Blast Furnace B - Start

It's been a bit long since my last post and I apologize for that.  A combination of illness, working a bit too much, and some travel.  I have continued to work on the railroad, but just haven't had the spare time to blog.   I have started construction of B Furnace, which is based on USS Duquesne, Blast Furnace #3.  Shown at right.  I selected this furnace as a basis for my model for two reasons - first, the wealth of HABS/HAER information (drawings, text, and photos) on this facility; and second, this furnace was used to produce ferromanganese.  Ferromanganese production will add a lot to the operation of the railroad as there are different and and or more raw materials handled - more slag - different cars for handling the finished product - and facilities for handling the product.

Using the HABS/HAER drawings I turned the furnace body on a wood lathe from a block of glued-up pine.    With this furnace, B-Furnace, I plan on loosely basing it on Dusquesne #3, giving me more freedom in the construction of the furnace.  For example, at Dusquesne, the cast houses were very small as slag was handled in slag pits.  Originally I was going to replicate this practice, however, it began to seem odd to have one furnace, A-Furnace, using slag ladles and the other using a slag pit.  So I am completely free lancing the cast house, changing its orientation and size to enable tracks on both sides, one for slag, and one for iron

, or ferromanganese.    

I have also continued some work on the gas cleaning structure for A-furnace.  I have added all the frames, the crane rail, and started some work on the stairs and ladders.  I still have a lot to do in terms of cross braces, horizontal beams, platforms, stairs, and two large thermal expansion valves.