L. A. Belt
. The L.A. Belt was constructed in the early 1900's by The Memphis and Stateline Railroad as a bypass around Memphis. The Memphis and State Line Railroad was incorporated by the Illinois Central Railroad to construct not only the L.A. Belt, but also Nonconnah Yards and the Etter-Lakeview Cutoff (now known as the High Line). The L.A. Belt consists of three sections, the North Diagonal between Woodstock and Leewood, trackage rights over the CSXT between Leewood and Aulon, and the South Diagonal between Aulon and Harrison, nee Johnston, nee Nonconnah Yard. All CN traffic through Memphis is handled via the L.A. Belt except under extremely rare circumstances. The L.A. Belt derives its name from two junctions with the CSXT, Leewood and Aulon.
Click here for the story of the construction of the L.A. Belt from the July, 1914 edition of the Illinois Central Magazine.
High Wide Special at Chelsea Avenue on the LA Belt, July 30, 2001
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