PRR Panhandle 2.0

Updated 9/4/2022:

All the front walls for the 4 open hearth ovens have been assembled (brick paper on styrene, door frames painted and applied, holes cut, angle iron strapping applied).  

The 20 oven doors (5 / oven) have been painted, weathered, and had their chains (also rusted) installed.  They just got their final layer of DullCote.

The wing walls (either sides of the doors) are next.

More when I know it. 

George

Sounds like you are really knocking it out now!

Updated 9/12/2022:

This update is focused on the Open Hearth currently under construction.

• Originally, I planned to have the top and front of each furnace glued together as one piece.  It was supposed to be removable from the furnace.  I have rethought that.  That wouldn't be strong enough to endure repeated movement.  And I've determined that the smoke unit(s) in the furnace can be reached with a pipette through the open center door.
• I also decided to space the vertical "C" channel stiffeners further apart on the walls of the furnaces.  This will eliminate a few of them (a bit less work and less expensive) while still conveying the "look and feel" of a 1950's open hearth furnace.

More when I know it. 

George

Sounds like a good plan!  Looking forward to seeing them when done.

I agree with @Mark Boyce. This is going to be a heck of an assembly!

George,

Been meaning to ask you a while back you posted an image of a mold car with two ingot molds that were side by side across the car width.  That is the first time I have seen that arrangement.  I have always seen molds in "sense" along the car length.  Is that that way the molds were at Weirton Steel?

Ron

@PRRronbh posted:

George,

Been meaning to ask you a while back you posted an image of a mold car with two ingot molds that were side by side across the car width.  That is the first time I have seen that arrangement.  I have always seen molds in "sense" along the car length.  Is that that way the molds were at Weirton Steel?

Ron

Ron,

That's a great question and how I recall them.  I went back and found 2 photos in my collection that show the ingot molds in that configuration.  Unfortunately, they are both copyrighted and I can't display them here.

George

@G3750 posted:

Ron,

That's a great question and how I recall them.  I went back and found 2 photos in my collection that show the ingot molds in that configuration.  Unfortunately, they are both copyrighted and I can't display them here.

George

Geroge thanks for the info.  I am going to have to pull all my volumes of "Stell Mill Railroads" out to if there are any images from Weiton Steel.

Ron

@PRRronbh The video of the blooming mill at Weirton Steel (not sure if I'm ok to link it here) makes it look like ingots were arranged side by side on the car when they're at the stripper. You can see them rock side to side in unison when the mold gets lifted off them.

I bet most of the single row ingot trains were on narrow gauge rails or were very large ingots. I know some of the sprue plates we made where I worked would likely have fit well on a standard gauge flatbed car.

@BillYo414 posted:

@PRRronbh The video of the blooming mill at Weirton Steel (not sure if I'm ok to link it here) makes it look like ingots were arranged side by side on the car when they're at the stripper. You can see them rock side to side in unison when the mold gets lifted off them.

I bet most of the single row ingot trains were on narrow gauge rails or were very large ingots. I know some of the sprue plates we made where I worked would likely have fit well on a standard gauge flatbed car.

Thanks Bill!  I am pretty sure they were side-by-side.  And Weirton didn't have any narrow gauge track as far as I know (I never saw any either in person or in the literature).

Ron, I checked Vols 1, 2, and 7 of Steel Mill Railroads in Color.  No luck.  Nearly every WSX locomotive is hauling either slag pots, slab cars, or box cars.

George

Updated 9/23/2022:

We continue to learn the lesson - Keep It Simple, Stupid!

The Open Hearth build has been moving slowly as I figure out sections of the building and react (sometimes incorrectly) to steps I took initially.  The major sticking points of the first open hearth furnace have been:

• I decided (correctly) to not make the front wall and roof of the oven removable.  That was a good decision, but it had some major impacts on the fit and finish of the front.  And I am still correcting some of those impacts.
• The above has caused me to create a whole new front wall (doesn't affect the oven doors themselves).
• I made a few incorrect measurements on some of the visible support beams and had to re-do them.
• It was the first oven and I am feeling my way along.  The oven's drawings have been revised several times.

In summary, I would say that most of the problems have been caused by over-complicating the structure.   Simplification will (hopefully) make the construction of the remaining 3 furnaces faster.

More when (if) I know it. 

George

I take it the changes didn't affect the stuff inside?

@BillYo414 posted:

I take it the changes didn't affect the stuff inside?

Bill, you are correct.  Nothing inside changed or was affected.  All the "guts" are connected to the floor and / or back wall.

George

@G3750 posted:

Thanks Bill!  I am pretty sure they were side-by-side.  And Weirton didn't have any narrow gauge track as far as I know (I never saw any either in person or in the literature).

Ron, I checked Vols 1, 2, and 7 of Steel Mill Railroads in Color.  No luck.  Nearly every WSX locomotive is hauling either slag pots, slab cars, or box cars.

George

Hi George,

Finally found my copies of "Steel Mill Railroads in color First book I get "Volume 1" but not called so and Volume 2.  In Volune 2 on page 56 & 57 pictures molds in side by side configuration at Lukens Coatesville, Pa.

Also in Model Railroader Books "The Model Railroader's Guide To STEEL MillS" on page 43 there is color map drawing of "Weiton Steel in Weirton, W.Va, along the Ohio River.  I presume you probably have a copy of this booklet.

Ron

Updated 11/4/2022:

Courtesy of forum member Bill Auman (BillYo414), I now have a transfer ladle for my Open Hearth.  Check it out!

Thank you, Bill!

George

Wow!  Bill you did a great job on the ladle.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Wow!  Bill you did a great job on the ladle.

Didn't he, though?  I think it looks absolutely fabulous.

A little paint, a little lot of grime, a smoke unit, LEDs, fiber optic threads, and we're good to go! 

George

Thank you, thank you. I appreciate the kind words!

Just amazing, the talent folks on this forum have! Thanks for sharing and please keep sharing. I am learning so much!

Updated 11/12/2022:

We are making some headway.

• Over the past week or so, I have installed the 1/4" height supports for the Pouring Floor.  The 1/4" supports raise the floor up to the level of the rails, making it look as if the rails are embedded in the floor.
• I also installed both sections (each is 12" x 36") of Pouring Floor after scrubbing them with iron wool.  Ever see a mill floor that wasn't scuffed?    Afterwards, they got a coat of Rustoleum Aged Iron texture paint for that dirty, scaled spattered effect.  The floor sections were glued onto the 1/4" supports and weighted down until the E-6000 took.
• I then measured (several times ) and cut the holes for all but 2 of the mid-line steel columns.

More when I know it. 

George

Updated 12/02/2022:

I am discovering bugs in the design of the furnaces and fixing them.  I have redone the sides of the furnaces to make them sit at the proper elevation relative to the pouring and charging floors.  Now, I have discovered a short-cut to correct the furnace wall facing the pouring floor.  I'm hoping this hack will speed up the process of completing the remaining 3 furnaces.

I am also working on determining the proper size of the teeming ladles (used to dispense hot steel into ingot cars).  These are a different size and shape from the transfer ladle (used to pour molten iron into the furnace).  Below is a mock-up (using Bill Auman's wonderful transfer ladle) as a stand-in for the teeming ladle.  The goal is to determine the proper height and location on the furnace wall for the spout that pours into the ladle.

More when I know it. 

George

George, I am glad to see you are making progress.  The furnace side looks great!

@Mark Boyce posted:

George, I am glad to see you are making progress.  The furnace side looks great!

Thank you!  Need to dirty them up a bit lot.

George

Updated 12/15/2022:

Speaking of dirty - how about this?  Spent the last couple of days applying years of mill dirt to Furnaces No. 11 and No. 12.

Here's No. 11 in the spray booth getting "the business" (as Wally used to say ).  "Aw cut it out, Wally!"

And here's No. 12 sitting next to No. 11 on the mill floor during a test-fit.  We will be tapping a heat in this mill, hence the orange glow from within.

Still a long way to go here.

More when I know it. 

George

Nice job!

@Mark Boyce posted:

Nice job!

Thank you!  If it looks so dirty that it makes your skin crawl to think of being there, then I've done my job. 

That's how I remember the level of filth in that mill.

George

That’s the way I thought of it.  My first thought was, Yuck!  Second thought was, that’s the way it is supposed to be.  I didn’t work in a mill, but I did work in a power station.  Yuck!

when I worked in the power station, I was sometimes called Mr. Clean.  It wasn’t because I was strong, had a shaved head, and wore an earring.  I could do the same job as anyone else and have half the grime on me when we got back to the shop.

I’m glad it was you, not me.  Those fresh bricks looked so nice!  😄

@Mark Boyce posted:

That’s the way I thought of it.  My first thought was, Yuck!  Second thought was, that’s the way it is supposed to be.  I didn’t work in a mill, but I did work in a power station.  Yuck!

when I worked in the power station, I was sometimes called Mr. Clean.  It wasn’t because I was strong, had a shaved head, and wore an earring.  I could do the same job as anyone else and have half the grime on me when we got back to the shop.

I’m glad it was you, not me.  Those fresh bricks looked so nice!  😄

It's funny, but when I was active in the Steel Mill Modelers SIG I would see a lot of models of steel mills.  Invariably, they were all pristine!  They looked like architects' models.  And that's not how it is (or was).  Mills are extremely dirty.  About the only place approaching something like clean would be the locker rooms.  And that was only by comparison to the factory floor.

George

Updated 12/21/2022:

Furnace No. 13 (3 of 4) sits in the vise.  Brick paper, vertical strapping ("C"-channel), and corner angles have been applied.  It now awaits weathering and dirt.  Its roof is still to be built.

More when I know it.

George

Updated 1/2/2023:

Furnace No. 13 has been weathered.  Neither it nor No. 12 have roofs yet.  Furnace No. 14 is under construction.

Actually, I decided to scrap the original set of walls for No. 14 and do it over.  Both sides and the pouring wall have been glued together.  No. 14 is different from the others as the complete side wall of the gas checker will be visible when the building's end wall is removed.  That checker wall is a bit longer and will require strapping (vertical "C" channels and "L" corner stiffeners) as well as upright supports. 

Also, sections for the ladle supports have been cut and painted.

More when I know it. 

George

Updated 1/8/2023:

Well this is unusual - a clean train room! 

Here's a look at a cleaned-up Open Hearth mill.  From the left, furnaces 11, 12, and 13.  In the foreground are the roof trusses.  Trailing off to the right are the columns.

More when I know it.

George

George,

I really appreciate the visual and it looks like your diligent work is starting to pay off with the steel mill components. Will the layout continue around the room and furnaces be in the area pictured above? That bridge always wows me.

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

George,

I really appreciate the visual and it looks like your diligent work is starting to pay off with the steel mill components. Will the layout continue around the room and furnaces be in the area pictured above? That bridge always wows me.

Dave

Thanks Dave!

In answer to your questions:

• Yes, the layout will continue around the room.  At this point (and we've been stalled here for awhile), the benchwork is only about 40% complete.  Scenery, completion of the bridge scene, and installation of the Staging Area (behind the divider with the blast furnaces on it) have contributed to the delay.  Oh, and let's not forget the Steubenville station area and the Open Hearth as players in the delay as well.
• The Open Hearth will take its place 45 degrees to the divider.  To its left will be the Blooming Mill (actually sitting near its final position).  On its right will be the Strip Steel building, at this point only a glint in my eye.

Thanks for your kind words about the bridge.  I think its holding up pretty well as the layout's centerpiece.

By the way, just at the very left edge of the photo (green styrofoam) is the very start of the Highland Avenue area.  The structures are done, but I have not yet tackled the scenery they will sit upon.  It is on my list.

George

George, the room is really spiffed up!  👍🏻👍🏻

@Mark Boyce posted:

George, the room is really spiffed up!  👍🏻👍🏻

Yeah, nothing a little pressure can't accomplish!         

@G3750 posted:

Yeah, nothing a little pressure can't accomplish!         

Yes, I understand!  😄😄

It's been a bit George(I mean me looking in here), looking great.

Updated 01/12/2023:

I have been going through the process of cleaning the layout and train room and it spurred some thinking (always a dangerous thing).  Since I started benchwork for this layout in 2018, progress has been steady but slow.  Moving around the layout to clean it and moving locomotives around have sparked (and reinforced) some thinking:

1. Reliability trumps all. This has been reinforced to me again and again and again.  Professionally and personally, I cannot abide systems that don't work reliably as advertised.  And if I made the mistake, I will fix it.
2. As I previously stated, I am ditching suitcase connectors in favor of terminal blocks and crimped spade and fork connectors. I have suffered a number of intermittent power issues in the past couple of years and I think these connectors are the cause. 
3. I am toying with the notion of replacing the DZ-2500 switch machines with something more reliable.  It might end up being the DZ-1000 with pushbutton-only activation.  Or I might throw the baby out with the bathwater and go with Tortoise switch machines.  This is probably going to cost me a lot of money, but I’m tired of pressing buttons on the CAB-1 and hoping the switch throws properly.  Plus, the switch buses are a pain to wire.  Before I do anything drastic, I will perform a reliability check on the buses.

If anybody has any thoughts on the above, please weigh in.

More when I know it. 

George

I still encounter terminal strips and to be honest, I like terminal strips. I plan to use them myself. It's a neat job and trouble shooting isn't bad if you make yourself a diagram.

Is the electronic signal not getting to the machine? or is the machine mechanically being stubborn? I don't know much about these so I'm not sure how hard it is to troubleshoot the origin of the problem. I would vote using mechanical pushrods overall just because they simply don't fail but building them would be a lot of work and making them looks good would require even more work. I have been planning to design and sell under table mounts for the DZ-2500 at some point but I won't waste my time if the machine is what comes up short.

That's my two cents

Bill,

I'm not saying they come up short.  I'm saying I am thinking about a change in direction and priorities - a move to simplicity.

George