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Slag Car

Slag Car

This huge ladle is one of two mounted on a slag car. Slag is a layer of impurities that floats to the top of the molten steel; it was skimmed off to be poured into these cars waiting underneath the casthouse. It was then carted off and dumped into a slag heap, where it was cooled and most likely used for creating cement or ballast. The slag could be dumped by turning the ladle on its side,as it pivots using the large gears on either side.

You can watch a video of slag being poured at Bethlehem below:

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That looks like a lava flow. The slag car looks in great condition.
TootUncommon
Fri 11-05-2010
If they were pouring from kettles they like to keep a nice slag layer on the top of the kettle to keep the heat in.
Binky
Fri 11-05-2010
Great picture Motts! @ thanks for the interesting video!
LucieLou
Fri 11-05-2010
The video is relly cool, I wonder what it's like to see that in person. The slag cars remind me of tilt kettles, which are huge bowls used to make very large quantites of soups and stocks in the food industry. There is a layer of steam, or a steam jacket, between the walls of the bowl. The heat from the steam is what cooks the food. They are on hinges like the slag cars, because they are so large. They're impossible to lift to poor the liquid out.
mammabear
Fri 11-05-2010
Does anyone know what the slag cars are made of? What material is able to hold molten steel?
mammabear
Fri 11-05-2010
Great video!
I wonder how hot it was for that guy working by those cars?
A D Nilsen
Sat 11-06-2010
Mammabear, the ladle is lined on the inside with refractory brick, which is a type of ceramic that can withstand extremely high temperatures.
Tina
Sun 11-07-2010
Mammabear, you just brought back a memory. worked in the cafeteria during college and made batches of pudding in that type of cooker. had to use a pan under the bottom spigot to collect the cooked pudding. 5 gallons at a time. chocolate and vanilla and sometimes butterscotch.
Claudia
Sun 11-07-2010
Wonder how much that car weighs.
SrRaV
Mon 11-08-2010
neat vid! I love all the history and information you give!
ginberry
Tue 11-09-2010
Thanks for the info, Tina and Claudia. I've been a cook for many years, but never worked with a tilt kettle personally. I've seen them, tho. I think they're fascinating. Yeah, I'm kind of a dork for kitchen equipment.
mammabear
Tue 11-09-2010
Great photo and thanks for the informative video. Once the man releases the lock on the slag ladles, it seems there is a delay (he is seen walking away) and then the ladles tip. Are they radio controlled perhaps? If not, what starts them tipping over?
BKW Ontario
Sun 11-14-2010
Ever smell a slag pile?
Larry D
Sun 12-19-2010
Makes me wonder how many ppl died from heat exhaustion working there. No a/c in the old days and the temps must have gotten incredibly hot.
Kattoo
Wed 01-19-2011
wow, that would be a tragic thing to find yourself under. anyone up for barbeque?
Bobby
Tue 03-08-2011
Great video! Big thumbs up. Thankyou.
gypsy
Mon 04-11-2011
tread well. was that who made it? or a warning
bobo miller
Thu 05-26-2011

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