Awesome Switchers and Train Cars at the ArcelorMittal Steel Mill

This video was taken in at the ArcelorMittal steel mill in East Chicago, Indiana.
I recently watched a few videos on KZbin that were shot at this location. However, they all seemed to focus on the busy mainline to the left. One of the videos even said something along the lines of, "There were more steel mill trains that came past, but the main point of the video was the busy mainline, so I only showed a few of the switchers in the final video."
I wanted to see more footage of the steel mill to the right. Those old switcher engines and the specialized train cars that are used to carry molten metal or solid blocks of it looked really interesting. I also realized that this location was only an hour or two from where we live. So we went there one weekend.
Since it was a weekend, I thought there wouldn't be many trains. Maybe the steel mill would even be closed. But there ended up being a large amount of trains anyway. I especially liked the "bottle trains," designed to carry molten metal.
Note: There were many more freight trains going by on the mainline while we were there, but only a few were included in the final video.
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We liked the location so much, we went back a few weeks later on a weekday. There were more trains and less wind:
• Nonstop Action at the ...

[@MrSox83]

I’ve lived out here my entire life. I know those tracks very well. My family’s mill rats, I drive by here ever day on my way to work.

[@timhill4045]

Ain't nothing wrong with hard work at the mills, or anywhere else for that matter, a pretty tough existence but good for your family!

[@sovasova332]

@@timhill4045 "

[@w.rustylane5650]

Great train and switching action. Cheers from eastern TN

[@timhill4045]

Nice work! I came across this video in my newsfeed and spent the last 15 minutes of it captivated by the amount of main line and mill action. I love the consists and you managed to get some great shots of all of them. Steel mills all over this country are regaining momentum to start reopening. And yes, I understand the Covid slowdown is screwing everything up but give the mills and the industry some time to market American QUALITY steel and lots of jobs will be returning. If people want to help these mills, BUY AMERICAN! God bless and thanks for the video.

[@rosesmith6208]

lava train, those capped ones sparkle, they are so hot, amazing had no idea that the bottles are made of metal that has a higher melting point, which I did not know there were metals that need to be more than 3000 degrees to melt, wow.

[@PowerTrain611]

Wow, those molten metal cars still use plain bearings. Incredible to see that technology still in use for revenue service!

[@TheNemosdaddy]

Thats not "revenue service". Those are captured inter Industry cars. They are banned in interchange.

[@PowerTrain611]

@@TheNemosdaddy They make ArcelorMittal money. Therefore, they are in revenue service. I'm well aware that they are banned in interchange and that plain bearings have been outlawed for a long time.

[@actaerucerichie9419]

very great video Railway station steel manufacturing merci beaucoup thank

[@cedrictrotter1140]

Yeah that's arcelormittal East Chicago Indiana I've pulled lots of coils out of both plants 1 and 2 back to detroit

[@gregorygordon8747]

Love all this switching

[@markhayes6407]

I like this mill and its color of the buildings. The track work is also cool. The wind there is over kill and other videographers have had similar problems dealing with the wind in the video. At least it isn't constant.

[@mattberg916]

It's on the lakefront, the wind never stops

[@nokithecat]

interesting location with all the overpasses.... Good for catching the trains rolling on by

[@danielcreed2328]

This is the Hottest Place in Town!

[@davidunruh9540]

What a great place to see action! Can't imagine it lasting too much longer though. Industries like this go oversea and these buildings at best will be turned into band practice spaces.

[@timhill4045]

Nah, specialized steel production will always have a home here in the U.S. and we are producing plenty of it.

[@jameswow2836]

This specific mill is the largest highest producing mill in the states. Ontop of the new owners as of 2020 buying 90% of steel production company’s in the states the new company Cleveland cliffs is the worlds largest steel producing company. It downed by a mining company which provides iron pellets for the majority of steel manufacturers in the states. I don’t see this place being shut down anytime soon. I work here at this mill and although it was built and was started up in the 1800’s it’ll be here for a very long time it is only the beginning

[@ssweeps]

Like the horn on the switcher.

[@dejohdenny2870]

For anybody wondering, this plant was called Inland Steel since the turn of the century. My wife worked in the corporate office on the south side of the plant for 30 years. Unfortunately, she could give a hoot about all the action going on.

[@sonnypruitt6639]

Dejoh Denny How far is this from the USX Gary works.

[@ohboy3622]

Sonny Pruitt a couple miles

[@kelvintorrence5994]

I know this mill to well I used to haul steel out of,it release 3 times a week in gary Indiana it used to be called l.t.v. then it is miltell I think it's cslled

[@mattberg916]

This is plant 2 inland steel. Ltv is further to west a bit

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

Are you a trucker?

[@kelvintorrence5994]

Yes I drive trucks sorry getting back to you this late and thanks for telling me that isn't l.t.v or it's mitral now thank u both.

[@kelvintorrence5994]

Inland,steel is closed now also rite

[@johnsimms6184]

Thanks for posting this. I used maps to see where you were videoing from. Great location. I suppose the interlocking tower is abandoned and operated remotely?

[@tinram745]

Steal mills run 7 days a week, 365/year. They don't shut down.

[@khadijagwen]

Many of the new locos are being built such that they do not smoke at all.

[@chriswalford4161]

Khadijah Brown : I know; just a quick furtive vape when they think no-one’s looking.

[@billfitzpatrick6910]

I wonder how many people used to work at that mill. At least that mill is still standing . So many have been leveled to get them off the tax rolls

[@flexmann2148]

Bill Fitzpatrick Major boost in steel production here in East Chicago and Uss Gary Works also in Burns Harbor plant. Just seeing the orange glow of pig iron from the blast furnaces at night.

[@billfitzpatrick6910]

@ Flex Mann. That's great!!! I hope that steel production keeps getting better!!!!

[@animenut69]

Sad when places like this were a source of real jobs only to be replaced with " paper or plastic /" want fries with that ?"

[@markverloop7002]

what a boring video.

[@timhill4045]

@@markverloop7002 do you create your own content? Just asking since you have smart a** comment.

[@600joe]

I agree with Bill Fitzpatrick. Probably thousands worked here now looks like 20. Highways and walkways built at its peak. Never coming.back

[@jameswow2836]

You’re looking at the south entrance here nothing special going on here at all just where rial cars leave. This ain’t s blast furnace or cold strip or hot strip or sinter plant you’re just looking at an entrance and exit. Over 3000 still work at this mill alone and people are getting hired in every day

[@JamesEllison69]

I can deflantly see the resemblance of this place being from the mid 20th century.

[@xray606]

Cool. Very unique and complex location. Too bad the EJ&E isn't still there.

[@mattberg916]

The J never went there. As far as I know Inland Steel always operated it's switching as a shortline. I believe their railroad dept paid into railroad retirement. The J was always owned in some form by US Steel. US Steel owned seven different shorelines nationwide. USS Gary works and South works were switched by the J.

[@railfanman7709]

Does this steel mill rail road operate in 2021?

[@jameswow2836]

Yes this entire mill and it’s risk system is still operating today

[@railfanman7709]

@@jameswow2836 thanks for the info

[@jonruehle9186]

Why is the freeway shout down and over run with weeds?

[@kennethmccann6402]

These trains are remote by brakeman at front or other one at rear of the cars. As you see in some engine has no one inside. On side of the engine is mentioned "remote control".

[@timhill4045]

Since you seem to be familiar with this equipment, may I ask what the extra box located on top of the front end of the switcher is for?

[@timhill4045]

Nevermind l, I think I was just looking at the roof mounted cooling fan. Is that an add-on for mill work?

[@jameswow2836]

Every rail car had someone inside but they are operated by remote control the engineer sits there with a control box by his stomach attached to him by a strap around the neck

[@geraldmyers3660]

So, u think rrx is easy? Keep on keeping on for the USA

[@flfun1684]

Is this old Republic Streel plant?

[@thomasabramson100]

@ 6:15 is that an MP 15 AC ?????????????

[@mustanger041]

omg get a wind screen for that camera it goes over the mic so we do have to hear that wind

[@timhill4045]

So you do like hearing that wind? Did you misspell "don't" or did you just forget your punctuation? Either way, constructive criticism is cool but how about you help the guy out and share a link for a wind screen or a model that you would recommend. It was obviously windy as hell on the lake that day so I'm not sure anything would have helped the videographer.

[@TheOneTrueDragonKing]

I have a MAJOR question. Is it at all possible for us civilian railfans to get a tour of this plant or similar? I would love to see all the raw power on-site at a working steel mill. It would be useful for planning my uber-layout, which includes a steel-production operation from ore and coal to pig iron and on to steel and even to the finished products and the slag heap!

[@TheOneTrueDragonKing]

That's a shame. I would love to take a tour of a full-scale operating steel mill, as my uber-layout (which is on the scale of Miniatur Wunderland, but using a larger scale for the models [O scale standard gauge trains and buildings with S-scale narrow gauge, instead of all HO]) will have working industries courtesy of Lionel, MTH, and other manufacturers' operating accessories. I will of course have to scratchbuild and/or kitbash some of the animations and buildings, but I'm determined to bring the model railroading world to its' knees and upgrade everyone's view of so-called "toy" trains! A few operating steel mill complexes MUST be included. Can't have a prototypical Modern World of Iron Dragons* without hauling some serious tonnage around the layout! In order to build such a model, I must see a mill complex and the mill interior, in action. Look out, Lionel Nation! There's a new world of Hi-Rail out there, waiting to be built! *Gas turbine locomotives, electric engines, and fireless steam switchers included as well.

[@scotthayes5933]

Why is the freeway abandoned?

[@mattberg916]

Poor design. Its about 40 years old.

[@flexmann2148]

Radio controlled locomotives mostly used in E.C. plant. R.I.P. Cline ave bridge 1981-2009

[@ohboy3622]

It’s being rebuilt right now

[@shawnfloyd5757]

What freeway is that? That looks abandon with weeds growing up through the cracks ? Is this a dying section of town that was once thriving and booming with businesses and most have left?

[@jameswow2836]

This is all just the mill. The overpass the videographer is standing on is only used to enter the mill or exit the mill. Only other business remotely close is a casino

[@geoffreykail9129]

Are the guys on the ground runnig the locomotives remotely or are they being run from a central control room.?

[@mattberg916]

Remote control box that is on the operator's belly. Hangs from a harness.

[@geoffreykail9129]

@@mattberg916 TY

[@farmerdave7965]

It's amazing how much of our steel is bought from China.

[@animenut69]

Also russia apparently

[@timhill4045]

That trend is shifting. Russian and Chinese steel are considered low grade and both countries cut corners at every step of the manufacturing process. These mills have not seen their last days.

[@jameswow2836]

This specific mill produces structural steel China can’t compete with this product

[@BLACKTHUMB01]

We still have Steel Mills operating in this country?

[@timhill4045]

Alot of them, just much leaner and much more specialized. It's a damn shame really, all steel should be manufactured in the U.S. Most of the raw materials come from everywhere overseas but finished product should never come from countries like China. And I'm not saying this as a political thing, I'm saying this as a quality control thing. Structural steel should have to be extremely over-managed and produced by skilled hands and minds.

[@Heroduothecomedian]

why is there empty freight cars in between the molten steel cars? the AK steel factory near me never has cars in between them when I see them being moved that why I asked

[@strobx1]

They are known as Idler cars. All hazmat movements must have a car between the car carrying the hazardous materials & other cars or occupied equipment such a locomotives & cabooses for crew protection when going on a railroad. It also protects the locomotives from heat damage from the hot metal car. Also to answer another question, Steel Mills operate 24/7 365 days a year. It takes about 6 weeks to bring a blast furnace up to temp. There might also be damage to the firebricks by cooling & reheating. The Blast Furnace operate continuously for 10 to 15 years, then have to be shut down & re bricked etc.

[@animenut69]

Idler / buffer cars. Does it take a longer amount of time for it to cool down for re bricking.

[@strobx1]

Yes, about 4-6 week because the temps in the Blast Furnace can be 4300F. Once the re bricking is done, the B.F is slowly brought up to operating temps. At that time, a small "cast" is done to look at the quality of the pig iron to see if the furnace is functioning properly. If it is, then a full cast is done and the B.F runs 24/7/365 for another 10-15 years. They will tap the B.F every 4-5 hours and draw off 150 to 220 ton casts which is put in the Hot Metal cars to be reheated in the Basic Oxygen Furnace to burn off the impurities making steel. Catching Hot Metal train is hit & miss as melt times are not public. This depends on B.F production. They can store hot metal for 10-12 hours in the hot metal car before it starts to "Freeze" (turn solid) so they can have several "Heats" in the train.

[@mattberg916]

The idler cars are for weight distribution. Molten iron from Number 7 blast furnace at old Inland Steel is shipped to the old LTV and old Acme Riverdale. They cross bridges and need extra spacing to spread the immense weight of approximately 400 ton per car. Mittal's torpedo cars are also equipped with air brakes since they are traveling over public crossings. The NS makes these moves. US STEEL torpedo cars at Gary works have no brakes at all since they remain captive to the mill and get parked in dips in the track work (a good switchman knows all the good spots). When spotted under the pour spout of the blast furnace cast house the switchman will chock the wheels with wood wedges

[@JungleYT]

These new spitter valves are F*cking *annoying!* - 39:17 There a signal at this crossing??? - 45:16 Cutting steaks! - 45:50 Imagine how creepy this place must be at night? Yikes!!!

[@Unsound_advice]

45:16 it’s a “left hand” signal for the bigger interlocking.

[@JungleYT]

@@Unsound_advice Explain... Like how does he know it's safe to cross that Bad boy to prevent from getting tuned into scrap? That's what I was wondering...

[@Unsound_advice]

@@JungleYT it’s a signal for the trains that the interlocking is clear of conflicting movements. As for vehicles their crossings are only on the low-speed tracks and only authorized traffic to begin with.

[@JungleYT]

@@Unsound_advice OK, so what you're saying is that the signal giving that loco the "clear" is coordinated with any other trains that might be going on those other lines? I assume miles away to allow them to stop in time - preventing making the scrap dealer happy... I had to G**gle "Interlock"...

[@Unsound_advice]

@@JungleYT it’s a dispatcher controlled interlocking.

[@apurdue0]

Where is this

[@flexmann2148]

April Purdue East Chicago @ Indiana Harbor

[@Martmns]

Just a handful of people working in a mill that once employed more than 10, 000 people. Sad.

[@jameswow2836]

Over 3000 workers. It’s the way it is now because former owner and company ArcelorMittal was in it for the money and knew he was selling a “dying” company so he never brought more people in and kept shutting down perfectly good furnaces and such. Hopefully the new owner brings it back to life

[@leoorduna2199]

This is near my town

[@ssweeps]

Windsock over the microphone PLEASE.

[@jsrupert1037]

Needs a mike mouse…

[@savitz001]

Is this a former Bethlehem Steel plant?

[@flight6662]

David Savitz no its not that was,baltimore county

[@FlibbidyFleu]

@Bravo Lazz Yep, used to be inland.

[@dmartin4414]

Old Republic Steel plant?

[@stevenewby9346]

For gods sake man buy a wind sock for your mic.

[@davidalexander9883]

So, what is video supposed to be about?

[@davidcurtis5398]

Waited and waited for the awesome switchers, never saw them. Just looks like someone switching a bunch of ole empty (mostly) cars at a shut down mill being pushed around. Looks like someone is keeping busy. What was awesome about this?????

[@williamsquires3070]

David Curtis - I don't think that mill is shut down, and some of those switchers are going on 50-60 years old. That they're still running is a testament to the good design, and the crews that maintain them. You don't see many autos on the roads there days that are that old (though, I did see a '57 Chevy the other day!) And the scope of the physical plant is pretty awesome to me! :)

[@strobx1]

That mill is not shut down. They still run a huge blast furnace for molten iron. They still roll slabs into coiled steel. They still take the hot metal(molten Iron) to Riverdale to the Basic Oxygen Furnace to make steel then cast slabs. These are taken back to the South Chicago mill & rolled into finished product. The cars are old, but they are for mill use and do not go on a railroad. They take the empties to where they will be loaded etc

[@FlibbidyFleu]

Most of the action happens east of this location.. Not easy to get there.

[@nonovyerbusiness9517]

Boring. Maybe a few more 360° pans, and louder wind noise would liven it up.

[@animenut69]

If you ever get a chance you should check out the granite city ill steel mill. Sometimes you get lucky finding trains bringing in ore and coils / slabs going out. Also a heavy lathe factory nearby that machines rail axles

[@kelvintorrence5994]

It is shut down again in 2020