Iron Works in a small Space

I'm not too knowledgeable about Baltimore steel making but I know a little bit about Sparrows Point. Is that kind of what you're going for?

I think you've done a good job compressing and I think that you did a good job linking the sidings in the top half for operations between the yard and furnaces. I also opted for loops to increase traffic. I think it's the way to go and I think your loops will blend in with the rest of the layout.

One thing I would urge you to consider is to adopt Ross Custom Switches. They work with Atlas track but more importantly, the variety in switches available will let you accomplish a ton in a smaller place. I have a different track program so I can't use your file but it's definitely worth looking into for industrial operations.

How in depth do you plan to go with the structures for the plant?

So my wife has family on both sides who worked at the point. Mothers side worked in the rolling mills, and father side worked in the coke ovens. About as Baltimore as you can get . That was my original inspiration, I wanted to model "a"  1940's Maryland based Steel mill.

After doing  just a little research I learned that steel mills are HUGE! So I scaled down my vison to just an Iron works. Since I have such limited space my idea is that my facility will just have a blast furnace. I like the idea of a small coke works as well.  Traffic flow would be hot metal cars will move under the furnace and collect  the pig iron for transportation down the line for production.  Ore and coke hoppers come in, slag and hot metal leave.  The only structure I have planed out is the blast furnace, with space for the coke works next.

I re-purchased the key I need for SCARM so I am going back to my notes and early pen and paper drawings.

Thanks for the tip on Ross, I think I need to get two just to play with. Making a big step getting out of fastrack.

Nice! You have a cool connection to it.

Mills are huge so it's good that you've thought about downsizing. I wanted to include a coke works on my layout but it was just going to be too much real estate. That brings me to my next point: use the walls. It looks like your layout is tucked into a corner with walls on two sides. You could use a 2D backdrop to "build" that coke works or any other building that you might want to fit but is too big (like an ore yard and crane, for example).

You'll be surprised at what you can accomplish with the Ross switches. It's also convenient that you can't go wrong with Atlas or Gargraves track (both work with Ross switches).

@peter allen 072518 posted:

Ok so this is my first real attempt at a lot here.

I like your layout design. Nice and compact but.you will still be able to get a lot of action in.

Just like BillYo414 said, make the coke works a 2 dimensional background building.

One suggestion,  the 4 track hopper storage area on the left side of the plan,  turn that area into 2 separate buildings, possibly rolling mills giving your hot metal cars somewhere to go.  Keep all track.as shown, but make the buildings large and long enough to cover part of the 2 main lines.  That way the oval will "disappear" and make your layout seem larger.

Just two comments about your trackplan.  Since you have no way to reverse a train's direction after it leaves the engine area, why not create a wye by inserting a left hand switch (facing "north") into your longest straight track next to the wall, run a curve across the two tracks that lead into your engine area (may have to adjust tracks for crossings), and then join a "wye" switch which you plug in to your outside curve just after the crossover?

Second, consider starting your passing sidings with switches that start on your loop curves.  This extends the length of your sidings without interfering with any other operations.

I have attached a SCARM file that used Ross track and switches to give you visual suggestions.  Good luck and have fun.

Chuck

CHUCK! you’re a genius, I knew I had no reverse loops but the idea of the reversing wye is genius.

I made some more modifications, I starting thinking about the moving of the engines and the cars.  With this new plan I can have a switched pull a hot metal car from A  the blast furnace to B Shop then uncouple the car move to c and then pass to D  back to A  then be able to than push the hot metal car to c passing to get to E and move box cars parked at F or G back to C.

I can do some flex track to cover the small gaps.

Problem: any way I can do the crossings at the to circles?

Thank you much for your input and suggestion's.