The Eagle Salt Works Railroad was a 13.5 mile shortline railroad that ran northeast from a connection with the Southern Pacific Company at Luva (near Fernley) to Leete, Nevada. The line then branched from the old Central Pacific grade and went southeast for about 2 miles to the Eagle Salt Works. The railroad was incorporated on February 16, 1903. The track was built over the original Central Pacific transcontintinental railway grade that had been abandoned as the CP relocated its mainline in 1903. Salt demand from the works was already in decline when the railroad opened in 1903. The first train to carry salt did not operate until March 1906. From 1906-1910 railroad had very little activity on the line. In 1910, the Southern Pacific Company (SP), which loaned $23,535 to Leete for the railroad, acquired Leete's railroad and salt works due to Leete's default on the loan. Under the Southern Pacific the railroad continued to see little traffic on the line, consisting of salt, coal and hay. The SP abandoned the railroad in March 1916 and the track was removed in April. Eagle Salt Works The Eagle Salt Works Railroad was built to haul salt to the Nevada silver mills. B.F. Leete, a surveyor on the Central Pacific Railroad, discovered the hot springs 15 miles east of Wadsworth up the Hot Springs grade in 1869. He recognized that salt was a needed mineral in the reduction of Comstock Lode silver ore, which was in high demand at that time. The hot springs contained 30% salt and when evaporated provided salt crystals ready for harvest and ready for shipment. In 1871, Leete's Eagle Salt Works began furnishing salt to the Nevada silver mills. In his first year, he furnished about 3,000 tons of salt. The salt production peaked between 1879-1884. Leete shipped the salt via the Central Pacific Railroad as the CP operated near his Salt Works. However, in 1903 the Central Pacific relocated its mainline between Wadsworth - Toy (near milepost 325; east of Lovelock, NV) in favor of a route to the south that goes through Fernley and Hazen to avoid the grade over White Plains Hill. . This relocation would leave Leete without a railroad to ship his salt. In August 1902, Leete negotiated with the Central Pacific that when they relocated and removed the tracks, that they leave every other tie in place from Leete (Milepost