A couple weeks ago we got a glimpse of the Illinois Central Mikado #1536 as she was being watered at a penstock in her usual servicing at the end of a run. Photographer Ben Gelman stayed with the locomotive and captured another view as she was preparing to leave with another train in tow. Stopped just short of a grade crossing, I speculate that the fireman is building a good head of steam in preparation of starting their train, that based on the heavy smoke plume being belched from the beast. I’m also speculating that this view is at the edge of the yard in Carbondale, Illinois. Again, the exact date is unknown, but I believe this to be in early 1959 toward the end of steam on the I.C.

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.