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Caption: Here's another shot for Dave Young - this isn't the Steel Train, nor is it CN - it's a SOR local lifting raw steel billets in Gondolas using whatever CN power was assigned to 'em. (The steel train 599/598 ran late late afternoon west / early morning loaded east often in darkness, so I suspect CN power could be used for a mid-day job without issue). Stelco deserved about a switch a day from each railway (SOR and CP) in this time-frame after the Chinese economy went all hot and steel was in HOT demand. US Steel emerged to buy Stelco not long after this photo was taken and continued to pump out steel until the blast furnaces were idled in 2010. The bloom was off the rose - Chinese steel companies were (and continue to) dumping cheap steel on the market and steel prices have been in the tanks ever since (there has been some recovery in 2016 though). BlackRock Investments (A New York Hedge fund) has emerged as the winner to take over the former Stelco - away from US Steel and while I shudder at the thought of another hedge fund meddling (Since it'll just be another kick at the union and their Pensioners) if the economy does recover it's highly possible Stelco may once again rise from the ashes.
Photo notes: Nikon D70, 50mm f/1.8 on a dreary winter day with no snow, typical of the time.
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Nice catch Steve!
Very nice catch, Steve.
It is unlikely that Stelco will ever make steel in the Hammer again. From what I’m told the blast furnaces have lost their certification and, given the environmental sensitivities of our era, it’s not likely ever get it back. This from a lifer next door at Dofasco, who probably knows a thing or two about it. Nanticoke will produce the steel and Hamilton the finishing, though it really seems like a long shot.
Where’s the “Steel Steve” comments from snake ????????? too busy gallivanting the country somewhere with Arnold??
Anyway, Mike, an interesting thought – if they do make steel at Nanticoke and finish it in Hamilton, there would probably be a need for another “Steel Train”.
From what I’ve read Blackrock Investments is a turnaround company, expect them to see what they can do with Stelco and then sell it off, if it can be made productive again. They will probably take care of it fairly quickly, within a couple years too.
Interesting thoughts though….
Bit of an update, the four blast furnaces at the Stelco site are still functional and are being kept ‘warm’ lest they decide to start production again. If they go cold, they’ll never be allowed to operate again, so there is a skeleton crew maintaining them for now.
Interesting… I have family that worked in the Blast furnaces a decade or two ago… the stories are interesting, Stelco was a very different place back then and a great place to work.