What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[G3750]

Updated 12/11/2021:

It's been awhile since I posted any photos. Today, I completed 10 of the 11 Open Hearth outer column assemblies. Each assembly consists of a 15" (60 s') outer "H" column, gussets, and a 11.25" (45 s') inner "H" column. The inner "H" column will support a crane rail. There are 2 crane bays in the building. One is for the Charging Floor where molten iron, chemicals, additives, and scrap are fed or "charged" into the furnace. The other side, the Pouring Floor, is where the furnace is tapped and steel is poured into ingot molds sitting atop small flatcars.

Also shown is one of the completed roof trusses for the building. There are 9 more in progress. Each roof truss is 30".

Photos: https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0mJqstnBGsgSNV

George

[G3750]

Updated 12/14/2021:

Been working on column assemblies for the Open Hearth lately. The outer "H" column is 15" (60 s') tall while the inner is 11.25" (45 s') tall. They are joined by gussets and some "C" channel "lacework".

I also began painting the smokestacks for the Open Hearth. Once that is completed, I will install their lights. I am still waiting on safety cages and ladders (on order through the hobby shop and Plastruct).

Photos: https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0mJr1PPdGtzB05

Hey Healey! Since you have commented on my scenery and the transition into the backdrop, you might want to check out Run 119 (Jan/Feb 2022) of O Scale Trains magazine. Installment 3 of my article has been published and it addresses your area of interest.

George

[healey36]

Oh, I’m reading along and learning alright, but I’m worried the series will run out before any river gets “poured”, lol.

[G3750]

Oh, I’m reading along and learning alright, but I’m worried the series will run out before any river gets “poured”, lol.

Well, what can I say? Rufus is milking it, for sure, but the river does get poured - eventually.

George

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Oh, I’m reading along and learning alright, but I’m worried the series will run out before any river gets “poured”, lol.

Well, what can I say? Rufus is milking it, for sure, but the river does get poured - eventually.

It's sort of like watching X-files and asymptotically getting closer to the finale, and then it ends without.......

[G3750]

Oh, I’m reading along and learning alright, but I’m worried the series will run out before any river gets “poured”, lol.

Well, what can I say? Rufus is milking it, for sure, but the river does get poured - eventually.

It's sort of like watching X-files and asymptotically getting closer to the finale, and then it ends without.......

Trust me Paul. The truth is out there.

George

[G3750]

Updated 12/23/2021:

I find myself blocked on several projects for a lack of parts, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to do a sort of "round-up status" report. As usual, I am attacking (or at least dreaming) on many fronts . Currently in play:

• Weirton Steel Open Hearth is under construction. I have a bunch of Plastruct on order and very little in hand. I am looking into the details of the oven construction and planning its dimensions. The smoke generator for the stacks is here and operational. I’ve completed the proof of concept with it and the ventilation system. The smokestacks and their lights are here; I still need the safety cages and ladders to proceed. Smokestacks are in the process of being painted. The Arduino and some of the components for controlling the mill’s operation are here. I am exploring the electrical connection of components and researching the programming of the simulation. This is a huge project.
• “H” line pole fixture has been completed. Eventually, you may read of this project in print. In the meantime, I am having it merit judged at the January NMRA division meeting (never done that before - don't know what to expect).
• Steubenville PRR Station: I just placed a large order for detail parts with Scale City Designs. One of the parts is the PRR umbrella style platform roof support. Some information from a Panhandle modeler friend revealed that the supports were 18' 8" apart. I am going to use a 20' separation between supports. Even so, my 65" (260 s') long platform will require 14 supports. By the way, the prototype platform was much longer. The windows for this building were 3D printed earlier this year. I hope to start this project in spring of next year.
• Highland & Superior: All 6 of the HO houses for this area behind and above the Steubenville station are complete. I still need to figure out the hillside, street, and tunnel next to the station before I get that going. But I want to start that early in 2022.

That's the score at the moment. More when I know it.

George

[G3750]

Updated 1/6/2022:

• Over the past few days I have been working on one of the four Open Hearth ovens. This is a folded upside down "U" shaped structure. The 2 sides and back are assembled. I am experimenting with a smoke unit inside the oven to exhaust vapor out the charging floor doors. The Seuthe unit was too anemic, so I ordered an MTH one. There will also be some very bright warm-white LEDs inside.
• Up until late last week I was blocked for a lack of Plastruct parts (1/8" angle). That arrived earlier this week and I have cut about 40 parts in anticipation of fabricating a number of roof trusses.
• Prior to assembly, I discovered that my roof truss jig needed a little adjustment. That's now fixed and we are starting the roof truss building process.
• I also received the remaining 2 mounting holders for the PVC smokestacks. A friend 3D printed them for me.

Will post some photos soon.

George

[G3750]

Updated 1/7/2022:

Today I worked on roof trusses for my Open Hearth. I have some photos of that as well as my experiments with a smoke unit.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0mGzFCC1LIOT8

Comments or questions?

George

[healey36]

What will the exterior walls of the open-hearth buildings be detailed with? Are these brick buildings, or covered with some sort of sheet-metal? I can't remember from the photos I've seen of the actual mill.

Anyway, looks like good progress. What did you decide on for smoke units?

[G3750]

What will the exterior walls of the open-hearth buildings be detailed with? Are these brick buildings, or covered with some sort of sheet-metal? I can't remember from the photos I've seen of the actual mill.

Anyway, looks like good progress. What did you decide on for smoke units?

Thank you!

The prototype oven walls were refractory brick reinforced with "I" beams and steel bracing. I have the Evans Design Brickyard software that I will use to print 1:48 yellow brick sheets. That will be glued on the styrene with Plastruct beams, angles, and "c" channel applied over it. I'm still working out the details of how that will look, but I definitely want the front wall (with the oven doors) and the oven top to be 1 piece, allowing me to lift it off to add smoke fluid easily.

The MTH smoke unit arrived yesterday, but I haven't had a chance to wire it up and test it. I hope to do that fairly soon.

George

[G3750]

Paul,

I just reread your question and realized that I didn’t answer you. Sorry. The building itself has walls made of vertical steel channels (panels). A very few mill buildings are built of brick, but the majority are of that vertical steel siding style.

George

[G3750]

Updated 1/12/2022:

Yesterday, I worked on getting the new MTH smoke unit to function properly. I finally did that. In the process, I learned that my newer 12VDC power supply was not working properly. It's being returned for a replacement.

Paul - here are some photos that show the outside of the Open Hearth. I also have a photo of 3 completed roof trusses.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0mJ8GySPGElV1P

George

[healey36]

Thanks for the pics; those not only show the exterior sheathing, but also the overall vast size of these buildings. One, even part of one, will be another epic focal point of the layout (the bridge being the other).

Did you make yourself some sort of jig for building the trusses? I’d never be able to build two alike without some sort of a “form” to guide assembly. They look good.

[G3750]

Thanks for the pics; those not only show the exterior sheathing, but also the overall vast size of these buildings. One, even part of one, will be another epic focal point of the layout (the bridge being the other).

Did you make yourself some sort of jig for building the trusses? I’d never be able to build two alike without some sort of a “form” to guide assembly. They look good.

Oh, absolutely. The jig is laid out on a large sheet of cardboard and consists of short pieces of Plastruct hollow and solid rectangular rod that I had left over from an aborted project. Each truss consists of 37 pieces and 2 "sides". Only the gussets are single items. Even with the jig, there is some fiddling. The trusses are close, but not absolutely identical. And they will get a coat of black primer to cover up the glue marks.

Thanks,

George