2TE10U locomotive expects cars with salt on a deadlock way of Baskunchak station. Baskunchak lake is the biggest salt lake in Russia, located north of the Caspian Sea. The salinity of the lake is about 300 g/l. Since the 8th century its salt was mined and distributed via the Silk Road. Nowadays the lake's salt of distinct purity (99.8% NaCl) covers 80% of Russia's salt production. Depending on need, about 1.5 million to 5 million
tons of salt are mined per year. Today salt is developed here by railroad, which lies on the lake. Сolumns on foreground used for salt production at the beginning of the last century.