The Other Side of the Tracks
by Ray L. Head
The Mesquite Belt Stories from the real railroad!
The Mesquite Belt name was conceived during lunch while riding EMS in Bellville, Texas for Austin County EMS. An article in the local paper called "On the Other Side of the Tracks" written by Ray L. Head grabbed my attention. The article started telling of stories on the railroad. The names had been changed not to protect the innocent, but keep those parties from getting in trouble with the real railroad. For example, Houston was changed to Hotson, 'cause during the dogs days of summer, Houston with 100% humidity and 100 degree temps can make you think it is as hot as the sun! In Sealy, where the Katy crosses the AT&SF, now the BNSF, there was a branch line that came off the Santa Fe called the Cane Belt that eventually ended in Matagorda, Texas. In the article I was reading, the name of the Cane Belt had been changed to the Mesquite Belt, because of all the Mesquite trees down the line. That name made perfect sense to me, just as the Cotton Belt represented a major crop on the land, so did the Mesquite Belt. The Mesquite Belt was born! Notes in (parentheses) will expand information from authors notes. The Mesquite Belt has permission from Doug Ratchford, agent for Ray L. Head to publish these stories for all to enjoy and laugh!
Check back often for more stories!
#190 - The One That Started It All!
#191 - Engineer Shaking Up Business Car
#193 - Broken Knuckle on East Belt