I call this an ACE-G1-4000 Coal Turbine. The locomotive body was built from 2 AHM Krauss-Maffei locomotives with added details parts. The frame was built from brass tubing and a Penn Line GG1 locomotive parts. The tender was built from a Bachmann Shark nose B unit with a scratch built frame from brass parts. This started out as a ebay find that I had to completely rebuild, but it was a interesting project.  

Have you ever come to a section on the layout you want to work on but don't know what to do with it? I been looking at this section in the pictures for over a year now and still don't know what to do with it. Anyone have suggestion? Different bridges, different pillars? 

Modeling steel mills I run into unique operations and equipment. This is one big reason I model them. A couple years ago while talking to a friend about steel mills he brought up an Sept. 1970 article in Railroad Magazine that had a picture of CB&Q No. 6317. A 2-10-4 that was being used as a stationary steam locomotive within a mill of Northwestern Steel & Wire. The locomotive was being used to supply steam to parts of the plant.

After being ether snowed in or not working much I have had a chance to do a little more work on the BOF building on the layout. I color coted the piping and did a little weathering. I added safety striping around the building also. I still like to find warning sign that are used in steel mills and add them along with lighting. As always I'm open to suggestions. 

This has been an ongoing project for over the pass 4 years now. Probably will be one of those project that it can kep being added to to. but I really like how it is turning out. The plan is to add an additional 1 foot section in from of the BOF. There a dust cleaner will be added and couple water filtration buildings and a small narrow gauge yard.

A little update on the interchange yard. Added a yard tower, scale house, and lots of details. Still need to add a few more details and give everything a light weathering.

Here is a material transfer car I been working on for a while. I still have to add lights and paint it. It started out as a Roundhouse Rapid discharge hopper. I extended the frame to add the control cab and a motor compartment. One of these days I plan on powering it, but as of now it is a good addition to my steel mill.

This is a Mongram Hudson Steam locomotive kit. The ideal is that some steel mill used steam locomotives to provide steam to parts of there mill while the regular boilers was down for maintenance or repair. I wanted the locomotive to still be in rather good shape but also wanted to show it's age. The locomotive was painted and weathered by hand. The Ideal came from a magazine article about NWS&W using locomotives they bought for scrap from other railroads. They even saved a few and used them for work in the plant up until the early 80's.

I purchased a Bachmann 3 truck Shay a while back. I not run it much but today when I tried to run it only a couple of the wheels were turning. After some inspection I seen that all but 2 of the gear connected to the wheels were broken. Has any one else had this problem. If so how did you fix it. I contacted Bachmann but I have gotten a reply back yet.

Donald