ORE YARD

An odd aspect of the plant was the material flow to the blast furnaces since the raw material yard, served by three bridge cranes, was located some distance from the furnaces. This was somewhat odd in that there was enough space near the blast furnaces to locate the raw material yard. This space was actually taken up by the lower tonnage coke ovens. Coal, limestone and iron ore/taconite were brought to Steelton Yard and dumped from the trestle.

In an early article on Minnesota Steel, it states that iron ore was brought to Steelton Yard via the Spirit Lake Transfer Railway, a subsidiary of the Duluth, Missabe & Northern which later became the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range upon merger with the Duluth & Iron Range. Iron ore was transported from the underground mines of the Vermilion and Mesabi Ranges during winter and from the Mesabi open-pit mines during spring, summer and autumn directly to the blast furnace highline, not even visiting the raw material yard.

	View along trestle side where iron ore, coal and limestone were dumped into the ore yard.
View in ore yard towards the three bridge cranes which stockpiled the iron ore, coal and limestone.
	Open-hearth service 0-4-0T steam switchers loads up its charging boxes with dolomite.
Ore Yard Today