Boatnerd Discussion Forum

If I'm not mistaken a lot of ore that used to run through Ashtabula was headed for Wheeling-Pitt steel in Wheeling, WV. Don't know if that mill is still open, but I believe it's owned by Severstal now.

Thanks for the answer - that makes more sense!

[quote="akopin"]There seems to be an awful lot of ore unloaded at Ashtabula, but where does it end up after that? There don't appear to be any factories or mills there - and since most steel mills (that are left) are in PA, one would think that the ore would go on to Erie. So what makes Ashtabula so special? I did find one steel mill in Burgettstown, PA, about the same distance south and in-between both ports - is there historic infrastructure (rail, etc.) that used to feed mills in Ashtabula that now [cost effectively?] feeds Ashtabula? Thanks!)[/quote]

Erie doesn't have much of a rail system running north and south, whereas Ashtabula does.

There seems to be an awful lot of ore unloaded at Ashtabula, but where does it end up after that? There don't appear to be any factories or mills there - and since most steel mills (that are left) are in PA, one would think that the ore would go on to Erie. So what makes Ashtabula so special? I did find one steel mill in Burgettstown, PA, about the same distance south and in-between both ports - is there historic infrastructure (rail, etc.) that used to feed mills in Ashtabula that now [cost effectively?] feeds Ashtabula? Thanks!)