Updated 8/19/2017:
I've been doing a lot of thinking (always dangerous 
) about the Weirton Steel and the Staging areas of the layout. Here's the new look.
The major changes are:
- Shrunk the Staging Area. In the process I lost 1 holding track, but gained 22 square feet in the Weirton Steel Area.
- Enlarged the size of the Open Hearth and modified its shape to better reflect the prototype.
- Modified the track arrangement in the Weirton Steel area to add a wye. This helps in moving hot metal cars between the Open Hearth and the Blast Furnace, and also prevents fouling of the main line (in order to access the switching lead).
- Added spurs in the yard that serve the building. For example, the Blast Furnace now has a Highline, a spur for slag cars, and a spur for hot metal cars. The Blooming Mill has a spur for ingot cars and for slab cars; an old photo tells me where the doors should be in the building. The Blooming Mill is in the top right of the postcard below.
I haven't fully fleshed out the dimensions of the blast furnace, but if I specify it as No. 1 (the smallest), I have some flexibility there (modeler's license).
Your thoughts?
George
PS. Thanks to the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center for their use of the photograph.
