Name: EDWARD L RYERSONGREAT LAKES FREIGHTER
SKU: SHPP-C32EDRYER-NU
Price: 719.96 USD
Availability: InStock

Description

EDWARD L RYERSON GREAT LAKES FREIGHTER

FULLY BUILT AND READY TO DISPLAY HIGH QUALITY SHIP MODEL

ARGE MUSEUM QUALITY MODEL

Dimension Approx.: 32″ (long) x 3.25″ (wide) x 7″ (high)
The model is already built, NOT a model ship kit
When the SS Edward L. Ryerson slid down the ways at Manitowoc Shipbuilding on January 21, 1960, she represented the last great flourish of mid‑century American shipbuilding on the Great Lakes. At 730 feet long and built with a strikingly streamlined steel hull, she was the third of the celebrated “730‑class” ore carriers — vessels so large and graceful that boatwatchers quickly crowned them the new “Queens of the Lakes.” Inland Steel named the ship for Edward Larned Ryerson, a towering figure in Chicago’s steel and iron industry whose decades of leadership shaped the company’s rise.

Construction began on April 20, 1959, and from the outset the Ryerson was designed to be fast, modern, and visually stunning. Her tall, forward pilothouse, long sheer line, and finely proportioned superstructure made her one of the most elegant freighters ever to sail the inland seas. Beneath that beauty was serious power: a General Electric cross‑compound steam turbine generating 9,900 shp, fed by twin Combustion Engineering boilers. She could make an impressive 19 mph — blistering speed for a laker — earning her the affectionate nickname “Fast Eddie.”

The Ryerson entered service on August 4, 1960, carrying iron ore from Escanaba to Inland Steel’s mills at Indiana Harbor. Within two years she set a new Great Lakes ore‑haul record of 24,623 long tons, a mark that stood for three seasons. She would remain one of the last — and finest — American‑built steamers, and notably one of the final major ore carriers constructed without self‑unloading gear, a design choice that would eventually shape her fate.

For decades the Ryerson served as a reliable workhorse for Inland Steel and later operators including Indiana Harbor Steamship Co. and Central Marine Logistics. Though she lacked the unloading versatility of newer self‑unloaders, she remained a favorite among ship enthusiasts. Her tall stack, sweeping lines, and immaculate upkeep made her a standout in every port she visited. Even in the industrial world of ore docks and steel mills, the Ryerson carried herself with a kind of maritime dignity.

By the early 2000s, shifting steel markets and the dominance of self‑unloading technology began to sideline traditional straight‑deckers. In 2009, with ore demand low and few ports still equipped to unload her, the Ryerson was laid up at Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wisconsin. There she remains today — intact, well‑preserved, and periodically the subject of hopeful speculation whenever the steel industry surges.

Though silent, she is far from forgotten. Shipwatchers still call her one of the most beautiful freighters ever built, a vessel whose lines evoke the golden age of Great Lakes shipping. Her presence in Superior has become a kind of living monument to the era when steam‑powered giants ruled the inland seas.

More than sixty years after her launch, the SS Edward L. Ryerson endures as a masterpiece of design and engineering — a ship that combined speed, power, and elegance in a way few freighters ever have. Preserved in layup, she stands as a testament to the craftsmanship of Manitowoc Shipbuilding, the ambitions of Inland Steel, and the proud tradition of Great Lakes commerce. Whether she sails again or remains a cherished relic, the Ryerson’s legacy is secure: she is one of the last true queens of the lakes, and a symbol of an industry that shaped the heartland.

If you want, I can also craft a shorter product‑style description for your SavyBoat listings, or a more atmospheric, story‑driven version for marketing.