Cast Steel vs. Cast Iron

[Treble Bolt 1,122]

Ok, so my husband and I are getting into foundry work, however, we have not been given a straight answer on the differences between the creation of cast steel vs cast iron.  I know Cast Steel incorporates the use of alloys thus making its tensile strength surpass that of cast iron.  However, other than the practical differences between the two, I have not been able to find anything on MAKING cast steel and how the process differs from the production of Cast Iron (i.e the heating, the risks, the basic possibility).  
Honestly, because of the higher carbon content (which means a higher heating temperature than cast iron) I do not believe creating cast steel in a backyard foundry would be wise (I am thinking it will be about 3900 degrees F approx. but I could be wrong). 

My husband tasked me with finding this out since I know my way around the Internet, but honestly, this subject is very elusive so I am asking if anyone here knows about working with cast steel in a foundry. I am not sure if my question is straightforward enough though,  he just wants me to find information other than the rudimentary basics.

[repsol rave 2,963]

well, if this is about your steam engine project, then it shouldn't really matter if you use cast steel or cast iron.

anyway, i really wish i could tell you more about the subject, maybe if you check back in about 1-2 years, i'll be graduated as a mechanical engineer and probably have some more knowhow about this

you are definately right about the higher risks with the cast steel tough. but then again, it wouldn't be very diffrent then the risks with cast iron, just hotter.

i'm gonna read a whole lot of wikipedia now and see if i can learn something there to help :3

[Treble Bolt 1,122]

Well this actually has nothing to do with my steam engine project, since most engines were made using fabrication and cast iron.  If I am to make a model, I want it as historically accurate as possible   Besides, cast steel would be overkill

 

We want to make reproduction tractor parts and attempt to make useful items that need a higher tensile strength.  The wiki wasn't very helpful   since it goes into atomic composition and such, nothing into how it's actually made in a foundry.