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Simulación · Minimal Factory · Ports and waterways

Ruhrort harbour · ship and rail transfer

An inland harbour as a model: quays with gantry cranes, grabs above the ships, storage yard and coal trains, at the mouth of the Ruhr into the Rhine.

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Real are location, terrain and structures (official NRW elevation data, OpenStreetMap). Quays and cranes are interpreted; quantities, processes and times are model values. With your data, the model shows your site and your processes.

The harbour at the mouth of the Ruhr into the Rhine stands as a block model on its real terrain: harbour basin, quays with gantry cranes, storage yard and tracks. Ships bring coal, the cranes' grabs lift it out of the holds and drop it on the storage yard, and from there the trains leave for the hinterland.

Five controls steer the harbour: investment (one to three quays), workforce, supply, quality and market. More quays mean more transfer if enough ships arrive and enough people are there. The storage yard fills up when the trains do not collect everything.

Real are location, terrain and structures from official NRW elevation data and OpenStreetMap. Quays, cranes, quantities, processes and times are an interpretation of our own and model values; one working day lasts ten seconds. The page is for museums and exhibitions, schools and universities, industrial heritage and local history.

From raw material to product

  1. 01

    supply – ships with coal

  2. 02

    quays – portal crane grabs above the ships

  3. 03

    storage yard – takes in what is not sold

  4. 04

    dispatch – coal trains inland

A site at work

01

A site at work

Ruhrort harbour: The harbour where the Ruhr meets the Rhine: ships bring coal, portal cranes put it on the storage yard, trains run inland.

Quay 1

02

Quay 1

Quay 1 – A quay with two portal cranes: the grabs take the coal out of the ships and drop it on the storage yard; trains leave from there.

What is shown – why – for whom

Qué se muestra Por qué Para quién
Harbour basin with ships bringing coal Por quéShows how the goods arrive in an inland harbour. Para quiénmuseum, teaching
Quays with two gantry cranes and grabs each Por quéShows how the coal is lifted out of the holds. Para quiénmuseum, teaching
Storage yard Por quéShows what happens to coal that does not travel on at once. Para quiéneconomics teaching, exhibition
Tracks and coal trains to the hinterland Por quéShows how the coal gets from ship to rail. Para quiénteaching, industrial heritage
Old warehouse Por quéShows an old storage building at the harbour. Para quiénlocal history, exhibition
Terrain at the mouth of the Ruhr into the Rhine Por quéShows why the harbour lies at this spot. Para quiénlocal history, teaching
Five controls with output, storage yard and daily result Por quéShows connections in operations, not operating figures. Para quiéneconomics teaching
Quay 3

03

Quay 3

Quay 3 – the expansion runs along as long as people, materials and market suffice.

Five levers, one works

04

Five levers, one works

Full investment – three quays: capacity for the boom, but only with enough people and materials.

Films from the model

  • Above Ruhrort harbour

    A flight across the whole site: low approach, Quay 1, then across the works to the long shot – everything moving, with the sound of the works.

  • From raw material to product

    The works’ chain in one flight – supply (ships with coal), quays, storage yard, dispatch: station by station.

  • A working day in time-lapse

    In time-lapse working days pass in seconds: shifts at the gate, traffic on the supply and dispatch routes, the stockpile (storage yard) changing along.

  • A works grows

    Investment step by step: new quays appear, the workforce grows with them, then more supply and a boom in the market.

  • Bottleneck – the works respond

    First materials run short and the plant only runs in part, then the market takes too little and the stockpile fills up – in the boom the works recover.

  • Using the software

    With the full interface: open the works, set investment and market, look at stockpile and plant – every lever acts at once.

Facilities and areas in the model

  • Quays

    A quay with two portal cranes: the grabs take the coal out of the ships and drop it on the storage yard; trains leave from there. In the game: all 3 as expansion (interpreted).

  • Storage yard

    Whatever is made but not sold ends up here; when it is full the surplus goes at a discount, when the market wants more it is drawn down.

  • Supply

    Ships with coal. A bigger contract costs more, the store buffers short gaps.

  • Dispatch

    Coal trains inland. The market only takes what it needs.

  • Old warehouse

    An old storehouse at the harbour, in the model from the elevation data.

When things get tight

05

When things get tight

Storage yard filling up – more is made than sold; when there is no room left the surplus goes at a 40 % discount.

Medium long shot

06

Medium long shot

Medium long shot – Quay 1: portal crane grabs above the ships.

Processes in the model

From raw material to product

  1. 01supply – ships with coal
  2. 02quays – portal crane grabs above the ships
  3. 03storage yard – takes in what is not sold
  4. 04dispatch – coal trains inland

Expansion

  1. 01raise investment by one step
  2. 02another quay is built on its plot
  3. 03set the workforce to match, otherwise it only runs in part
  4. 04the market decides whether it pays – success in one number at the top

Bottleneck and recovery

  1. 01supply short – the store empties
  2. 02materials missing – the plants only run in part
  3. 03market in a slump – the stockpile grows until the fire sale
  4. 04boom – the stockpile empties, the result rises

What the model can be used for

  • Museum and exhibition

    A quay explains itself on the plant: two gantry cranes lift the coal out of the ship with a grab and drop it on the storage yard, from where the trains leave.

    Para quiénmuseums, visitor centres, exhibitions

  • School and university

    How does a gantry crane with a grab work, and how was coal transferred from ship to rail in an inland harbour? Terms like quay, transfer and inland vessel sit where they belong.

    Para quiénschools, universities, vocational training

  • Industrial heritage and local history

    Why did the harbour arise at the mouth of the Ruhr? Harbour basin, quays and the old warehouse lie on the real terrain, ship and rail meet where Ruhr and Rhine join.

    Para quiénindustrial heritage, city marketing, local history societies

  • Understanding operations

    Investment, workforce, supply, quality and market act at once on output, storage yard and result. It becomes visible why a further quay without ships and people costs money.

    Para quiéneconomics teaching, further training

Quay 1 at work

07

Quay 1 at work

Quay 1 at work – portal crane grabs above the ships; the machines run with the works’ utilisation.

The whole software

08

The whole software

Running the works – five levers: investment, workforce, supply, quality and market; the chain shows at once what follows.

What you can change

Controls

  • Investment: Number of quays (1 to 3): more money builds more, less shuts them down; without more people they only run in part.
  • Workforce: Enough people for all quays – output rises, and so does success. Too many people cost wages without more output.
  • Supply: More material arrives – the plant no longer has to wait. Levels short, normal and double; supply security costs money.
  • Quality: More quality means less scrap and fewer breakdowns but costs testing and maintenance (levels low, normal, high).
  • Market: Slump, normal or boom. In a slump more is made than sold: the stockpile grows and success drops. In a boom the market takes more: the stockpile empties and success rises.

Disruptions

  • Too few people: Workers are missing, part of the plant stands still.
  • Material missing: Supply is not enough; once the store is empty the plants only run in part (message: “Parts store empty – supply is short”).
  • Too much built: More is made than the market takes: the stockpile grows; when it is full the surplus goes at a 40 % discount (message: “Stockpile full – fire sale at a discount”).
  • Market wants more: Demand is greater than the works can make; once the stockpile is empty orders are lost (message: “Stockpile empty – orders are lost”).

What the model brings

  • 01

    The real terrain as a stage

    Harbour, tracks and surroundings stand on terrain from official elevation data. You show the site as it lies, not as a diagram.

  • 02

    From ship to rail

    The grab above the hold, the storage yard, the train: you understand the transfer before you steer the harbour yourself.

  • 03

    Bottlenecks without damage

    Too few ships arrive, the storage yard fills up because the trains do not collect everything. You see where it gets tight first, and set it back.

  • 04

    For big screens and the browser

    Runs in the browser and on large projections. A working day in fast motion lasts ten seconds.

  • Hafen Ruhrort: Der Hafen an der Mündung der Ruhr in den Rhein: Schiffe bringen Kohle, Portalkräne setzen sie auf den Lagerplatz, Züge fahren ins Land.
    Ruhrort harbour: The harbour where the Ruhr meets the Rhine: ships bring coal, portal cranes put it on the storage yard, trains run inland.
  • Hafen Ruhrort von der anderen Seite – derselbe Ort in der Nachmittagssonne aus Südwesten, mit langen Schatten der Hallen und Gerüste.
    Ruhrort harbour from the other side – the same site in the afternoon sun from the south-west, with long shadows of halls and structures.
  • Halbtotale – Kai 1: Greifer der Portalkräne über den Schiffen.
    Medium long shot – Quay 1: portal crane grabs above the ships.
  • Weit draußen bei Duisburg – Gelände, Häuser und Bäume stammen aus amtlichen Höhendaten, am Rand läuft die Welt weich ins Dunkel aus.
    Far out near Duisburg – terrain, houses and trees come from official elevation data; at the edge the world fades softly into the dark.
  • Von oben – Hafen Ruhrort als Modell aus Quadern: jede Zelle ein Quader, Gebäude und Gelände nach Höhendaten und OpenStreetMap.
    From above – Ruhrort harbour as a model of blocks: every cell a block, buildings and terrain from elevation data and OpenStreetMap.
  • Hafen Ruhrort schräg von oben – Zulieferung, Kais, Lagerplatz und Abtransport auf einen Blick.
    Ruhrort harbour from above at an angle – supply, quays, storage yard and dispatch at a glance.
  • Rundherum Duisburg: Straßen, Gleise und Wasser aus OpenStreetMap, Häuser und Bäume aus den Höhendaten – nur die Anlage in der Mitte ist eigens gebaut.
    All around Duisburg: streets, tracks and water from OpenStreetMap, houses and trees from the elevation data – only the plant in the middle is built specially.
  • Auf Augenhöhe – Kai 1, so nah wie vom Zaun aus.
    At eye level – Quay 1, as close as from the fence.
  • Kai 1 – Ein Kai mit zwei Portalkränen: Die Greifer holen die Kohle aus den Schiffen und schütten sie auf den Lagerplatz; von dort fahren die Züge ab.
    Quay 1 – A quay with two portal cranes: the grabs take the coal out of the ships and drop it on the storage yard; trains leave from there.
  • Kai 2 (Ausbau, gedeutet) – entsteht erst mit mehr Investition und läuft nur mit genug Leuten und Material.
    Quay 2 (expansion, interpreted) – only appears with more investment and runs only with enough people and materials.
  • Kai 3 (Ausbau, gedeutet) – entsteht erst mit mehr Investition und läuft nur mit genug Leuten und Material.
    Quay 3 (expansion, interpreted) – only appears with more investment and runs only with enough people and materials.
  • Lagerplatz – hier landet, was entsteht, aber nicht verkauft wird; ist kein Platz mehr, geht der Überschuss mit Abschlag weg.
    Storage yard – whatever is made but not sold ends up here; when there is no room left, the surplus goes at a discount.
  • Zulieferung – Schiffe mit Kohle: ein größerer Vertrag kostet mehr, das Lager puffert kurze Lücken.
    Supply – ships with coal: a bigger contract costs more, the store buffers short gaps.
  • Altes Magazin – ein alter Speicherbau am Hafen, im Modell aus den Höhendaten.
    Old warehouse – an old storehouse at the harbour, in the model from the elevation data.
  • Kai 1 nah – Greifer der Portalkräne über den Schiffen.
    Quay 1 close up – portal crane grabs above the ships.
  • Lagerplatz nah – das Gut wächst zum Schüttberg, wenn mehr entsteht, als abgeholt wird.
    Storage yard close up – the material grows into a heap when more is made than collected.
  • Zulieferung in vollem Gang – Schiffe mit Kohle; je größer der Vertrag, desto mehr ist unterwegs.
    Supply in full swing – ships with coal; the bigger the contract, the more is on the move.
  • Kai 1 in Betrieb – Greifer der Portalkräne über den Schiffen; die Maschinen laufen mit der Auslastung des Werks.
    Quay 1 at work – portal crane grabs above the ships; the machines run with the works’ utilisation.
  • Kai 3 – der Ausbau läuft mit, solange Leute, Material und Markt reichen.
    Quay 3 – the expansion runs along as long as people, materials and market suffice.
  • Lagerplatz im laufenden Betrieb – das Gut wächst zum Schüttberg, wenn mehr entsteht, als abgeholt wird.
    Storage yard in day-to-day operation – the material grows into a heap when more is made than collected.
  • Abtransport – Kohlenzüge ins Land; im Boom ist mehr unterwegs, in der Flaute weniger.
    Dispatch – coal trains inland; in a boom more is on the move, in a slump less.
  • Am Tor – hier kommen die Schichten an, Wege führen zu den Anlagen, zur Werkstatt und in die Pause.
    At the gate – the shifts arrive here, paths lead to the plants, the workshop and the break area.
  • Volle Fahrt – alle drei Kais in Betrieb, der Markt im Boom: auf Zufahrt und Abfahrt ist am meisten los.
    Full steam – all three quays running, the market booming: supply and dispatch routes are at their busiest.
  • Investition klein – nur Kai 1 läuft, die übrigen Plätze liegen als Fundament mit Markierung da.
    Small investment – only Quay 1 runs, the other plots lie ready as marked foundations.
  • Investition voll – drei Kais: Kapazität für den Boom, aber nur mit genug Leuten und Material.
    Full investment – three quays: capacity for the boom, but only with enough people and materials.
  • Jede Anlage beschriftet – Kai 1 bis 3, Lagerplatz, Zulieferer und Markt; oben der Werktag mit der Menge je Tag, rechts der Erfolg in einer Zahl.
    Every facility labelled – quay 1 to 3, storage yard, supplier and market; at the top the working day with the daily output, on the right success in one number.
  • Kai 1 beschriftet – Name und Nummer stehen direkt im Bild.
    Quay 1 labelled – name and number right in the picture.
  • Erfolg in einer Zahl – 100 heißt: besser geht es bei diesem Markt nicht; darunter das Ergebnis je Tag, oben die Menge je Werktag.
    Success in one number – 100 means it cannot get better in this market; below it the result per day, at the top the output per working day.
  • Wo ein Regler wirkt, leuchtet ein Ring – hier nach einem Wechsel am Markt: Lagerplatz.
    Where a lever acts, a ring lights up – here after a change in the market: storage yard.
  • Material fehlt – die Zulieferung ist knapp, das Lager leer: die Kais laufen nur noch zum Teil, auf der Zufahrt ist wenig los.
    Materials missing – supply is short, the store is empty: the quays only run in part, the supply route is quiet.
  • Lagerplatz läuft voll – es entsteht mehr, als verkauft wird; ist kein Platz mehr, geht der Überschuss mit 40 % Abschlag weg.
    Storage yard filling up – more is made than sold; when there is no room left the surplus goes at a 40 % discount.
  • Boom – der Markt nimmt mehr ab, als gerade entsteht: die Halde leert sich, auf der Abfahrt ist viel los.
    Boom – the market takes more than is being made: the stockpile empties, the dispatch route is busy.
  • Die ganze Software – oben der Werktag mit Uhr und Menge, rechts der Erfolg in einer Zahl, unten die Kacheln für Werk und Anlagen.
    The whole software – at the top the working day with clock and output, on the right success in one number, below the tiles for works and facilities.
  • Werk steuern – fünf Regler: Investition, Belegschaft, Zulieferung, Qualität und Markt; die Kette zeigt sofort, was daraus wird.
    Running the works – five levers: investment, workforce, supply, quality and market; the chain shows at once what follows.
  • Ein Regler, sofort sichtbar – Markt auf Flaute: die Lage oben erklärt den Engpass, die Halde wächst, das Ergebnis je Tag sinkt.
    One lever, visible at once – market set to slump: the status line explains the bottleneck, the stockpile grows, the daily result drops.
  • Karte einer Anlage – Kai: in Betrieb, Beschäftigte und Auslastung, dazu ein Satz, was dort geschieht.
    Facility card – quay: in operation, workforce and utilisation, plus one sentence on what happens there.
  • Karte der Halde – Lagerplatz: Bestand, belegter Platz und Zuwachs je Tag.
    Stockpile card – storage yard: stock, space used and growth per day.
  • Karte der Zulieferer – Lieferung je Tag, Lager und Materialkosten am Tag.
    Supplier card – delivery per day, store and material costs per day.
  • Karte des Markts – Nachfrage, verkauft und Umsatz am Tag.
    Market card – demand, sold and turnover per day.
  • Engpass in Orange – die Zulieferung reicht nicht: Zeile oben und Lage im Werk sagen in einem Satz, was fehlt.
    Bottleneck in orange – supply is not enough: the line at the top and the works status say in one sentence what is missing.
  • Das Menü – Übersicht und Anlage, Schnitt, neu beginnen, Vorführung, Ton und andere Orte, darunter die Bedienung mit Maus, Finger und Tastatur.
    The menu – overview and plant, cutaway, restart, demo, sound and other sites, below the controls for mouse, touch and keyboard.
  • Sechzehn echte Orte – Hochöfen, Zechen, Autowerke, Häfen und eine Werft, jeder dort, wo er wirklich steht.
    Sixteen real sites – blast furnaces, collieries, car plants, harbours and a shipyard, each where it really stands.

Your site as a model

Would you like to show your plant, your museum or your industrial site like this? Write to us or call. We will send you the password for starting it on request.

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Minimal Factory: Hafen Ruhrort · Umschlag Schiff und Bahn

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Basis and limits

Real are the location, terrain and buildings in Duisburg (official NRW elevation data and OpenStreetMap). The plant in the middle is our own simplified interpretation: quantities, processes, times and prices are model assumptions; the economy runs in time-lapse (10 seconds are one working day). Not a simulation of real operations and no cooperation with the site.

Public sources the model is based on:

  • Wikipedia (German), article on the site: Duisburg-Ruhrorter Häfen, Ruhrschifffahrt
  • Website of the museum on site
  • Trade press, report on the site
  • Geobasis NRW: digital surface and terrain models DOM1/DGM1 (Data licence Germany – Zero – 2.0)
  • OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): streets, tracks, water, land use

More places in the model

← Minimal Factory

Real are location, terrain and structures (official NRW elevation data, OpenStreetMap). Quays and cranes are interpreted; quantities, processes and times are model values. With your data, the model shows your site and your processes.