Photographer Ben Gelman recorded this view of Illinois Central steam locomotive #1536 as she takes on water from a penstock in the yard at Carbondale, Illinois. Look closely and you’ll see the nearby wash stand with its lance and hose used to wash down the locomotives with steamy water. It looks like she has already been to the coal chute as the coal bunker is practically overflowing. She will likely next be parked on the ready track to wait for her next assignment. The exact date is unknown, but I believe this to be in early 1959 toward the end of steam on the I.C.
I was able to find just a few specs on the #1536: she ran at a boiler pressure of 185 psi which supplied its 27″x30″ cylinders, and she rode on 63″ drivers. She had a tractive effort of 54,158 lbs, and was a product of the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1914. She obviously had been run through the Paducah shops for overhaul as she had the large, squared sand dome atop its boiler.

Mr. Gelman took a series of photos featuring the last days of steam on the Illinois Central in southern Illinois. This image is one of many contained in the Special Collections Research Center of the Southern Illinois University Carbondale.