I've been working on this project for some time now. It frequently gets put on the back burner but lately, I have been inspired to work on it. Please feel free to ask any questions or offer any suggestions. There is much to know about making steel and iron and I am by no means an expert so please chime in!
I put together some stoves yesterday. I think the tops are too flat and I might make new ones.
Dave
My favorite Malcolm (Brother Love) caboose.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Dave,
Very nice work. I don't think the stoves are too flat. But I have a couple of questions:
Again, your blast furnace looks absolutely spectacular. 
George
Dave,
If you need any pictures of the real thing, the furnace is still standing in Warren at my old plant. Apparently this is all coming down sometime in the near future. It sits pretty close to the road so you should be able to get some nice up close pics.
Jeff
Here Dave, let me save you a trip. 
Enjoy!
George
Very nice modeling.
Dave,
It looks great.
On the stoves I constructed, I had a ladder and common platform. I also had a common duct pipe for the blast air to the furnace. I kept the pipe pretty level with where it surrounded the furnace.
Alan Graziano
David
It appears that you did not put down roadbed. Did you use that approach everywhere and are you satisfied? I was considering doing the same thing myself
Great job Dave!
Please keep the photos coming as you make progress
Dave
Dave,
Although I know nothing about the steel industry I love the industrial look of your structure. Big and rusty just goes with railroads.
Glad you still like the caboose, I have 4 of those still unfinished from a year ago. When I get to cutting out styrene I sometimes go a little crazy.
Malcolm
Dave,
Yes, I would be. Got any pics?
Malcolm,
I would like to build a caboose some day. I do love the ones you have built for all of the URR fans here in PA! We are thinking of a new project if you are interested??? (offset bay window cabs)
Thanks to all for comments and encouragement. Keep suggestions and corrections coming. I will try to stay active on this project.
Dave
George,
I will put on ladders, catwalks and railings once the main structures are complete.
I have some great photos and mechanical drawings of blast furnaces. I think the steel companies used any configuration they could use to fit the topography. I am sort of in the same boat with limited space.
Dave
I agree and certainly understand space limitations 
. The mills did do anything that fit / worked. For example, two blast furnaces at Weirton share a cast house. This wasn't meant as a criticism by any means.
I applaud you for doing an O-scale blast furnace that doesn't look like it was shrunk in the spin cycle (HO). The proportions of the "kettle" to the cast house are pretty good.
George
Former NE1 caboose 1966 stored on the Union Railroad. The car still wears its full Bessemer paint and markings.
George,
No criticism taken my friend!
Mark,
That's the one! Thanks for the post.
Malcolm,
I will see if I can scrounge up a blueprint. I know where one is. I just have to get a copy.
Dave
Nice work Dave Can't wait to see the mill tonight.
Malcolm, I too would be interested in one of the BLE offset bay windows and maybe someday another EJ&E painted for the Bessemer.
A few of my most cherished trains thanks to good friends
Nice work Dave Can't wait to see the mill tonight.
Malcolm, I too would be interested in one of the BLE offset bay windows and maybe someday another EJ&E painted for the Bessemer.
A few of my most cherished trains thanks to good friends
Really like the weathering / paint job on that "torpedo" car! Very realistic looking!
George
Hi George, That's Dave's handy work on the hot metal car along with the RS3
Kurt
most convincing industrial setup! One comment it looks too new or unused!
The structure and the surrounding area and track bed need to be dirtier. More ash, rust and dirt and any other filth you can find.
Furnaces are places you do not want to go to unless you are suited in a full body protective clothing with a mask.
Looks really good so far Dave.
My mom and I picked my dad up every night at midnight at the main gate in front of the steel mill in Homestead when i was kid....I distinctively remember all the amber color lights and flames all around the place..If a train was passing you could only see hundreds of legs through the rolling cars, waiting to exit across after their shift.
I enjoy your projects ..this one brought back some memories
..Thanks for sharing
Dave looks like good progress on your project. You need to check out this link.
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...15#22970455098062815
It says somethin about a scheduled delivery for Mercer Junction.
Member
most convincing industrial setup! One comment it looks too new or unused!
You can be just about 100% certain that Dave will take care of the additional weathering needed to make it conform to the wonderfully filthy mills I remember as a boy.
My uncle worked for and retired from Youngstown Sheet & Tube, Campbell Works, and one of my pal's dads worked at U.S. Steel's Brier Hill Works. In our last couple of years in high school, we used to drive down to pick up his dad after his shift ended and thousands of workers streamed across the footbridge over the tracks. Many headed straight for the bars scattered along Steel Street and Mahoning Ave.
most convincing industrial setup! One comment it looks too new or unused!
You can be just about 100% certain that Dave will take care of the additional weathering needed to make it conform to the wonderfully filthy mills I remember as a boy.
My uncle worked for and retired from Youngstown Sheet & Tube, Campbell Works, and one of my pal's dads worked at U.S. Steel's Brier Hill Works. In our last couple of years in high school, we used to drive down to pick up his dad after his shift ended and thousands of workers streamed across the footbridge over the tracks. Many headed straight for the bars scattered along Steel Street and Mahoning Ave.
Yep, "filthy" is the word and the desired look.
And Weirton had more than its share of bars and restaurants near the mill gates, as well. Many of those bars ran numbers, too, I'm told.
George
My friend Kurt came up on Sunday and helped me with the Bustle pipe. It, along with the tuyeres and conduit are copper.
Dave
Dave
that is fairly awesome!
WOW Dave it is really looking outstanding. My train with the raw materials is almost there to get you started with some test shots.
When you get a chance please post a few more pictures. Thanks for sharing your work with us.
Looking pretty good, Dave!!!
George
Looks very good Dave!
Hi Dave!! Great awesome work! Here's a couple old postcard pics. I remember the glowing slag "mountain" on route 51 south where the Century 3 mall was built. I'd be in for an offset bay caboose!
Dirty and Filthy? Nah!!!
My uncle worked for and retired from Youngstown Sheet & Tube, Campbell Works, and one of my pal's dads worked at U.S. Steel's Brier Hill Works. In our last couple of years in high school, we used to drive down to pick up his dad after his shift ended and thousands of workers streamed across the footbridge over the tracks. Many headed straight for the bars scattered along Steel Street and Mahoning Ave.
One of the best bosses I had during my working days was a guy from Youngstown S&T. At 50 years old he got laid off and made one of those life changing moves....went to school and became a computer analyst. We worked together 3rd shift for a bank and I feel like I know the steel business from all his stories about working there. These guys were old school hard workers that didn't mind getting dirty.....they worked hard and as you say some drank hard.....but I think we are less as a whole with fewer of them today....
BTW....fantastic work....I love heavy industry modeled!!!!
A few of my most cherished trains thanks to good friends
A question. Wouldn't the crew of those get pretty hot that close to that much molten steel? I would think they'd use some sort of "stand off" car...or cars...to separate them from one another.
But then again, I've never been to a steel mill so maybe............
My uncle worked for and retired from Youngstown Sheet & Tube, Campbell Works, and one of my pal's dads worked at U.S. Steel's Brier Hill Works. In our last couple of years in high school, we used to drive down to pick up his dad after his shift ended and thousands of workers streamed across the footbridge over the tracks. Many headed straight for the bars scattered along Steel Street and Mahoning Ave.
Allan sounds like they hit my grandpa's beer garden the Polar Bear.
Allan sounds like they hit my grandpa's beer garden the Polar Bear.
I remember the Polar Bear very well! Just a few blocks up Mahoning from the Steel St. intersection. A very typical steel town beer joint, and always jam-packed on payday.
Allan sounds like they hit my grandpa's beer garden the Polar Bear.
I remember the Polar Bear very well! Just a few blocks up Mahoning from the Steel St. intersection. A very typical steel town beer joint, and always jam-packed on payday.
Allan actually the same block but the corner on other end. The Dollar Bank and Isaly's on the Steel St. end Stambaugh's in the middle. The was one lonely house in that bock everything else commercial. Spent many of hours there and at the connecting restaurant Lucille's. And of course many hours in Isaly's looking at those big chucks of chocolate.
Dave..i can smell the sulfur up here in Pville....well done..merry christmas,,john
dave, that is just excellent modeling. not too many are willing to tackle something so large and detailed in o scale. just a super job. of course, when if you're modeling in HO, it's a bit easier to model the entire industry like these pics I came across online, (http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/9392) but your model in o scale has to be that much more impressive. great work!
jerrman
Pete,
Your tag put a smile on my face this morning:
'Boynton Beach, FL. 1035 miles south of Pittsburgh, PA.'
In all of my years of traveling, I have run into many pockets of Pittsburgh people throughout the country. It's great to see that the city never leaves the person. I am honored to be part of that culture.
AMC Dave,
I agree with you on that! Men were men for sure back in the day.
Thank you all for the nice comments. It keeps me going!
Dave
Allan actually the same block but the corner on other end. The Dollar Bank and Isaly's on the Steel St. end Stambaugh's in the middle. The was one lonely house in that bock everything else commercial. Spent many of hours there and at the connecting restaurant Lucille's. And of course many hours in Isaly's looking at those big chucks of chocolate.
Here's a recent aerial of the area today:
The bustle and tuyeres look great! Nice work. Looks pretty accurate to me.
The tueyers are missing from this furnace, but you can see the holes underneath where they connected to the furnace.
Allan actually the same block but the corner on other end. The Dollar Bank and Isaly's on the Steel St. end Stambaugh's in the middle. The was one lonely house in that bock everything else commercial. Spent many of hours there and at the connecting restaurant Lucille's. And of course many hours in Isaly's looking at those big chucks of chocolate.
Here's a recent aerial of the area today:
WOW, thanks Allan. Looks like my Grandpa's and Lucille's building are still there. I need to get back up there at least one last time.
Dave,
Looks like the furnace is close to firing up!!! The Hot melt cars look like are being staged for some test shots. GREAT JOB!!
Dave, Thanks for the kind words. I meet a lot of 'Burgh people down here! We still bleed black & gold! Next time I'm "home" I will be sure to visit!! Maybe next summer.
Hello, Just an iPhone pic........I threw a bridge crane in the cast house and added the bustle pipe to the stoves.
Very Nice.. Great work thanks for sharing...I can only wish to do the same..
Looks awesome Dave, where'd you get that crane?
Dave..you do nice work !
Dave,
Although I know nothing about the steel industry I love your mill because it dwarfs the train and it is rusty.
Great scene!
Malcolm
Dave more very nice work. I see you have a couple of ore trains in the yard. My GTW Ore train is close to the Ohio Pa line tonight and we are going to stage it near your area until youtell us the yard is clear for us.
Dave....this project is coming along nicely. I grew up in Portage, Indiana not far from the U.S. Steel Gary Works and I remember structures just like you have built. Beautiful work my friend!
Alan
Dave,
Although I know nothing about the steel industry I love your mill because it dwarfs the train and it is rusty.
Great scene!
Malcolm
Exactly!
I've been working on catwalks, ladders, railings and the cast house floor. Everything is scratch.
Dave
Outstanding work, my friend! That is going to be one heck of a fine steel mill when it's completed. For that matter, it's one heck of a fine mill already!
Weather permitting, I may make the drive over to Mercer on Saturday, so I hope to see you then.
Looking great Dave!
Dave....this project just keeps getting better and better!! WOW!
Alan
simply no words!
AG.
Dave excellent work!!!! Thanks for sharing with us.
The bustle and tuyeres look great! Nice work. Looks pretty accurate to me.
The tueyers are missing from this furnace, but you can see the holes underneath where they connected to the furnace.
That looks like something from a Sci Fi film!!! Is there a tour going on??? Never seen this stuff up close.....would love to!
Dave,
Just fantastic craftsmanship.
Alan Graziano
Thanks guys!
AMC Dave, here is the site for the Carrie Furnace tour: http://www.riversofsteel.com/things-to-do/tours/
Dave
Nothing else to say but Awesome, now, the question is are you going to mass produce them someday?, cause I'm sure there are several of us that would jump at the chance to put a model of that quality on our layouts. There are HO kits of Blast Furnaces, but nothing in O, I'd think you have the market cornered, regardless, keep up the outstanding work!
Dang, that is looking good.
Thanks Dave for sharing.
I put more catwalks and railings on the stoves and the furnace today. I don't know how detailed to do the top of the furnace. There is a lot happening on the real ones.
Dave
You have inspired me to get moving on mine---grand work!
Most impressive,,your da man !!!! john
dave, nice work. since you have been doing this, i'm saving up cardboard mail tubes to build some kind of factory.
now, you have plastic steel girders and such. where did you get all of this stuff?
Chris
I really like this as a background activity that utilizes railcars. However, it is not the main activity, the trains are the main activity. This is a very convincing diorama, like a farming scene or oil and gas piping scene or electrical substation scene, or a series of highrises etc.
My point is that this is one of several layout focal points. I agree that it is unique. I have not seen or attempted to create a blast furnace anywhere near as nice or as detailed as this one. It is museum quality IMO.
However, at some point there is a vanishing return on the detail that becomes under appreciated. It is up to you to decide when that point occurs.
Mike,
I will eventually connect all of the pipes and install skip carts/lift. I have to be able to move it around at this point and maybe even do a little more wall painting.
Dave
Very nice Thanks for posting.
Mike CT
You are welcome to use my NWSL Sensi-press and Riveter for your embossing.
Mike,
I cheated and used a ponce wheel. I'm not that crazy! Thanks
Dave
That kind of implies, allllllll those rivets on my scratch TT indicated a degree of crazy. 
Watch out for Mike the rivet counter.
Nice work Dave - keep up the postings when you have time.
Dave
Can you provide dimensions of your furnace and stoves? I have the HO version from Walthers (too small I know), but may incorporate some into a portion of a larger setup--
"I have the HO version from Walthers (too small I know)"
Actually all you have to do is use a little tweaking and change out the hand rails and walk ways and you have a nice little mill. Raise the structure up a little so trains can clear and place it against a back wall with the trains in the foreground and the HO one is still very convincing. I've done a couple for customers this way, mainly because I don't have Dave's scratch building talent! I just build railroads. Russ
That is INSANE! I don't know how you do it, but it is amazing.
Once it's done it would be great to see a video of it in action! OGR Webmaster, fire up the film crew truck!! It's getting near time to visit Dave's layout.
Dave, Your work is astounding!!! What a tedious piece of modeling!! Here's some pics that may be helpful:
I started working on the uptake details. There is so much going on here on a real furnace. It is also hard to find good detailed drawings. I think I am in the ballpark.
Dave
Dave.....as usual...LOOKING GOOD !
WOW Dave, what can i say......
you are really going to town on that project... ALOT of different aspecs of modeling to be appreciated there.... Nice job! Real Nice!
Dave,
The uptake details look great. That is my favorite part of the furnace to construct.
Your work on this project is fantastic from the construction to the painting.
Alan Graziano
Awesome! Very well done. Looks like a very imposing building!
Dave, Keep up the good work.
Really like the uptake detail!
Very impressive.
George
I started working on the uptake details. There is so much going on here on a real furnace. It is also hard to find good detailed drawings. I think I am in the ballpark.
Dave
Great work Dave, nice Orange pipe in the background too!
Lima,
Thanks, You can see all of that Orange pipe and some other colors here:
Dave
Dave,
If you are interested, I can send you a CD with pics from the Carrie Furnace in Pittsburgh (Homestead). If it is possible, I would send the CD to Mercer Junction since you have their link in your posts. Just Let me know! Also did you know that there is a group that gives tours of the Carrie Furnace? Their web site is riversofsteel.com. They have not yet scheduled posted a 2014 Tour Schedule. I took it last summer and it was great, got to get right up next to the blast furnace. There is a similar tour of the blast furnaces in Bethlehem, PA which I hope to do this summer.
Zeke,
I would sure appreciate a copy! out in seattle so its tough to see the real deal!
email in profile.
Thanks!
Zeke,
Thank you very much for the offer. AnthonyK supplied me with some great photos of the Carrie furnace. I have not taken the tour yet but plan to in the future.
I would love to see the mill in Bethlehem. I guess they have a great music venue there too along with 6 different blast furnaces. It is nice to see some of that stuff preserved.
Dave
You may want to add lots of graphite material around that area. I used to work at the Briar Hill Open Hearth of Youngstown Sheet and Tube and when the Iron came in from the blast furnace, there was always a lot of graphite in the air and all over everything. I worked there from 1972 until it was shut down. Went back to school and ended up getting a job down in NC. It was a great education though. I also worked on the narrow gauge line while there. We used go to Kuzman's in Girard or over to Stanley's for great hot dogs after work.
David
I'm not real certain that the upper catwalk would be supported on the heated stack like you have shown. The heat from the stack would cause the flimsy catwalk to heat up and melt!
The catwalk would be supported on a thermally isolated structure or exoskeleton.
David
I'm not real certain that the upper catwalk would be supported on the heated stack like you have shown. The heat from the stack would cause the flimsy catwalk to heat up and melt!
The catwalk would be supported on a thermally isolated structure or exoskeleton.
There ya go.......
Looking Great Dave!
This is awesome! Good job Dave!!
Jim,
Thank you! Are you and Leslie working on any projects? Something 'Top Secret' maybe?
Thanks to all for the encouraging comments!
I started the downcomer yesterday. This pipe will hook into the dust collector.
I also started on the skip cart elevator. It will actually go on the back side of the furnace. I just placed it on the front to get the mounting angle and take a quick photo.
Dave
Dave, WOW It is really getting TALL. LOOKS TOTALY AWESOME. Thanks for sharing with us.
That truly is shaping up to be an awesome structure, my friend! I guess I'll have to bring a hard hat with me when I come to visit.
Dave..if it can be made you can make it !!! very nice..john
Dave....this project has got to be the finest we have seen here on the forum....WOW!! Hopefully you and Allan can get together and do an expanded article for our magazine... What an artist you are my friend!!
Alan
Are you and Leslie working on any projects? Something 'Top Secret' maybe?
Dave,
No, nothing top secret, we're just real slow. Leslie is working on putting the farmhouse diorama together. I'm working on track, or rather, I'm SUPPOSED to be working on track. I'm stuck, so the process is going very slowly and I've lost motivation.
. I'm trying to get Scaletrax switches to work with the atlas non derailing circuit board so that the power routing feature works. No luck yet, but with a lot of help, I've got the other features of the circuit board to work. It's been frustrating to say the least.
Jim,
I don't know much about that track and the Atlas controllers but I will say that sometimes it helps to get a loop done and be able to run some trains. 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'. A big project, such as building a layout, can get very overwhelming. Run a train, it will make you feel better! Good luck my friend!
Dave
That truly is shaping up to be an awesome structure, my friend! I guess I'll have to bring a hard hat with me when I come to visit.
Allan,
It just so happens that I acquired a Bessemer hard hat yesterday!
Dave
This looked familiar. It's the base for the MTH bridge we tore-apart to put on the hobby shop layout. Unique. Great idea. Excellent hand rail detail. Can you do two skip cars or just one ????
Who would-a-thunk.
Mike 
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