A small steam locomotive that once worked at the largest oil refinery in the world will soon be returning to Casper, the “Oil Capital of the Rockies.” This 0-4-0T tank engine was built by the American Locomotive Company’s Cooke Works (of Paterson, New Jersey) in 1920. 

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The locomotive was ordered by Standard Oil Company of Indiana for use at the Standard Oil Refinery in Casper, becoming its number 1. For the next 42 years, the diminutive No. 1 would switch tank cars within the refinery before being retired in 1962. It was then acquired by the Colorado Railroad Museum of Golden, Colorado, arriving at the museum on a semi-trailer on December 12 of that year. 

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The museum subsequently modified the engine and initially used it as a billboard, renaming it “Lulu Belle.” Eventually the Standard Oil logos were placed back on the locomotive, and it became a favorite of younger visitors. More recently, the Colorado Railroad Museum has been revaluating its collections, identifying locomotives, rolling stock and smaller artifacts that are not historically connected to Colorado. Locomotive No. 1 fits squarely into this category.

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“Through careful consideration and thoughtful deaccessioning—in cases where we either have artifacts unrelated to Colorado, or duplicates of other more significant objects—the Colorado Railroad Museum is working to place selected items with new owners. The goal is to better target our existing resources, including space, so the Museum can continue to collect artifacts and rolling stock that focuses on telling the rich railroad history and diverse stories of Colorado,” said Executive Director Paul Hammond. 

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Over the past year, local historian and Fort Caspar Museum volunteer Con Trumbull has been working with the Colorado Railroad Museum. With the locomotive formally deaccessioned by the Railroad Museum in 2025, the focus has shifted to transferring locomotive No. 1 to the Fort Caspar Museum. “By moving Standard Oil No. 1 to the grounds of the Fort Caspar Museum, we will be returning an important piece of Casper’s history and displaying it less than a mile from the center of the refinery where it spent its lengthy career,” notes Trumbull.

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Casper is the only major railroad town in the state of Wyoming that does not prominently showcase any of its railroad heritage through public display. Current plans at Fort Caspar call for the locomotive to be exhibited at the front entrance of the museum. A crew of volunteers will complete a cosmetic restoration of the locomotive, allowing visitors to eventually step into the cab. 

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With this announcement, the Fort Caspar Museum is launching a fundraising campaign to return Standard Oil No. 1 to Casper. To learn more, call the Fort Caspar Museum at 307-235-8462 or visit www.fortcaspar.org to donate toward this initiative. For more information about the Colorado Railroad Museum, visit www.coloradorailroadmuseum.org. 
 

To donate to this initiative, you can contribute through the PayPal button below, or mail a donation to:

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FCMA

4001 Fort Caspar Road

Casper, WY 82604

Please include a letter or write on your check that the donation is for the Standard Oil Locomotive. 

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We appreciate your support! All donations to FCMA are tax deductible.