Steamer posted:some of the houses close where damaged as well. Sad to see more of the mill come down. I haven't heard anything planned asd yet to take it's place, but I hope it's something good and not another dollar store.
God, I hope you're right. Weirton needs a real industry. The slow, prolonged death of the mill and the coming of gambling has transformed Weirton from a place that made things to just another sleepy, drab WV town. It might as be down state in some holler.
George
I worked for 20 years in the Half Moon Industrial Park. I saw business after business leave.
We can only hope for the best. It's always very sad to return home and not see the things I saw growing up, including that great mill. As my childhood pastor said about Steubenville, it's the "City of Murals and Parking Lots" now. That statement unfortunately has some truth for that whole area now. Unfortunately the murals aren't even making a statement now. I guess this is how small towns become ghost towns.
My great aunt lived in a home right across from the view of this demolition, in Weirton. When visiting her I would always just sit outside on her enclosed porch and listen to the sounds of the mill and watch trains.
Dave
Dave,
My grandparents lived on a street (it was removed when the mill was built in 1967) that the mill fell toward when it was brought down. Our backyard had a chain link fence and a view of the warehouse (8" shell casing mill) that preceded the "Mill of the Future". From the top of the neighborhood you could see the stacks of the Open Hearth belching their different colored smoke.
George
This is a picture of the bridge in 1917. Not the best view but you can see how it was when it was first built.
Dave
luvindemtrains posted:This is a picture of the bridge in 1917. Not the best view but you can see how it was when it was first built.
Dave
Hi Dave,
Good to hear from you. Thank you, I have never seen that photo before. However, it is a photo of the 2nd bridge on the site. Here's another photo of the 2nd bridge under construction (roughly 1880).
And finally, here are all 3 bridges.
George
George, If they demo just a few more buildings of Weirton Steel & some more homes in downtown Steubenville, they'll be able to fight over who can land jets first in their town. I drove past the BOP remains the other day. It was sad. Worked there summer of 69. Ever wonder what's underneath that surface soil - just sayin.
TomSuperO posted:George, If they demo just a few more buildings of Weirton Steel & some more homes in downtown Steubenville, they'll be able to fight over who can land jets first in their town. I drove past the BOP remains the other day. It was sad. Worked there summer of 69. Ever wonder what's underneath that surface soil - just sayin.
Yeah, Weirton is reverting to the orchard that was originally there.
But you're right, God knows what's buried in the soil under those mills. I sure wouldn't want to find out first hand.
George
and now they are tearing more of the Wheeling Pitt buildings down now. In a year or two you'll never be able to tell what a major area this was in steel making.
Steamer posted:and now they are tearing more of the Wheeling Pitt buildings down now. In a year or two you'll never be able to tell what a major area this was in steel making.
Unfortunately Dave, you are correct. You have only to look at the former site of J&L Steel along the Mon in Pittsburgh to see that. For the longest time, it was just a field. Now there are a few buildings on the site, but except for a few bridges you can't tell steel was ever made there.
George
Updated 3/14/2019:
The test pour(s) of Crystal Sheen are on hold while I consider my options. In reading the Crystal Sheen directions, I learned that the room must be at 70 F for 3 days for the stuff to harden. 
The basement is (at the moment) around 62 F and gets colder during the night (our programmable thermostat lowers the house temperature while we are in bed). I am not comfortable with letting a space heater operate (mostly unsupervised) for 3 days.
I am re-thinking my approach. Woodland Scenics Deep Pour material has a 24 hour cure time.
More when I know it. 
George
Updated 3/29/2019:
There have been some new developments since I last posted here.
More when I know it.
George
That is so smart to try your Woodland Scenics pour and coloring in a test place before doing it on the layout. I see as you think on it, you come up with ideas to make the areas look more like you remember them. Your grandparent's back yard and the houses will be a great project!
Nice work plan George, scary about the train crash.
Ouch! Nice view of the bridge, but too bad there was a derailment below. Thank you, Dave!
I didn't hear about this untill after dark or I would have drove down and had a look.
Steamer posted:
Wow! Thanks for posting that.
George
Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:Nice work plan George, scary about the train crash.
Thank you!
Mark Boyce posted:That is so smart to try your Woodland Scenics pour and coloring in a test place before doing it on the layout. I see as you think on it, you come up with ideas to make the areas look more like you remember them. Your grandparent's back yard and the houses will be a great project!
Thanks Mark. Some areas of the layout get more of my immediate attention and then as time goes by, ideas for the rest sort of "percolate". 
It's funny how some memories (from 60+ years ago) just pop into my head unbidden.
George
Updated 4/3/2019:
Today I needed to be in Weirton for a BOD meeting for the museum. I took the occasion to photograph what was left of the BOP and parts of the Steubenville waterline.
This hillside just below the road (Weir Avenue) was where my grandparents' 2 story frame house stood (the man who built the large ship models). His backyard ended in a chain-link fence. Beyond the fence was Warehouse No. 2. During the war, that building made 8" naval shell casings.
This photo is of the Market Street bridge and the Ohio River. Water Street (the site of Steubenville's red-light district) is to the right (inland) side of the large brick-faced bridge pier.
In the 1950's, Steubenville was a bustling center of commerce and industry.
Here's that same view 60 years later. Times have changed and not for the better.
As I took the photo above, I heard a train's horn. That was repeated several time. I waited and was rewarded with this photo.
The train was on the Panhandle tracks so it could only be headed for 1 place - across the bridge. I raced ahead of it and got onto Ohio Route 7 headed north. Traffic slowed me up a bit, but I managed to get this shot.
More when I know it.
George
Do you have any knowledge of any plans for the site of the recently demolished plant?
They are supposed to be cleaning the old mill sites for redevelopment. They are supposed to be tearing down the Yorkville buildings next IIRC.
I remember Steubenville like this in the late '60s. Mom hadn't gotten her license yet, so we took the bus from Toronto and went shopping at The Hub. There was so much car and pedestrian traffic, they had bells on the stop lights that would stop all cars at once, then the people could cross the street. It's going slowly, but there are more stores opening up downtown. It won't ever be like that picture, but much better than it has been in years.
Updated 4/4/2019:
I've been thinking about some changes to the look of the Steubenville side of the layout.
Below is the northern half of Steubenville. Changes here I am considering are:
Below is the southern half of Steubenville. Changes under consideration here are:
More when I know it.
George
Hey George, I do believe that my ex wifes brother (who is a train guy & lives in CO) modeled the Steubenville train station. Think he had prints, photos, details, all kinds of stuff about that station. If you would like, I can hook you up with him.
Tom
G3750 posted:Updated 4/3/2019:
Today I needed to be in Weirton for a BOD meeting for the museum. I took the occasion to photograph what was left of the BOP and parts of the Steubenville waterline.<dl class="file"><dt class="attach-image"></dt><dd>OH_Waterline_005_.JPG (158.54 KiB) Not viewed yet</dd></dl>
<dl class="file"><dt class="attach-image"></dt><dd>OH_Waterline_007_.JPG (198.92 KiB) Not viewed yet</dd></dl>
This hillside just below the road (Weir Avenue) was where my grandparents' 2 story frame house stood (the man who built the large ship models). His backyard ended in a chain-link fence. Beyond the fence was Warehouse No. 2. During the war, that building made 8" naval shell casings.<dl class="file"><dt class="attach-image"></dt><dd>OH_Waterline_016_.JPG (200.25 KiB) Not viewed yet</dd></dl>
This photo is of the Market Street bridge and the Ohio River. Water Street (the site of Steubenville's red-light district) is to the right (inland) side of the large brick-faced bridge pier.<dl class="file"><dt class="attach-image"></dt><dd>OH_Waterline_042_.JPG (228.27 KiB) Not viewed yet</dd></dl>
In the 1950's, Steubenville was a bustling center of commerce and industry.<dl class="file"><dt class="attach-image"></dt><dd>1950 Steubenville.jpg (113.81 KiB) Not viewed yet</dd></dl>
Here's that same view 60 years later. Times have changed and not for the better.<dl class="file"><dt class="attach-image"></dt><dd>OH_Waterline_025_.JPG (211.39 KiB) Not viewed yet</dd></dl>
As I took the photo above, I heard a train's horn. That was repeated several time. I waited and was rewarded with this photo.<dl class="file"><dt class="attach-image"></dt><dd>OH_Waterline_044_.JPG (181.28 KiB) Not viewed yet</dd></dl>
The train was on the Panhandle tracks so it could only be headed for 1 place - across the bridge. I raced ahead of it and got onto Ohio Route 7 headed north. Traffic slowed me up a bit, but I managed to get this shot.<dl class="file"><dt class="attach-image"></dt><dd>OH_Waterline_050_.JPG (205.48 KiB) Not viewed yet</dd></dl>
More when I know it.
George
If you look way to the left in the 6th picture, the market street bridge spanning the river, you will see a little red church. I grew up in that congregation. A lot of great memories and unfortunately we had to sell the church right when I was entering college. Hey but at least it still stands and another congregation is using it every Sunday.
Dave
TomSuperO posted:Hey George, I do believe that my ex wifes brother (who is a train guy & lives in CO) modeled the Steubenville train station. Think he had prints, photos, details, all kinds of stuff about that station. If you would like, I can hook you up with him.
Tom
Tom,
I would be very interested in seeing that material.
Thank you!
George
Tom that is neat about the station plans.
Dave, That is neat you grew up in that congregation! I'm glad a congregation is still using it.
Thank you, Dave. Are you going to York?
George
Updated 4/29/2019:
I recently received my traffic lights for the corners of Market & 5th Street and Market & 6th Street in Steubenville. I got them from Greg Leonard. I don't believe his website is back up, but you can contact him at gacji@zoominternet.net.
I highly recommend him. I have 4 of his traffic lights now.
George
They look just right!
G3750 posted:Updated 4/29/2019:
I recently received my traffic lights for the corners of Market & 5th Street and Market & 6th Street in Steubenville. I got them from Greg Leonard. I don't believe his website is back up, but you can contact him at gacji@zoominternet.net.
I highly recommend him. I have 4 of his traffic lights now.
George
They look good!
the ones I remember had a sign (might have been lighted) under the bottom of the light saying something about pedestrians? Hafta look at my Steubenville book and see if it shows them.
Thanks guys!
George
Very nice traffic lights.
Steamer posted:the ones I remember had a sign (might have been lighted) under the bottom of the light saying something about pedestrians? Hafta look at my Steubenville book and see if it shows them.
I think you’re right, Dave. I also seem to remember an audible warning as well.
George
IIRC....the traffic light would stop all four directions of traffic...then a bell would sound allowing the pedestrians to cross...then the bell would sound again telling people to stop.
Steamer posted:IIRC....the traffic light would stop all four directions of traffic...then a bell would sound allowing the pedestrians to cross...then the bell would sound again telling people to stop.
Yes, I think you are correct.
No, my light won't do that. 
George
Nice looking traffic lights! What do you have to go along with them for operation? I have recently (once again) been fiddling around with a circuit to operate traffic lights for years. Found the basic circuit on the internet, but it didn't work correctly. I'll get it exactly the way I want it one of these days, I hope. Going to even try making a PCB for it as a learning exercise.
I'll probably end up just purchasing something to operate the ones on my layout. And will definitely be purchasing the lights as well, there's no way I could ever create traffic lights that nice. I'd like to check out Greg's website when it goes back online.
rtr12 posted:Nice looking traffic lights! What do you have to go along with them for operation? I have recently (once again) been fiddling around with a circuit to operate traffic lights for years. Found the basic circuit on the internet, but it didn't work correctly. I'll get it exactly the way I want it one of these days, I hope. Going to even try making a PCB for it as a learning exercise.
I'll probably end up just purchasing something to operate the ones on my layout. And will definitely be purchasing the lights as well, there's no way I could ever create traffic lights that nice. I'd like to check out Greg's website when it goes back online.
Greg provides a controller and power supply to go with each signal. He can program the controller for different situations as well. He built a signal for me for this intersection - Main Street, County Road, and Pennsylvania Avenue in Weirton. Each street has a hanging traffic signal (single set of lights) facing it at the RED dots below. Each direction receives a green light while the others show red. Each green is followed by a yellow before it goes to red. It's very realistic.
Here's my wiring diagram for the above.
And here's a short movie of North Weirton traffic lights in action.
I can't say enough about Greg's willingness to deliver the correctly working product. I don't know when his website will be back up - I'd send him e-mail.
George
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