Don’s been in touch with his HO scale steel mill buildings:
“Hi again Al,
First of all love this website, completely enjoy viewing all of the displays that people post. There is a ton of talent, patience, that go into each display you let us look at.
This is my 2nd attempt at my steel mill display. I don’t have much to say other than this is a FANTASTIC hobby.
When you can create your own environment and display how you feel and to have family and friends come over and view your display is a great feeling. I have gone thru local steel mills around Pittsburgh, Pa and other surrounding states many times. Some very scary compared to others. Some no longer in existence.
Until you are standing beside some of this equipment you don’t realize how massive and dangerous these places are.
I have always been fascinated by these mills.
This will be up for a couple of months then I will dismantle and rebuild another layout. This display is not perfect.
Thanks everyone for your great ideas and for sharing them with us.
Don”
HO scale steel mill buildings:
A huge big thanks to Don for sharing his HO scale steel mill buildings, you all know how much I love a theme.
I thought Don has the mood and feel of the mills just right – loved the ‘smoke’!
You can see Don’s first post here: HO train industries.
It reminded me of Fred’s N scale factory, which is an absolute work of art: N scale factory.
Now for some fun.
Using Don’s pics above, I’ve had a little fun some ‘ai’ – which stands for artificial intelligence.
For my first attempt, I’m very pleased with it:
There are some real howlers in it – have a look at the left hand side of the second scene – the bridge just ends.
But overall, I’m pleased with it, because when we create a layout, in our heads, it’s a living breathing thing, and I do think a vid like this does bring it to life.
Anyhow, let me know what you think in the comments below, and whether you’d like me to do some more.
That’s all for this time folks.
Please do keep ’em coming.
And if today is the day you get started on your layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
PPS More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.
Need buildings for your layout? Have a look at the Silly Discount bundle.
Great layout. I’m glad he said his meaning of ai. When I grew up, the meaning was artificial insemination. With everyone using initials for everything, it’s not always easy to guess what they mean. Is it that hard to say what you mean ? This world sure is getting lazy. But, it sure is a great layout.
I grew up in the steel mill of Pittsburgh , my father was a maintenance foreman responsible for keeping the steel rolling . If you’ve ever seen the movie The Deer Hunter that was the mill , that’s my home town . What a great theme you decided on , really captures the essence and activities taking place . Thanks for sharing your work , brings back great memories. Go Steelers ! Too bad they lost last night, better luck next year .
Super layout , can’t imagine where you found all those buildings let alone assembling them , very intricate detail .
WOW Dan,
What an amazing work of art. I can’t believe you just nonchalantly state that you will tear it down in a few months and build another! Ya gotta love it!
Don it’s great looks just like I remember from delivering electrical supplies too steel mills in Gary IN. 30 years ago.
Love this site first email I open each morning
Gosh… I can feel the heat! Great layout facility!
I used to work in the steel industry in the McLouth Steel plant in Trenton, MI. The place went bust about 30 years ago. But your model of a steel mill is very well done. Shows a lot of initiative and attention to detail. Hope you enjoyed doing it as much as I did looking at your photos. I hope to do the same when my own setup is done. I have the blast furnace model to build and the ore bridge crane. I’ll be going for a 1940s look with the steam-era locos. Also have a lake freighter to assemble. Here’s hoping the Good Lord lets me finish it.
Don. Great detail in a small space and you have showed the activities very well. At the B & O RR Museum we have a couple of the steel cars on display from the old Beth Steel mill. You got it right. Thanks
That “steels” my breath away.
Love the smoke billowing out of the factories. Great job sir.
Well done, Don! Like the gas smoke n steam coming out of the chimney stacks! Is there any way you could darken some smoke to give it a more realistic look. Painting the top lip n inside the ‘stacks’ black would also help. re the small amount of ‘coal’ left in that blue hopper, hoppers are either full or empty, but it’s your steel mill!! A job well done!!
This is an absolutely great industrial layout. I thought many years ago that a steel mill would be a fantastic thing to add to my mountains and coal mines – then space and time got away. Your mills and all the stuff that goes with them are what in my mind I would have built (sigh) I’m glad you did, and glad it came out as very top of the line in modeling!
This is amazing, thank you for bringing my Steel Mill to life. Appreciate everyone’s comments, this is a great hobby creating your thoughts and visions. Thanks again makes me eager to create my next layout. Happy New Year.
Dan, that’s some impressive modeling of a steel mill. Your model clearly depicts the massive size of the blast furnaces and mill buildings. My grandfather was superintendent of the rolling mill at the US Steel plant in Morgan Park (Duluth) Minnesota, so I’ve always had an interest in steel mills. Yours is one of the best I’ve ever seen. I really can’t imagine building such a fine model only to tear it up to build something else, but I guess if your joy comes from the building of new model railroads rather than from operating them, then go for it!
Im not overly a fan of night-time scenes, but they were very appropriate here and the AL (artificial light) from street lamps and flood lights were spot on.
THANKS.