Sapulpa and Oil Field Railroad
The Sapulpa and Oil Field Railroad (S&OF) was a shortline railway which was constructed by 1915 or 1916 from the oil boomtown of Depew, Oklahoma to the newer boomtown of Shamrock, Oklahoma, about 9 miles.[1][2][3] Despite the name, the line never came close to the city of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, which was far to the northeast.[4]
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Oklahoma |
| Dates of operation | 1915–1917 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Length | 9 mi (14 km) |
Depew already had rail service from the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco).[1] But when the S&OF bypassed Shamrock by three-quarters of a mile, the arrival of that railroad was important enough that the townspeople of Shamrock relocated their establishments to the southeast to be closer to the tracks.[2] The railway carried both passengers and freight traffic related to development of the Shamrock oil field.[3]
The Frisco acquired the railroad and began operating it effective July 1, 1917.[3] Shamrock began declining in the mid-1920's when oil production shifted to other areas, and the site is now considered a ghost town.[5] The rail line was abandoned in October 1957.[2]
References
- "Depew". Linda D. Wilson, Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- "Shamrock". Linda D. Wilson, Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- "In the matter of application of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company, for approval of intrastate passenger and freight rates of the Sapulpa & Oil Fields Railroad". Eleventh Annual Report of the Corporation Commission of the State of Oklahoma, pp. 452-453. 1918. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- "Depew, Oklahoma to Shamrock, Oklahoma". Google Maps. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- Shamrock. Ghost Towns of Oklahoma, John W. Morris, pp. 171-172. 1977. ISBN 9780806114200. Retrieved October 25, 2021.