And sometimes we tell you how the expression came into use . Today we talk about train tracks . Imagine a town that has a railroad and train tracks running through it . Trains may be great to travel on , but crossing their tracks can be dangerous . Bright lights and warning signals at tracks can only do so much . Train tracks often will divide a town in two . One side is often more desirable than the other . The houses are usually bigger or newer . Public resources , like schools and parks , are more available or are better operated . There might be better stores , restaurants and fewer crimes reported on the desirable side of town . The other side of the tracks , and town , might be poorer . The houses are smaller or less modern . It also might be where factories , trash dumps , and other industrial sites are found . Community centers , playgrounds , and similar places may be few and far between . This means there aren't many of these facilities . These sometimes were thought of as splitting a town between the haves and have nots . If I am from the wrong side of the tracks , I am from the poor part of a town . However , you don't have to live in a town with railroad tracks to use this expression . And many towns with railroad tracks do not divide rich and poor people . We use this expression another way . Sometimes we don't even know where a person is from . But if they often cause or get into trouble , someone might say they are bad news and are from the wrong side of tracks . Now , crossing the tracks either for love or to create a richer life , is a popular idea in stories . Many popular movies are about star-crossed lovers who are from different sides of the tracks . Their different economic conditions and cultural backgrounds form a barrier . Their families and friends try to keep them apart . But in the end , they overcome these obstacles , fall in love , and live happily ever after . At least in the movies . Dirty Dancing is one of these popular movies . They meet at a summer camp and their shared joy of dance brings them together . The barriers break down . Lady And The Tramp , Pretty Woman , and Grease are other very popular movies centered on this idea . Now , sometimes the story concerns one character trying to move from the wrong side of the tracks to the right side . We can call this a rags-to-riches story . “Rags ” here are old , poor clothing in disrepair . She is a poor and parentless girl who gets adopted by a rich man . The film The Outsiders is a good example . The Greasers are from the wrong side of the tracks . The Socials are from the right side of the tracks . In the story , however , both sides get into trouble . The Socials , or Socs , just have more money and better cars . Don't forget to practice using the expression to be from the wrong or right side of the tracks .