Would anyone be willing to make a late 19th century Great Lakes passenger steamer?

I ask this due to the fact that I need one (well, the wreck of one) for a small 30in gauge module I've been slowly hammering away at.

The boat I had in mind would be based of the paddle steamer Lady Elgin, that was lost on Lake Michigan in 1860 after colliding with the Schooner Augusta.

I'm no ship builder, but I'm curios what area / ports you are basing your route on ? Sounds interesting to me.

There is a side-wheeler on the DLS: <kuid:381430:2555> LNER/BR Paddle Steamer Lincoln Castle, but it would take a major rework to look like the picture. And I don't know what the license is for it.

It's mostly meant to be a coal hauler set loosely in the northwest tip of Michigan's upper peninsula.

I say loosely as I've never been to Michigan and as such the terrain is likely much more hilly then it is IRL. As for port's it's completely fictional.

Step one do you have plans of it?

Step two any photos?

These are what most content creators would like to start with.

Cheerio John

So far the only picture's I've been able to dig up on the Lady Elgin is the one in the OP, This tiny overhead shot and a starboard side view of a model of the ship

As for plans, I can honestly say that no one I know of has found the building plans for this ship or other's like her.

All i do know is that she was 252 ft. long from bow to stern, had a beam of 32.66 ft. and a height 13 ft.

Some history - strandings, sinkings, collisions, fires and machinery failures. Last collision and sinking resulting in 282 lives lost.

HISTORY
1851, Nov 5 First enrolled Buffalo, NY.

1852, Feb 24 Scheduled to run between Buffalo & Wisconsin ports.

1852, May 18 Damaged in collision with schooner FLORENCE on Lake Erie.

1852, Jun 1 Owned New York & Erie Railroad Co., to run between Detroit, MI & Dunkirk, NY.

1853, Spring New engine & other improvements.

1853, May 10 To run Buffalo & Chicago, IL.

1853, May 24 Owned Thaddeus W. Patching, Buffalo.

1854 1 low pressure engine, 54 x 132"; 2 low pressure boilers, 25.5 x 8'; 39 pounds, 1854.

1854, early Sep Sunk after struck rock at Manitowoc, WI, Lake Michigan; repaired.

1855 Ran Collingwood, ONT & Chicago.

1855, Feb 9 Chartered Ontario, Superior & Union Railroad.

1855, May 4 Owned Aaron D. Patchin, Buffalo.

1855, Sep 24 Towed to Chicago after accident to machinery.

1856, Oct 24 Ashore Manitou Island, Lake Michigan; released.

1856, May 16 Owned Albert T. Spencer, Chicago.

1857, Oct 30 Damaged by fire.

1858, Jun 24 Struck reef at Copper Harbor, MI.

1858, Aug Stranded Au Sable Point Reef, Lake Superior.

1859, Mar 25 Refitted & refurnished; to run Chicago & Lake Superior ports.

1859, Oct 23 Broke her crosshead beam on Lake Superior, towed to Marquette, MI for repairs.

1859, Nov Broke her crank pin near Point Iroquois, MI, taken in tow by steamer SEA BIRD.

1860, Jul 6 Owned Gordon L. Hubbard, Chicago; 231' x 31'8" x 11'7"; 818 53/95 tons old style.

1860, Sep 7 Sunk in collision by schooner AUGUSTA off Winnetka.

1860, Dec 22 Owner filed suit against AUGUSTA for incident.

1894, Jun 13 Boiler discovered by dredging crew at foot of Addison Street, Chicago.

1989 Wreck located.

I found the history, some other data and a few more pics here.

The arches forming part of the longitudinal structural strength of the vessel are an interesting feature.

Good luck in your search,
Bob Pearson