Morning Steel Mill Trains at U.S. Steel Gary Works

On May 27th, 2023, I spent a morning with my drone at U.S. Steel Gary Works in Gary, Indiana and saw plenty of action in the steel mill. The trains inside were pulled by various SW1200s and SW1500s in Gary Railway, Fairfield Southern, Detroit Connecting, and of course U.S. Steel paint schemes. I was fortunate enough to witness some interesting operations take place, including a switcher shoving a huge ladle into the #1 BOP and a coke train being brought up onto the high line with three units. I also ventured over the decommissioned coke plant where a line of old U.S. Steel switchers and center-cabs were being stored. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this action packed look at a steel mill rarely seen on video!
--------------------------
Thanks for watching! Like what you see? Subscribe! Also make sure to check out my other social media pages!
Instagram: samlovestra...
Facebook: / samlovestrains-1168791...
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/1381573...

[@marklesnick5211]

This place is STILL in operation ~ it is NOT CLOSED ❗

[@robertoenduro9439]

Everything is so dirty, rusty and dusty, love it.

[@SamLovesTrains]

Me too!

[@davidballoid2118]

A big Thumbs Up would be Greatly Appreciated on these videos Please, he's spent a lot of time on them.👍

[@davewheeler5085]

I work here all the time and it's crazy to see the whole place from overhead

[@charlesburgoyne-probyn6044]

A different perspective, like being on the roof of ones house

[@stevekalis139]

What goes on inside the 1bop building? It’s MASSIVE

[@mikehooper5083]

As a steel mill modeler, these vids are a treasure for layout ideas and as a steel mill geek, they are great to just sit and watch over and over. Too bad drones didn't exist back in the days of Bessemer converters...no THAT would have been something!

[@SamLovesTrains]

I always notice my videos posted in steel mill modeling groups online. I’m glad that I can help people out! It’d be neat to model a steel mill like this someday.

[@farmerdave7965]

I worked at the last fully integrated steel mill west of the Mississippi River. I approve of this video.

[@Mck499]

I work at US Steel Clairton works, Coke battery's we go 13-14 19-20 B and C battery's. Mill is pretty old but were hoping with new ownership we can start to revamp the mill

[@electrictractiontrainsandt3063]

Amazing Steel Mills! Amazing Footage! Keep The Industrial Train Videos Rolling In!👍

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thanks! Soon!

[@b3j8]

These are awesome views! Thank you for taking the time to do it!

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thank you! It’s always fun taking the drone out for a spin!

[@MaxCruise73]

The blue roofed building at the start of the video is the dispensary. This is where workers go for physicals, physical therapy, and medical attention after an accident. Building used to be the main hospital for all of Gary, IN. Road beyond the flag is the end of Broadway/Indiana Rte. 53.

[@vikingofengland]

Love this. I really don't know how you only have 8400 subscribers? Should be a lot more!

[@IowaGrandpaTrain]

This is the best steel mill video I’ve ever seen. Great job!

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thank you!

[@andrewpalm2103]

I worked college summers in the 30" Hot Strip Dept. at USS Gary Sheet & Tin in the mid-60's. It was hot, dirty, and dangerous, but compared to the hellscape in this video, it was the proverbial walk in the park (secept maybe when cleaning out one of the slab reheating furnaces). Thanks for sharing and Cheers from Wisconsin!

[@Tpackage-my8dx]

I worked in the Gary Works Coke Plant in the early ‘80’s. I’m glad you did a flyover of the place now closed unfortunately. But the coke maintenance buildings I worked in still standing. Amazing video. You did a great job filming it from birdseye view

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thank you! Someone requested I flyover there in my last video so I made sure to this time.

[@davebennett2086]

Great vid. That place is HUGE. Thanks for sharing. Im a follower now 😆

[@SamLovesTrains]

Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for subscribing!

[@lucmarchand617]

Thank you expose gary work for long time watch this.i read book uss history but this is best.thank you calgary alberta canada

[@stevewoodard527]

Very nice -- thanks for posting this. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if someone familiar with the mill could have helped you add captions so that we'd know what we were looking at. I could identify the blast furnaces but that was about it.

[@RailFanRob]

Man I so love these videos that include our remaining steel mills here in the USA!!! Please record more of this type of footage. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome industrial footage with us!!!

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thanks! I’ll try to head back soon. Steel mills are some of my favorite places to film!

[@XBOXShawn12thman]

WOW ... What a cool video!!! 😳

[@thehawkeyerailfan9406]

Great video of these rarely seen operations. I'm shocked that there isn't a no fly zone above the mill.

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thanks! I’m surprised too. The closest no fly zone would be the Gary airport, but their zone doesn’t extend into the mill. I don’t think U.S. Steel can do anything since they don’t own the airspace. As long as the drone doesn’t go down…

[@katiemcauley2378]

@@SamLovesTrains i work there. dont get caught

[@texturedpuma5685]

It's a MARSEC area because of the slip. It is very much a no fly zone. Technically, we're not even supposed to bring our phones to work because of the cameras.

[@sameoldthing2240]

So far this is the best video of Gary works that I’ve seen so far. Great job on filming this.

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thank you! I enjoy documenting places not many people do.

[@sameoldthing2240]

@@SamLovesTrains I love exploring these places but Gary works is tough to get too… lol

[@SamLovesTrains]

@@sameoldthing2240 I also enjoy exploring stuff. There’s a cool hospital in my area I like to go to some nights with my friends. But a steel mill, especially one that’s still active, would be tough to get into.

[@sameoldthing2240]

@@SamLovesTrains there is parts of Gary works that are shut down and not being use anymore.. I just can’t say where on KZbin…

[@galaxyrailfanning7860]

Very nice footage! Steel mill ops are always cool!

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thanks! They sure are

[@pe4793]

Absolutely Fantastic. Thank you for sharing this video we only have one Iron and Steel making plant in England and one in South Wales now.The large Blast furnace and BOS plant we had on Teesside in the North East of England was sadly demolished earlier this year. A darn shame.

[@franzbrunner499]

what a brilliant video! thank you very much, Sam -i would never have the chance to see a steel mill that close not to think of going inside to see the process of steelmaking

[@allenhill5698]

Great job, Sam. Thank you very much for sharing these videos.

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!

[@bobschell8600]

Thanks for sharing the great drone footage. Over the steel company.

[@xray606]

Excellent. That cask car move was awesome. Think I've only seen one photo of that before. And you even caught J power on a LFL train. Can't do better than that.

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thank you! I’m glad I was able to capture some unique and rare stuff. The J units will pull up to that spot every once and while. They usually trail on the CN remote control jobs at Kirk Yard.

[@supercuda1950]

Great video....gives an idea how large an operation this is. Sad to see the huge parking lots empty that were once full to capacity.

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thanks! Just imagine how busy this plant must’ve been at its prime!

[@supercuda1950]

@@SamLovesTrains yeah, you cant tell me its cheaper to have steel made in China and shipped here. We need to bring all this back to America and give us the good paying jobs.

[@juliofoolio2982]

I think most of the job were lost to automation..

[@supercuda1950]

@@juliofoolio2982 Most of the jobs and technology were lost to China!

[@peterpiwoski]

At one time US Steel Gary Works was the largest steel mill in the northern hemisphere. 7 miles long!

[@MrThecroatian]

Nice bonus view of the Railcats ballpark. I just read an article in Trains magazine where they named the ballpark one of the best ones for railfans.

[@FrankLowe1949]

It's massive big and dirty I love this place 😮❤❤

[@jmartin4204]

ps forgot to add to previous post , as seen again here drones are not just killing machines . You have a great command of the drone excellent shots .

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thank you!

[@jstoli996c4s]

My gosh, the size of this facility seems to dwarf the old 1100 acre Bethlehem Steel site in Buffalo (Lackawanna). KZbinr Matty Gunn shoots a lot of videos there with his drone, there’s a mix of industrial activities going on there now.

[@lexpo181]

This is a really massive industry! I loved watching your video, pretty good footage ;)

[@OldTrucker958]

When you see this facility from the air the size of it comes into perspective. This place boggles the imagination. Great job Sam!

[@arlichar11]

wow video turned this place of dread , to a very interesting operation , almost beauty

[@kasska6717]

The sound is also amazing. I really like the ambience sounds

[@myroncoleman9825]

My wife's nephew retired from US Steel he often talked about how bi g it was and a ll the operations. He got a job at US Steel after he got o ut of the service and moved to Gar y Indiana from Lexington and still li vessel there.

[@debracaron6726]

Love these kind of videos thanks alot from GLOUCESTER, Ma 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@jamesevans6086]

Terrific steel mill footage!

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thank you!

[@KCTopDawg]

This is unreal. That shot at 02:32 WOW!!

[@paulj1962]

Those molten cars are truly hell on wheels!

[@TanteManfred1]

Fantastic, greetings from Germany.

[@kahunatiki6498]

Remarkable video! Outstanding work!

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thanks!

[@WashingtonDistrictRailfan]

Yeah this is amazing.

[@SamLovesTrains]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@kensbackshop6399]

Totaly awesome

[@gmo1515]

I work at USS Fairfield and recognize some former Fairfield Southern locomotives by their red "bow wave" stripe on the yellow paint. That was an adaptation of the former Birmingham Southern green and yellow scheme. Once our blast furnace and most of the rolling & finishing ceased operation in 2015 a lot of the FSRR engines and slugs were dispersed to other Transtar railroads. It looks like at least some wound up in Gary with the old name painted out.

[@johnwatson2952]

I also worked at USS Fairfield works on the FS RR left there 2018. 24 years

[@SteadyGhetner]

Fascinating! It's like a real-world version of the Great Machine in the movie "Forbidden Planet"

[@davidb8872]

Fantastic footage, loved it👍🇺🇸

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed!

[@johnpoulson384]

This is amazing. Thank you 🙏

[@chrisroode]

That is the most immersive model railroad I’ve ever seen! How do you get such realism?

[@djavidianmx1832]

It's AI😂

[@johnbrogan6583]

it is the REAL THING

[@chrisroode]

I still am getting used to this drone perspective…I have a lookout over Endicott NY near where I live, and the trains going by look like a model…it’s nice to be up there when the train goes by.

[@vincecrysler3821]

Great stuff! You have to love heavy industry+ railroads!!😅

[@SamLovesTrains]

Certainly!

[@leroyybrown]

What an incredible facility

[@lashendawest7509]

Great catches and video

[@renataandrews368]

Awesome video!! I love it.

[@Steven_Williams]

Outstanding work!!

[@tomstarcevich1147]

Awesome vid 🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃👍

[@zionisimkills1098]

Anyone else remember 60 years ago when this mill ran 3 shifts around the clock every Day.

[@RonStanek]

Nice view of the Works! Would be even nicer to see father in along the lake shore of the Works, to see if there's any rail action or movement from the shipping loads. Appreciate your work, I know it's not easy getting this kind of stuff. Fantastic content! Thank You! Keep it up....Sam!

[@johng3960]

Nice catch of the EJ&E SD38s at the ~16:30 mark.

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thanks! Those units are always switching the CN yard and often pull out past where I set up to fly.

[@tristandishman8661]

Very awesome video.

[@jmartin4204]

Great video . I have always been interested in anything in the industrial arena steel tops the list . I come from the UK as you may know that it was the birth place of the Industrial Revolution and that Sheffield , Yorkshire was steel country from there many parts of the UK got involved in steel , but Sheffield was the main production base . Many cutleries we had in the UK would say Sheffield , England . I hope the steel industry in the US continues to prosper in the future shame if it did not . Same applies in the UK and anywhere else in the world that produces steel. The water seen in the video how did it get to that beautiful colour .

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thanks for the comment. It’s sad to see what the steel industry has become, but I’m glad I’m able to document what’s left. I too was surprised to see that nice of water at the mill. Maybe the sun was hitting it just right!

[@stephaniesinger1159]

Excellent video, thanks for sharing...!

[@williambryant5946]

Awesome video!

[@classifiedfive4377]

Thank you for more Gary works footage . Looks like DC 459 is working the high line now. Wonder where dc 65 is. They have T&N 1501 there too

[@SamLovesTrains]

I have yet to see the Texas & Northern unit but that would definitely be neat to see. It seems like Gary has a bunch of units from various Transtar properties.

[@EntertainmentWorldz]

Awesome video ! ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@EasyGrowsIt]

Well done video

[@alabamared2568]

I'm honestly surprised it's still operational..I used 2 drive past this twice a day going from Rockford foundry Gunite to finishing Gunite plant in Elkhart Indiana I did that for years until they closed the plant in Elkhart the Gunite in Rockford Gunite is still open they finish the product there now but we ran 26 loads a day back and forth

[@centraliowarailproductions2810]

Nice video!

[@unpasaro]

A fantastic video, excellent filming and everything that can be seen in that great industry. The old stopped switchers are impressive, I thought I saw some Alco Century 415, is that correct? Thanks for sharing this amazing

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thank you. They aren’t C415s, but some other centercab or tonner locomotive. Not sure which kind though.

[@unpasaro]

@@SamLovesTrains thanks for the information

[@Tom.Gregory]

Phuntastic

[@Golfing422]

You can see the hot lava in the torpedoes.

[@vitaliykramarenko8131]

👍💪💪💪

[@Carmen-co4el]

This is a BLUE RIBBON Video

[@DarlingAngel666]

How did they manage to take one of the most beautiful spots on this lake and make it into this

[@JohnR.1968]

Great vid, look at all those empty parking lots, all those lost jobs!!😮

[@EagleCreekRailRoad]

Another awesome production👌🏻 I do have a question though, do you know or are you able to see where the torpedo wagons are emptied??

[@sanddabz5635]

I'd like to see that myself!

[@SamLovesTrains]

That I’m not sure of. I’d assume they go back towards to lakefront into one of the mill buildings, but I’m afraid of losing drone connection if I go that far.

[@johnwatson2952]

The yellow switcher and slug came from USS in Fairfield Alabama. I think. Worked there 24 years on the Fairfield Southern... US Steels in plant RR

[@johnwatson2952]

The one with the red stripe thewere green and yellow and belonged to Birmingham Southern RR. BS RR was sold to Watco and now is call Birmingham Terminal RR

[@benblazin8627]

Fly over Desulf now. Looks different

[@easttnrailray5685]

New subscriber, great video im going to watch more.

[@easttnrailray5685]

I have the DJI mini 2 but still working on my editing skills.

[@richferraro4422]

Awesome job! What is the car at 4:09? Just when I thought I’d seen it all 😊

[@jasonbirkner219]

Great video,awesome quality. What kind of drone/camera do you use?

[@MaxCruise73]

At the 4 minute mark, an engine is transporting a ladle via a yellow framed railroad car. Train is called the "Yellow Bird." The Yellow Bird has the right of way.

[@HavelockYard]

What railway was switching at the beginning? That car at 4:20 was the most unique car I've seen in a long time

[@SamLovesTrains]

That’s one of U.S. Steel’s own switchers. They haul those interesting ladle cars around the BOP shop.

[@HavelockYard]

@@SamLovesTrains At the beginning of the video some Geeps were switching out on the main or lead. We’re some of those CP or CN?

[@SamLovesTrains]

@@HavelockYard That was one of the CN remote yard jobs

[@HannahHelpy]

We refer to the large ladle trains as the yellow bird.

[@HavelockYard]

@@HannahHelpy haha that's awesome!

[@toddnance454]

Awesome drone footage! Which drone do you have?

[@SamLovesTrains]

Thank you. DJI Mini 3

[@petermarshall7005]

A great video how many acres does this steel mill cover ? It reminds me of a Bluescope mill here in NSW Australia at Port Kembla I enjoy your videos very much.

[@MaxCruise73]

@Peter Marshall, plant measures 7 miles by 2 miles deep.

[@fredgonzini7099]

I was thinking about bringing my drone down there. Then I thought maybe it's on KZbin. Anyone bother you there

[@SamLovesTrains]

Haven’t had any problems yet. I just make sure to launch from secluded areas away from entrances.

[@Tony-1950]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@sparkdog44]

The empty employee parking lot is shocking.

[@F4productions4072]

I thought those were nukes for a second

[@AndreiTupolev]

What was that object being shunted into #1 Bop shop?🕺

[@drew42023]

Empty steel ladle being brought back from #2 caster to be processed and refilled !

[@JohnnyCarroll-wi6tx]

dont burn bridges. just loosen the bolts a little bit every day.

[@scottlandmcc]

At 17:26 I can see my motorcycle

[@9501599]

Hi there, what is that long pipe for??

[@juliofoolio2982]

Is the fine powder covering everything coke ash?

[@lordexplores]

Hey, Sam. I'm working on a KZbin video which includes a history portion about Gary's steel industry. Was wondering if I could use a couple clips from this video with full credit to you and your page. No pressure, just love the clips! Thanks

[@SamLovesTrains]

Go right ahead! I’ve seen some of your urbex videos and really enjoy what you do! I’ll be watching for the video. Thanks

[@lordexplores]

@@SamLovesTrains Appreciate it! I followed you on Instagram and can let you know when it drops

[@pauloconnor2980]

What type of drone do you use??

[@SamLovesTrains]

I use a DJI Mini 3 Pro

[@sanddabz5635]

What am I seeing at 15:00? What are those carts transporting on that tram?

[@SamLovesTrains]

I think those are skip car loaders, which carry raw material into the blast furnaces. Probably iron ore in this case.

[@adamtaintbury]

What are the weird noises that kind of sound like birds chirping?

[@kamleshprasad1750]

Haw many payments worked cast house operators.. In this company plz reply..

[@abloogywoogywoo]

Dunno about you but I would NOT want to drive my truck under a rail bridge that has a torpedo car full of molten iron above it.

[@quintinivey9359]

CSX brings coal from Virginia?