Control Cab at ArcelorMittal Steel Mill in East Chicago

This control cab sits above the production floor at the ArcelorMittal steel mill in East Chicago, Indiana, giving an operator a direct line of sight to the rollers and conveyors below. Cabs like this house the switches, dials, and levers used to run mill equipment such as rolling stands or overhead cranes, letting a single worker control heavy machinery from a protected, elevated position. East Chicago's steel industry dates to the early 20th century, when mills along the Lake Michigan shoreline supplied steel for the region's rail, auto, and construction industries. ArcelorMittal, formed through a 2006 merger of Arcelor and Mittal Steel, now operates integrated steelmaking facilities here that include blast furnaces, casters, and finishing lines like the one this cab oversees.

Photo taken in July 2016.