Steel Mill Operations w/pictures

Pops,

I am currently working on two new sections of my layout related to steel.  The first is a blast furnace with a casting house.  The second is a rolling mill.  I have already modeled a wharf scene for coal barges, a coal mine and an iron ore pit.

The biggest problem is size but you can still have fun with operations in most given spaces.  The cool thing is that you can move a wide variety of rolling stock into these areas.

If Alan is building you any of these structures, I can't wait to see them!

Dave

Bill,

Are you ready for another round of construction. If you are than my prayers have been answered. lol

Alan Graziano

Dave I hope you will continue to share updates with us as you progress on your complex. I have given some thought to a steel mill complex but like you say the space is quite large. I was thinking that I could have some of the main sub systems located around the layout and only have a concentration of the Blast furnace and rolling mill and some warehousing and yard operations. It still uses a large area. My coal mine is remote from the Mill site. My location for a car plant also is remote from the mill site. At this point I am just keeping the thoughts of a Mill operstion warm but not planing any more at this point. I was hoping this thread would help to generate some discussion as to wehat others have done and what there thoughtsd are. If and when I would move forward on this I would ask the Master to create it for me. I know Alan would do a wonderful job on it.

Pops,

Thanks for sharing the photos.  I have a few for you of my layout.

Here's an MTH Hot Metal car getting a load. 

Uh, not exactly....

Actually, it's the real thing under the cast house at Weirton Steel's No. 4 Blast Furnace (circa 2001). 

OK, now for some photos of steel buildings on my layout.

This is my Open Hearth.

This is the Blooming Mill (left) and the Open Hearth (right).  Between them is the partially-constructed highway overpass spanning Crawford's Crossing.

To the left of the Blooming Mill (you can barely see much of it to the right) is the mock-up of the Strip Steel Mill.  As you can see, it will be a huge structure.  The pieces of paper indicate the approximate height of the front wall and its windows (lots of industrial windows).

Other buildings are planned - the Mill Administration Building and the Quality Control Lab.

George

George, Thank you for your pictures. Some where I had seen your 2 buildings. I can't remember where I saw the pictures before. Thanks again for sharing with us and I hope we get more people to contribute pictures.

George I went looking in my pictures and found these below.

You may have seen this already... the youtube of weirton rail operations 1989. At 12:08, there's an interesting set of cars dumping hot slag into "the pit".

Then, again, where do get the cars? But, the pit would be a nice way to fill in a narrow space somewhere with a short siding.

I had not seen this.  How cool!  Thank you for posting the link.

To your question:  where to get the cars?  Both Lionel and MTH make "thimble" or slag cars.  The Lionel ones have loads and are lit.  The MTH ones are empty.  I have some of each.  Here's my cut at Standard Slag (the area you saw at 12:08 of the video.

Here's a better photo of just the Lionel slag cars.  I bought them without regard to road name or steel mill name because I plan to heavily weather them, like the prototype.

The slab carrying cars in the video are specially built for the purpose.  I plan to make a few of those as well, but that is way down on the priority list.

George

Pops,

Back at the end of August, I was fortunate enough to attend the Steel Mill Modelers Meet held in Pittsburgh.  There was actually an earlier version in Kent, Ohio in the middle of summer (July?).

Just like with everything else, HO modelers are blessed with a treasure trove of neat steel mill buildings, equipment, rail cars, and detail parts.  O gauge?  Not so much. 

Nonetheless, I took away a lot of source material and great ideas.  Here's my report from that meet:

https://ogrforum.com/t...l-mill-modelers-meet

George 

That is some really cool footage.  Lionel made the best slag and hot metal cars that I know of.  They are still out there if you can find them.

Dave

Absolutely.  One the great things about Weirton Steel is its visibility from street level or outside plant property.  You don't have to trespass (not that I would) to get photos.  All my photos over the years have been taken legitimately.  Plus there is plenty of published photographic material.

I bought those Lionel cars in 2010 at the Fall York meet (Neeley's Train Shop and Nicholas Smith).  I'm sure they can still be found with some persistance.

George

George, Thanks for posting the link back to your August Report on the Steel Mill group meeting. The pictures are WONDERFUL. Thanks again for the great postings.

Alan, sounds like another project to me from Bill!!

Gene  !!!!

Bill,

The little diagram you posted above is great for everyone to understand the basic process of the blast furnace. Things like this really go a long way in helping construct an accurate model. Thank you for posting this Bill.

Alan Graziano

I got inspired to work on my blast furnace and cast house today.

Dave

Alan thank you. I do find following a "flow diagram" helps me to try and understan a process like this.

Dave very nice progress on your Blast furnace.

Dave,

  The furnace & cast house are looking good!! What color/brand of blue is on your walls? That is a great color.

Jeff

Just amazing photos and structures.

Jeff,

A little of this and a little of that.....  I just blended light blue, white and black.

Dave

Don I am hoping that someone will be inspired to build a nice large facility for there layout. I have a space for a nice blast furbace but dont think I can work in all the other things I might want. I had done some work in the past on trying to find some good thoughts since I had never been around the steel industry before.

Pops,

The photos are terrific.  Thank you for posting them. 

George

George thank you. I am sure hoping that someone will start a new project building some of these components.

 I've been working on the uptakes.  I attached the with tape to get a visual effect.  I still have much fitting to do.  There is a jig piece holding them together in the top that will be removed after final installation.

Dave

Dave,

It is really coming along very nice. Keep up the good work.