the Rock Island and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (the Santa Fe).

Muskogee Electric Traction Company: Another small Oklahoma interurban that connected Muskogee and Gibson on a 10-mile system that opened in 1911. Interestingly, because it was able to build up some freight service the company survived much longer than may have been expected. It was finally abandoned in 1934.

Bartlesville Interurban Railway: This little interurban opened in 1908 on an eight-mile line that connected Bartlesville and Smeltertown. It struggled throughout most of its existence and was abandoned by 1921.

Sand Springs Railway: The Sand Springs Railway dates back to 1911 when it began operations as an interurban railroad and freight line serving Sand Springs and Tulsa on a 32-mile system. Interestingly the little line survived the interurban fallout that left many systems bankrupt and out of service as early as the 1920s. In the mid-1950s it ended electric operations and switched its locomotive fleet entirely to diesel. Today, it carries on as a Class III, shortline railroad with connections with the Union Pacific, BNSF Railway and South Kansas Oklahoma Railroad and traffic based in everything from steel and scrap iron to chemicals, paper, plastic and lumber.

Other notable Oklahoma interurbans:

Ardmore Traction Company

Cushing Traction Company

Sapulpa & Interurban Railway

For a small gallery of photographs highlighting Oklahoma interurbans and streetcar railroads please click here.

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