[4K] Lava Train! US Steel's Molten Iron Torpedo Trains In Action!

Yes, I know molten iron is NOT lava. But it's a cool title, right?
On March 16th and 17th, a friend and I spent hours standing outside US Steel's Edgar Thomson plant in Pittsburgh, PA documenting these incredible operations. This is by far one of the coolest (if not the coolest) thing I've seen in my years of recording trains.
The trains move pig iron (product of smelting iron ore in the blast furnace) at speed through the mill to the BOP (Basic Oxygen Process) shop where it will be dumped and turned into steel for America's infrastructure.
Steel is the world's most important resource today. Just about everything uses steel. Cars, ships, buildings, bridges, railroad tracks, the trains that run on said tracks, airplanes, and even your refrigerator. Although most steel is imported from other parts of the world, some projects such as government installations may only use American-made steel.
While the industry slowly fades away in the United States, a few mills are still going strong. Edgar Thomson, the birthplace of American steel since 1875, still produces just under three million tons of steel per year.

[@bella_5762]

train

[@jstoli996c4s]

Amazing insight 🧐

[@davidstorm8879]

each torpedo holds 360 tonnes and 3 torpedos to a train, it was my day off, when one torpedo exploded killing 11 men, god rest their soles at British steel appfrond-works Scunthorpe UK

[@JohnBath-f8p]

Used to drive molten metal trains for British Steel in the 1970's. Brings back many memories!

[@brucybabyy7355]

wouldnt want to derail those cars.

[@jamesmorton8431]

That little switcher gets a workout shuttling those cars back & forth 😮

[@Nethanel773]

Thanks for putting this up.

[@ArchTeryx00]

One subtlety to watch for is a blue flashing light over the cab. I believe that's the remote warning light - the switcher is acting as its own idler, shielding the operator from the heat by being run by remote control. It's a requirement that any remote control loco have some sort of warning to indicate it's being operated by remote. That's USUALLY a flashing light on the roof, but these already have those flashers to increase visibility, so the remote warn is over the cab window instead. The scrap train was a really neart find - assuming the other switcher wasn't at the front, it is extremely rare to see a loco in a pushmi-pullyu arrangement!

[@scotabot7826]

Wow, one man and a Radio Control Locomotive!

[@butchieray]

I worked at the ladle house at ET. We were responsible for the Steeler Hall Of famers names on the 360 series 250 ton ladle. I used to paint those ladles back and gold

[@dougloughner]

the 360 series were ured in duquesne works in the early 1980s

[@IHVA-ir9gp]

Pulled 361 sub from #2 door in the boiler shop. 1 and 2 door were the car shop where we repaired subs back in the 80's.

[@jrkuzel3786]

i like your video and you did a good job on that video

[@denjhill]

I'm guessing that a derailment and rollover of one of those molten metal wagons would be catastrophic.

[@davidschick6951]

I’m amazed how fast the ET trains move on mill property. And the CSX train was pretty sweet too- too much power and too few cars, which is just how I like it.

[@AKawalski]

Is this Braddock? Awesome video 😊

[@Ken-Kaef]

Thanks for posting I gave the 1000th like. I noticed the driver using the remote control.

[@bb-ov3pi]

The heat from those Littles must play hell with the bearings on the trucks through heat transfer.

[@A3Kr0n]

What? Who? Oh, the video is over. I was lulled to sleep for awhile!

[@CrossbuckProductions]

Thanks for the feedback. I will be sure to never post a video again so I don't bore you once again.

[@alfrednawrocki8061]

​@@CrossbuckProductions Well, I sure enjoy it !! I grew up on the west side of Detroit !!! I even had a few trips to the locomotive shop on Zug Island in the mid 70's!!!

[@stevemckeown4120]

Excellent video I model the Union RR in N scale and ET

[@mccoy79productions66]

this is awesome!

[@CriticoolHit]

_"Watch out watch out watch out! Came outta nowhere!"_ I needed that laugh.

[@tomp8871]

I seen this before, Black Crow?? Can't recall but great vid

[@AcuraLvR82]

I love the sound of those old switchers being pushed hard. I grew up with that sound close by my house growing up. Its sad though BNSF dont use them in my area anymore.

[@Mikezulka]

This is so awesome 👏

[@ag3365]

2:10 what is mean that blue flash light on cab of switcher locomotive? and others colours?

[@satchuck]

9:40 always remain alert near the tracks and I'm awake now!

[@beeble2003]

Better still, stay far enough from the tracks that you don't need to be alert. I'm not sure what all that shouting was about. The person taking the video appeared to be standing well back from the line; if somebody else was closer, they should have been told to get back long before any train showed up.

[@Jhihmoac]

Even when the finished product rolls down the mainlines on steel trains to points afar is impressive! Slabs upon slabs of material going to rolling, forming, forging, shaping, stamping, etc. plants all over the place!

[@ScottTaipaleRail]

Fun video to watch, nice action and sounds!

[@anthonyshepard9606]

: These guys don't mess around moving this molten metal. All aboard. 🐢 🚂 🐢 🚂 🐢 🚂 😃

[@abcderghijk]

It's there lively hood..

[@rustyrailspikeproductions]

As of writing this comment I am currently reading a biography of Andrew Carnegie so it was really cool to watch this video. I wish I could quote a interesting fact or something but I’m afraid I have not read that far yet. Thank you for sharing this video with us!

[@Weldtecrack]

Killer raw industrial American steel making /railroad representing Braddock Pa /western PA ! I mean if the RC supercharged 645s pushin bottle cars don’t do it for you then you need to check your pulse . Buy American made steel . 🇺🇸.

[@RonStanek]

The controllers actually stand on the end of the molten torpedo cars, going up the track? I would think first of all, it wouldn't be allowed because of safety. And then because of the sheer heat of that those cars must be throwing off?

[@beeble2003]

Out on the mainline, it's a legal requirement to have somebody at the front of the train who can call for the movement to be stopped if the tracks are obstructed (obviously, in most cases, that's the engineer, with the locomotive at the front of the train). I don't know if that applies on closed-off private property such as this. However, even if it's not legally required, it's still a good idea to follow established best practice for whatever industry you're in. As for the heat, I guess it can't be too bad or they wouldn't be able to stand there. The bottles are insulated, and there's the mounting mechanism between the operator and the actual bottle.

[@RameshKSingh-gp2mx]

I like small locomotives more than the normal locos

[@ChainsawFPV]

Very cool. So what happens then there is an "accident", and the train has to stop, causing the molten steel to cool in the tanks? It must have happened at least once in the past. Can they re heat them and make the steel flow again, or does it become a giant paper weight?

[@psychiatry-is-eugenics]

1:52 11:24 sad that one person has to do that job by himself . USS has more paper pushers than workers . And they wonder why they are struggling to make a profit

[@georgetompkins5438]

great video

[@YossiaNorth]

0:58 you mean torpedo-ladles, right?

[@kevinrichards3288]

I like those switcher engines.

[@RRConductor7]

Fantastic video! What camera/lens set up were you using? Went from super up close up super wide in the same shot. Well done.

[@CrossbuckProductions]

Nothing special, just a Sony AX53 and a Magnus VT-350 tripod. Thanks!

[@parts323]

The Union Railroad switchers seen operating in the video are all MP15DCs.

[@towny72]

Except the URR 3 seen spotting scrap at the BOP, SW1500

[@section8usmc53]

The WWE wrestling overdub caught me completely off guard, and was perfect. Hilarious ! 😆😆😆👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@nightrider6769]

Injured the workings in the yard pretty cool.

[@JohnnysTrainVideos]

Great video...

[@taslimchoudhary1253]

Nice Coverage 🌵🌵🇮🇳🌵🌵

[@chipc4936]

Very cool!

[@gigteevee6118]

Wow, the night shots are like something out of Mad Max!

[@kylephillips150]

Question to op? What street is this that you are viewing from? If u don't mind me asking. I'm a bit of an industrial freak and also work in a mill outside of Pitt myself. I would love to go get a view of the mill and bottle cars myself. Thanks

[@lynne6417]

I believe it is off of 11th St., the road that leads to Braddock Lock and Dam.

[@6777Productions]

I have an old friend who used to work on the CRW up in Cleveland. Never got to see any of those hot bottle trains in person, but that'd the heart of the industry, the true blood, sweat, and tears of true railroading. Wonderful documentation!

[@GORT70]

Good lord….that yellow switcher is 1 year younger than me.

[@JohnBath-f8p]

Memories of hot metal trains in the UK. Particularly Sheffield. Worked for British Steel Corporation and was trained to drive those trains as well as my steel making duties. Great memories. All gone now.

[@DENVERRIOGRANDEMAN21]

The most 4k action that I seen on a railfaning video

[@TriGogglin]

Impressive video, plus the info you had on the trains, was awesome. Never seen anything like it.

[@MikeB3542]

Nice tribute to "Mean Joe"

[@OfficialSEIC2K6]

Hot stuff that's definitely some hot stuff. Molten steel melted down for construction purposes. Most of the steel that's melted is for manufacturing purposes. These trains can handle the heat if the molten steel. Catching action of US steel plant railroading.

[@marktompkinstreasurehunter4363]

That plant is not actually located in Pittsburgh. It is a little east of Pittsburgh.

[@kelvintorrence5994]

Mon.valley works used to haul steel coils out of there daliy in my tractor trailer.

[@georgeberg2106]

How many tons of molten iron does each car carry, and do those cars ever cool down to normal temps?

[@tucobenedicto109]

So they only use one person a remote control and no engineer, and seperate conductor?

[@davidstorm8879]

uk they are called torpedo's not subs i used to work on the British steel internal railroad as a loco driver [USA, engineer]

[@kelvintorrence5994]

Your rite

[@railbuilderdhd]

That’s a great video. Do you have any of the ire crane bridge?

[@NorfKhazad]

Damn, I need to get out there and film this in HDR.

[@old_bayrailfan5312]

MMID has a new engine, I recommend you chase

[@tonyowens7887]

Well I'm not wasting my time on this for it to be at night

[@CrossbuckProductions]

Sorry to waste your precious time bud. If you had actually watched the video, less than half of the footage is at night. But I guess that was too much work for you since your time is so valuable.

[@tonyowens7887]

And my time is just as valuable as your my friend

[@johnwatson2952]

Ran a locomotive at U S Steel Fairfirld Alabama 24 years the lights are are to tell the remote control operator the status of his engine when he is not in the cab. Green Light means the engine is in forward travel. Red is reverse. White is idle and yellow is automatic brake is applied. Auto brake is the brake for the car not the Loco. Hauled a lot hot metal and slag. Good job in winter. Hot in the summer. With fire retardant clothes

[@AKawalski]

The night footage gives amazing contexts for the glowing molten content of these subs. Try a bit of humility, the content here is awesome and educational. 😊