Steam & Excursion > I.C. Mike at Work

The Illinois Central was known for its rebuilding and modernizing of its locomotive fleet.  Due to the railroad's use of steam later than most other roads, photos abound of I.C. steam in action.  A large portion of that photographic record shows I.C. power after its modernization.  This photo predates most of those changes to the Mikado fleet, and shows Mike #1794 making time with a mixed freight.  There was no information with the negative so the date, location and photographer are unknown.

#1794 was built by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1916, and was one of around 500 Mikes of the Harriman Standard design on the roster by the time the last was built in 1923.  We know this photo predates August of 1941, when the locomotive was released from Paducah with improvements and numbered #1282.  The locomotive would later be renumbered again in November, 1951, and would carry the number #1515 for another five years before being scrapped in 1956.

This view shows the locomotive largely as built, with the most noticeable alteration being a more modern headlight.  Air compressors mounted beneath the running boards, the bell atop the boiler, the traditional sand dome and pilot, the six-chime whistle, and the boxy tender are all details that would be changed over the years.

Overall, it's a great look at a workhorse going about the daily business of moving freight in the Thirties.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

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Great historic action shot.
Bob

Hard to keep up with the IC without a score card.  They shuffled steam engines, boilers and numbers around like a deck of cards.  Great road.

The IC must have really valued its shop force. I wonder if they kept most of them working during the Depression. The shop reputation seemed to carry over to the diesel era with the Puducah Geeps and other railraods' locos rebuilt there.

Victor Baird



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/25 11:23 by wabash2800.