I have recently started a new HO layout featuring a steel mill that includes Walthers coke oven. This kit is missing two important features if you are familiar with coke oven operation. There is no “pusher car” that pushes the coke out of the oven nor a car to catch the hot coke as it is pushed out of the oven. I am bashing a pusher car from a Model Power Rail Crane kit, does anyone have suggestions for the hot car?
Ben
Are there any photos of what you need that you can point us to? A link to something on the Internet would be fine. If some of the talented people here can see what you need they can tell you how to model it.
Is it just a special design car you need or do you want to recreate a special effect? Does the pusher car glow from the heat of the furnace?
There are several regular members that model steel mills. The board is slow today but I am sure that they will have some constructive thoughts.
Welcome to the forum.
The pusher car device that pushes the hot coke out does not glow red. The site below shows severals photos examples of the hot car, basicly a modified hopper:
http://www.sloss.com/coke/cokephotos1.asp
Thanks for asking!
Walthers sold a book on the steel industry when the kits first came out. I beleive it is out of print but you may find a copy somewhere. Lots of pictures and ideas for the whole steel industry.
Hello Ben,
A coke pusher…hhhmmmm. The only fellow I know that has built one from scratch,is Ken Larson and I might add is also a member of MR forum. Something else that might help you model a working steel mill,is a forum on yahoo groups. I’ll go and get the link so you can join the steel group.
I’ve been modeling steel for some time,most heavy equipment and mill vehicle’s simply don’t exist. So you got to make them…take for example a Kress ladle carrier.The kress carrier is one of the projects I’m working on ,along with four other mill related objects. Anyhow Ken Larson,built a pusher car,maybe he still has plans or remembers how its built. Just look him up,next time hes on.
Patrick
Beaufort,SC
Dragon River Steel Corp {DRSC}
Making HO scale steel by the ton !!!
Ben,
Here’s the link to Yahoo’s steel group. I hope this helps,if you need any modeling advice or just want to shoot the breeze,shoot me an e-mail.
Patrick
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/STEEL/
P.S
It’s great to see another steelie,lurking MR forum.There’s only four or five of us ,who even model a steel works on MR’s forum.
Patrick, thanks so much for your comments. I accidently happened up on a pusher car made by Dean Freytag via a google search. It is so awsome, I may need to rethink my design. The site did not show the other side of the oven with the hot car. Take a look at this link. http://www.trainweb.org/ironbelt/cokepusher.html
I have worked in steel mills previously during my construction days so I am familiar with the process. The coke oven, blast furnace, rolling mill, and slag processing is all I will have room for on this layout - the other end will be for power plants.
Hello Ben,
The Ironbelt railroad is the work of Ken Larson. Another true master of the mill,I have not seen Ken on the forum lately.
Patrick