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The Mesquite Belt
Stories from the real railroad!
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The
Mesquite Belt name was conceived during
lunch while riding EMS in
Bellville, Texas for
Austin County EMS. An article 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!
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