Illinois Central 2-8-2 1516 was built in 1918 as ICRR 1810. She had 63" drivers, 27 x 30 inch cylinders, boiler pressure of 185 lbs, and could exert up to 54,583 lbs of tractive effort. She was one of 103 Mikados rebuilt in the 1946 to 1953 timeframe with 28 x 30 inch cylinders that increased tractive effort to 70,800 lbs.
Circa the early 1950s ICRR 1516 was the usual power for the westbound local through Broadview, Illinois, my home town. The IC main had quite a grade out of town to get up and over the Indiana Harbor Belt. There was a busy interchange here as well. After switching the interchange and the yard, the 1516 crew would put their train back together and highball out of town up the grade. This shot from my collection shows ICRR 1516 and her train ready to head west. Note the bicycle just to the left. It's my Monarch knee action model, my railfan vehicle at that time.
