At the time of this photograph the steam locomotive engine 288 was owned by the Illinois Central Railroad. This photo can be dated to between 1897 (when it was acquired by the I.C.) and 1914 (when the I.C. renumbered the engine).

Engine 288 was built by Schenectady Locomotive Works in 1888. The engine began its career working the rails of the NN&MV (Newport News & Mississippi Valley) as engine 594. The NN&MV was leasing the engine from the Chesapeake, Ohio & Southwestern. The lease was cancelled in 1893.

In 1897 the engine was acquired by the I.C. and placed on the roster as engine 288. In 1914 the engine was renumbered 2288. Sometime between 1924 and 1929 the engine was dropped from the I.C. roster.

Thanks to Cliff Downey and the Illinois Central Railroad Heritage Association facebook group for information that helped track down this locomotive’s history. For more information see:

LOCOMOTIVE ROSTERS ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD & PREDECESSOR LINES
Source: Railroad History, SPRING 1979, No. 140, ILLINOIS CENTRAL (SPRING 1979), pp.
10-108
Published by: Railway & Locomotive Historical Society (R&LHS)
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4352394