An empty ethanol train passes the spacious Sterling Steel Plant along the Rock River. The train is working west towards the next crew change point at Clinton, IA, on the UP Geneva Sub.
The Sterling Steel Plant was originally the Northwestern Steel & Wire, which began operations in 1936 under Northwestern Steel & Wire Co until it went bankrupt in 2001. The plant was then purchased by Leggett & Platt in 2002 and renovations to the melt shop and rod mill allowed for restart operations in 2003. It now boost that it is one of largest Electric Arc Furnace in North America. Currently the plant recycles nearly 600,000 tons of steel scrap annually. The scrap is sourced from vehicles, buildings, and appliances that are turned into wire rod coils.. They have their own independent switcher as seen here. This place was famous for receiving 15 steam locomotives from the GTW Railroad in 1960. They used those steamers for over 20 years to move scrap metal into the furnaces and to transfer hot ingots to the rolling machines. That era ended in 1981.
