Louisiana Eastern Railroad

This spur, known as the Comite Southern, was operated using retired steam locomotives and served as the basis for the Louisiana Eastern.

In 1950, Spence purchased another industrial spur, known as the Gulf & Eastern Railroad, which also served a gravel plant and connected to the Illinois Central at Shiloh, Louisiana.

These two lines were combined under the title of the Louisiana Eastern Railroad and soon upgraded with heavier rails and reconfigured switches.

Throughout the 1950s, Spence continued to collect steam locomotives retired from mainline railroads switching to diesel power.

Paulsen Spence died in 1961, and thus his vision of a through freight line operated with steam locomotives had never been realized.