IronBeltKen
Lazy Daydreamer
Rex, I specified #6's because [1] they minimize potential derailments in yard switching (S-curves etc.) and [2] the hot-metal cars, with their 6-wheel buckeye trucks, don't like anything smaller. (I'll admit it was the #4's that were giving me fits, I never had any #5's on my own layout...)... Dang, there are a lot of turnouts$$$$$$$. All I have on hand are 5L #5's and 4R #5's...
If I get enough time to "play" later this evening, I'm going to try drawing up an XtrCAD plan with the buildings arranged as I would have done them, without your "druthers" of having the BF's hot-metal side facing the operators. I do believe I can rig something to fit more buildings...we'll see...Sounds like my OH furnace will have to be a miracle furnace that produces steel plates as an end product . I have to think about the distance of the hot car switching versus having room for a rolling mill (or a building that I call a rolling mill). There may be enough switching action with ore, coal, supplies, coke, by-products, to satisfy this. Speaking of by-products from the coke plant, that is another animal that could eat up space in a hurry...
BTW Don't even think about trying to cram a coke by-products plant on that already maxed-out extension - except for maybe some piping from an off-layout facility to load a tank car (that's all I have room to do on mine).