@third rail you da man!!!! That's more than enough info more me to make a guess. My furnaces are 500 tons per day and I have them tapping every 6 hours. That's not exactly historical but it works until I get to actually operate under that schedule. Plus 90% of future layout visitors will be wondering what a blast furnace is before they ever question my numbers haha
So that comes out to roughly 50 tons per day for each hopper at 200 pounds per ton. So a hopper a day for each dust catcher (there are 3 at the moment).
I will have to read up on this thickener. It must be the extra equipment I've seen in a few photos of furnaces. It looks like the original was patented in 1906 based on a quick Google search. It could generate some extra traffic. I like the idea of a lot of traffic in a small area. I think that adds visual interest.
Any chance that book mentions fuel consumption for the open hearths, boilers, and blowers? That'll be my next logistical item to solve. I was planning to deliver fuel via tank car and coal for those three places.
