[PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal

Tue Oct 22 17:27:33 EDT 2013

Shoaf Works was in blast into 1972, while ovens at Alverton were modified
and stayed operational a while after that.

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounces at mailman.dementix.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounces at mailman.dementix.org] On Behalf Of
Dwight Long
Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 3:48 PM
To: Western PA Trolley discussion
Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal

Dennis

I am astounded that beehive coke ovens were still in use that late in time.

But then Sharon Steel was not a bastion of progressivity.  Worse yet, at the
time you worked there, it was owned by Victor Posner (or by him through
companies he controlled), the notorious corporate raider and looter.  He did
a "masterful" job of looting Sharon Steel.

Dwight
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: DF Cramer 
  To: Western PA Trolley discussion 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 7:18 AM
  Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal

  Many of you know I put myself through undergraduate school working two
summers at a beehive coke facility located off Mahoning Creek just north of
Templeton (on the Allegheny River). We were a captive facility of Sharon
Steel. The devastation to the environment was severe. I once brought some
classmates over at night during the winter term and as they looked down from
the road above they replied: "You worked in Hell!"  That is probably a great
way to describe what it was like.
  By the way, I made great money; over six thousand dollars over two
summers. (73 & 74)  The coke yard closed shortly thereafter and nothing
remains. The environment has recovered.

  Dennis F. Cramer 
  http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/

  > From: eskuchas at comcast.net
  > Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 07:07:31 -0400
  > To: pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
  > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal
  > 
  > Back in the 70's, the Clairton works had an open house. First time in
ten years. I signed up and went. We did go next to the coke batteries. They
were tight with little leakage, and they had semi-automated capturing
devices when they emptied a section of the battery. Doors removed with
pusher on one side and capturing unit on receiving end. Various ducts and
fans to suck off the vapors. 
  > The bus taking us through that part of the plant went by the chemical
processing plant where our guide pointed out the chemicals that they can
recover and sell. Also mentioned that the chemicals were nasty. 
  > The other perspective that I had was how bare the hill side was opposite
the plant. We were over by the barge unloader and had a clear view. 
  > 
  > Ed S
  > 
  > Sent from my iPhone
  > 
  > > On Oct 21, 2013, at 10:53 PM, "Dwight Long" <dwightlong at verizon.net>
wrote:
  > > 
  > > 
  > > Herb
  > > 
  > > But Irvin works is not a primary producer but rather a rolling mill
(as you said) and so would not generate the "fire and brimstone" that
characterized a primary steel producer.
  > > 
  > > I went by Clairton on a train in July and did not notice any smoke at
all, just some condensed water vapor.  I think the coking processes are so
contained these days that very little emissions emanate from it.  Besides
environmental concerns, the steelmakers have learned that the effluents from
the coke making process are valuable by products that need to be trapped and
sold.  The days of the beehive coke ovens that spewed all the byproducts
into the atmosphere are long gone.
  > > 
  > > Dwight
  > >  ----- Original Message ----- 
  > >  From: Herb Brannon 
  > >  To: Western PA Trolley discussion 
  > >  Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 10:41 PM
  > >  Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal
  > > 
  > > 
  > >  Bob R,
  > >  It still had that "orange glow" when I first moved here in 1972.
Plus, when
  > >  atmospheric conditions were right, it smelled like fire & brimstone,
  > >  everywhere. Even today, on  humid days, I still smell the "fire &
  > >  brimstone" coming from the Irvin Works just over the hill (on Camp
Hollow
  > >  Rd) to the south-east of my place.
  > > 
  > >  Contrary to popular opinion steel is not dead in Pittsburgh. The
Clairton
  > >  Works still produces coke as it always did, the Edgar Thompson Works
makes
  > >  primary steel, the Irvin Works produces rolled steel and the
relatively new
  > >  Mckeesport Tubular Works (old National Works, now reopened) makes
tubular
  > >  products for the Marcellus Shale drilling industry. So the sulphur
and fi
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > 
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