The West Tulsa Belt Railway (WTB) was an odd railroad for multiple reasons. It had only about two miles of track, located in or about West Tulsa, Oklahoma. ^[1] It had no mainline, instead consisting of just sidetracks and yards. ^[1] And, it had no locomotives, rolling stock, or employees to operate it, instead being run from its inception by another railroad's equipment and personnel. ^[1]

History

The railway was organized July 1, 1909. ^[1] Its president and stockholder was W.E. Hawley of Hawley Engineering Company. ^{[1] [2]} Sources differ as to the purpose of the line: one says it was to connect the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (Frisco) with the Midland Valley Railroad; ^[2] another says it was just to connect the Frisco to the privately owned tracks of The Texas Company. ^[1] The Texas Company, later known as Texaco, ^[3] already had oil storage facilities in West Tulsa, and was beginning work on a major refinery in February 1910. ^[4] In any event, after construction of the WTB had started in September 1909, ^[4] the stock of the company was purchased the following year by Joseph S. Cullinan, president and founder of The Texas Company, who continued construction. ^{[1] [3]} He in turn sold his stock to the Frisco. ^[1] The Frisco completed the line on November 13, 1910. ^[1] Under the terms of a written operating agreement, the trackage was run by the Frisco with its own equipment and personnel from the first day. ^[1]

Following a takeover of operation of the railway by the US Railroad Administration during the First World War, ^[1] Frisco was given permission to acquire the railroad's line and assets by order of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission on August 5, 1922. ^[5] The Texaco refinery in West Tulsa, later sold to Sinclair Oil and eventually ending up with HF Sinclair, continues in operation today. ^{[6] [7]}

References