A major industry on the C&O is the Armco Steel Mill near Ashland, KY. It was built on a peninsula on the lower level of the C&O. The main line runs around the perimeter of the mill. Although the mill had existed on our old layout back in 2005-2013, when it was rebuilt several changes were made. We had two retired steelworker members who advised us on all the needed details and we were able to work out a track plan that allows the mill to be operated independently, with coal, ore, and other raw materials arriving and coil steel shipping out on the C&O. During an operating session, 2 coal trains from the Clinchfield, 2 ore trains from the port of Toledo, and a local from Huntington stop at Armco. Internally, the movement of hot metal bottle cars, ingot cars, gondola loads of scrap, and coil cars are moving around the mill loading and unloading. The steel mill is really a layout within itself, but something is always moving through the C&O interface.
