www.CottonBeltRoute.com
Preserving the Legacy of the railroads throughout Ark-La-Miss-Tex-oma's Cotton Belt Region

 

Cotton Belt Depot, Commerce, Texas
Robert McFatridge engineer | Ed Cooper photo 

The 19th Annual
Cotton Belt REGIONAL Railroad Symposium

Saturday, August 2, 2025.

Sam Rayburn Student Center
East Texas A&M University
Commerce, Texas

Beginning in 2023, the annual Symposium date was reset for the first Saturday in August.

The formal event will be held on Saturday, with a program consisting of railroad presentations, railroadianna displays, and other activities to be announced.  Audience participation is encouraged. 

If you have items of railroad interest you would like to display, please bring them.  We have arranged for plenty of table and display space.  Please note that this is NOT a swap-meet.

An informal dinner gathering will likely be planned for anyone who like to visit casually on Friday evening.

Luncheon & Reservations

The luncheon is free, but prior reservations are required so we have an accurate meal count to provide our food-services personnel.  Luncheon meal reservations may be requested through our on-line reservation system linked below or by contacting Jason directly, prior to the reservation deadline at noon on Tuesday, July 29:

LUNCHEON MEAL RESERVATION REQUEST

If you made reservations and later learn that will be unable to attend the luncheon, please notify Jason so your meal(s) may be reallocated to someone else who may wish to dine at the luncheon.

Presented by

ETAMU Department of Engineering & Technology

ETAMU College of Science & Engineering

ETAMU Velma K. Waters Library Special Collections

Commerce Public Library

2025 Sponsors

Luncheon Sponsor:

East Texas A&M College of
Science & Engineering
Dr. Andrea Graham, Dean

Gold Spike Sponsors:

Opportunities Available
See Sponsorship Opportunities for info.

Silver Spike Sponsors:

Opportunities Available
See Sponsorship Opportunities for info.

Bronze Spike Sponsors:

Opportunities Available
See Sponsorship Opportunities for info.

Iron Spike Sponsors:

Jason Lee Davis, PhD

Additional Opportunities Available
See Sponsorship Opportunities for info.

Supporting Sponsors:

Opportunities Available
See Sponsorship Opportunities for info.

Sponsorship Opportunities Available...

You or your company can be recognized as a Sympoisum Sponsor for a sympoisum event!  Multiple sponsorship levels are available.  All sponsorship contributions are tax deductable.  For more information on becoming a sponsor, please see our Sponsorship Opportunities page.  Our secure MarketPlace makes it easier than ever!!! Sponsorships are accepted anytime, but must be confirmed at least three weeks prior to the symposium to ensure inclusion in our major print materials in order to meet printing deadlines for the event.
The Symposium Committee reserves the right to decline any sponsorship application.

Symposium History

• Information and media galleries for some Previous Symposium Events
  
  

Everyone Welcome

Please join us for this free, public event to honor, document, and preserve the legacy of the current and "Fallen Flag" railroads and railroad "families" of the Ark-La-Miss-Tex-oma's geographical "Cotton Belt" Region.

Texas & Pacific #610 at the Texas State Railroad Shop in Palestine, Texas
March 27, 2010  |  J.L. Davis photo

A special invitation is extended to all former and current railroad employees and their families to come and share recollections of their railroad days.  Everyone is encouraged to bring and display artifacts and historical photos depicting people, places, equipment, and rail operations.  We would appreciate the opportunity to make arrangements to scan images or photograph artifacts for historic preservation and inclusion in the Digital Library.

Anyone interested in the history and operations of railroads in the Ark-La-Miss-Tex-oma region is welcome.  This is also a reunion opportunity for members of the railroad "family."

Conductor waving from SP Caboose #4701 on SB train departing Commerce on June 1, 1982  |  Jason Lee Davis photo

Agenda

Friday, August 1, 2025 – 6:00pm
Informal Social Dinner Gathering, details TBA

Saturday, August 2, 2025 – Sam Rayburn Student Center, Conference Rm. #213

  Program  (Schedule subject to revision)

8:19a     Registration/Displays Open
9:10a     Welcome & Opening Remarks
9:15a     Morning Presentations TBA
12:00p   Luncheon
1:00p     Afternoon Presentations TBA

Have an idea for a program?  Contact Jason.

After the activities at the student center, visit the East Texas Model Railroad Club Open House.  (Directions available at the Symposium.)

Event Participants

South Central States (SCS) Chapter
Railway & Locomotive Historical Society

participants welcomed

For information on participation,
please contact Jason Davis

Lodging Accommodations

View Commerce Area Lodging information.

Commerce Public Library Collection | used with permission

Important Notice

As a significant purpose of this event is historic documentation, the events will be video taped and photographed extensively.  Attendees should be aware that they are subject to appearance in video clips and photographs that may appear in library archives, digital library collections, the symposium media galleries, and other vehicles of media dissemination on the Internet.  Attendance at this event signifies voluntary consent to be included in such documentation.