Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion DX "Circle" station, Tulsa

Time to ask for assistance on my latest CTO! article, due on the 1st...

Does anyone have first-hand or other information on the Sunray DX "Circle" station, built in Tulsa in 1961 and subsequently repeated in Madison, WI?

Although widely published at the time in NPN and in DX's own marketing materials, everything - including documentation - has seemingly vanished without a trace since then.

I have spoken with the construction foreman of the Tulsa station, who offered historical information contradictory to what was published in the magazines, and I have been unable to reconcile these contradictions.

And does anyone have originals of the NPN articles or the Jan-Feb. 1961 issue of Sunray News?

The only color photo I've ever come across, from Kirk Perucca's collection:

As a person who has built many stations over the past 20 years and has later seen articles written about those stations in various forms of print.My advice would be..Believe the guy who built it.Just my 2 cents worth.Of course I may be a little biased...lol

Somewhere I have ads, and the original NPN magazine with the article, actually I believe there was more than one article, but considering I have 40 file drawers full of gas pumps literature and magazines I wouldn't know where to start. I'm sure I could find it, but other committments put it off for a while.
I haven't even started on the article I promised Jerry for the next issue.
If you have more time, I could probably find them.
Jack Sim
Author, Gas Pump Identification book & contirbuting editor to CTO magazine.


[This message has been edited by Jack Sim (edited 06-22-2005).]

[This message has been edited by Jack Sim (edited 06-22-2005).]

Yes, NPN did two articles - Jan. and Sept. 1961.

Thanks for all your help, Jack!

One of the ads he sent, specifically on the Circle station, doesn't mention Tulsa or Madison at all but three new cities with operating examples: Lexington, KY; Kankakee, IL and Jacksonville, IL. So that means at least five were actually built...anyone know more???

And as far as succeeding station concepts go, can anyone describe what exactly were the differences between the "Express Lane" design and the "Show Case" design?

One correction and one addition...

It's Madison, IA...not WI.

The July-August 1962 Sunray News reports one (the first since the Tulsa original) opened up in late June in Arena Park at Hwy. 61 in Cape Girardeau, MO, owned by Clare Beatty...any more info???