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Illinois Central Steam Roster: Post-1900

Published: March 18, 2025

By: Adam Burns

The Illinois Central's relatively flat profile throughout the Midwest and Deep South meant the railroad could rely on mid/large-sized arrangements like 2-8-4s, 4-8-2s, and 4-6-2s to lead most trains.

Prior to the modern steam era the IC relied largely on 4-4-0s, 2-6-0s, and 2-8-0s after 1902 for freight service. In later years the railroad began utilizing larger power to handle heavier freights; 2-8-2s first arrived in 1911 and 2-10-2s in 1921.

The company acquired its initial "Super Power" design, the 2-8-4, in 1924 from Lima (demonstrator #1) and was quite impressed with the design. It wound up with a fleet of 51 by 1926.

They later built several 2600 Class 4-8-2s for freight service during the 1940s. These were fine locomotives, produced by the Paducah Shops, were said to handle coal trains faster than its 2-10-2s.

Passenger trains were generally pulled by 4-6-2s, which first appeared in early 1906, and later acquired more powerful 4-8-2s for such service.

Interestingly, the railroad acquired no new steam locomotives after 1929. Instead, it embarked on a successful rebuild program between 1934-1945 when diesels arrived. In his book, "Guide To North American Steam Locomotives," author George Drury notes the IC rebuilt a total of 434 locomotives.

Steam power in main line serviced ended on the IC in 1956 although the railroad did not purge all examples from its roster until 1961 when it sold or scrapped its remaining engines.

6902193273162y12741795806008.jpgIllinois Central 4-6-2 #2034 at Graymont, Illinois, circa 1955. This engine was built as #1082 by Alco's Brooks Works in August, 1911; she was rebuilt in December, 1942 and renumbered 2034. The locomotive was retired in 1960. Fred Byerly photo. American-Rails.com collection.

Switchers

Wheel Arrangement Original Number(s) Second/Rebuilt Number(s) Quantity Builder(s) Completion Date Notes
0-6-0 65-196 - - Brooks (Alco), Rogers (Alco), Baldwin 1898-1905 -
0-6-0 201-209 - 9 Brooks (Alco) 1906-1907 -
0-6-0 210-341 - 132 Alco 1912-1918 -
0-6-0 350-360 - 11 Brooks (Alco), Pittsburgh (Alco) 1900, 1901 A group of 2-6-0s rebuilt from the 541-598 series.
0-6-0 3330-3336 380-383 7 Baldwin 1901-1911 Formerly Alabama & Vicksburg and Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific.
0-6-0 3350 - 1 Baldwin 1911 Formerly Alabama & Vicksburg and Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific.
0-8-0 801-802 - 2 Baldwin 1926 Chicago & Illinois Western (IC subsidiary)
0-8-0 803-804 - 2 Lima 1929 Chicago & Illinois Western (IC subsidiary)
0-8-0 - 3300-3330 31 IC - Rebuilt from the 651-785 series (2-8-0s).
0-8-0 - 3400-3413 14 IC - Rebuilt from the 941-993 series (2-8-0s).
0-8-0 - 3487-3499 11 IC - From the 3960-3972 series (2-8-2s).
0-8-0 3500-3554 3500-3554 55 Baldwin 1921-1927 -
0-8-0 3555-3569 3555-3569 15 Lima 1929 -
0-8-0 - 3570 1 - - -
0-8-2 - 3650-3699 50 IC - Formerly 2-8-2s #1501-1550.
0-10-0 3400-3401 3600-3601 2 Baldwin 1911 Formerly Alabama & Vicksburg #430-431.
0-10-0 - 3602-3606 5 IC 1938-1941 Rebuilt from 2-10-2s #3100-3104. Built as A&V #470-474.

Freight Locomotives

Wheel Arrangement Original Number(s) Second/Rebuilt Number(s) Quantity Builder(s) Completion Date Notes
2-6-0 541-598 3701-3756 57 Rogers (Alco), Pittsburgh (Alco), Brooks (Alco), Baldwin 1901-1902 -
2-8-0 641-644 790-793 4 Cooke (Alco) 1903 ex-Chicago Junction
2-8-0 651-730 700-740 80 Rogers (Alco), Schenectady (Alco), Brooks (Alco) 1902-1903 -
2-8-0 731-785 741-769 55 Rogers (Alco) 1904 -
2-8-0 794-883 850-855 - Brooks (Alco) 1904-1907 -
2-8-0 941-993 900-911 - Baldwin 1909, 1911 -
2-8-2 1501-2017 - 517 Lima, Schenectady (Alco), Baldwin 1911-1923 1701-2017 renumbered 1200-1499 (1937-1945)
4-4-2 - 2000-2008 9 IC 1941-1942 Rebuilt with 63.5-inch drivers for high-speed freight service during WWII.
2-8-2 - 2100-2140 41 IC - -
2-8-2 - 2199 (2020) 1 IC - -
2-8-2 3795-3940 - - IC 1915-1923 Rebuilt from 2-8-0s.
2-8-2 - 3766-3797 32 IC - Rebuilt from the 3795-3940 series.
2-8-2 3960-3972 - 13 Baldwin 1916-1924 ex-VS&P #361-368 and ex-A&V #460-463.
2-8-2 - 3962, 3969 2 Baldwin - ex-VS&P #362 and #367.
2-8-4 7000-7049 8000-8048 50 Lima 1926 All rebuilt in 1939 except #7038, which was rebuilt into 4-6-4 #2499 for freight service.
2-8-4 7050 8049 1 Lima 1924 Built as Lima demonstrator #1 in 1925.
2-10-0 - 3610-3624 15 IC 1939 Built with 1500 class boilers and 2900 class cylinders and frame.
2-10-2 - 2700-2747 48 IC 1943-1944 Rebuilt from the 2901-3025 series by the Paducah Shops in 1943-1944.
2-10-2 2997 2750 1 IC 1944 Rebuilt by the Paducah Shops in 1944 with the boiler pressure raised to 260 psi.
2-10-2 - 2800-2819 20 IC 1944-1945 Rebuilt by the Paducah Shops from the 2901-3025 series with new boilers.
2-10-2 2901-3025 - 125 Lima 1920-1923 Many later rebuilt by the Paducah Shops during the 1940s.
2-10-2 3100-3104 - 5 Baldwin 1919, 1922 ex-A&V
4-6-4 2499/1 - 1 IC 1923 Rebuilt from 2-8-4 #7038 in 1937 for high speed freight service. Renumbered 1 in 1945 and scrapped in 1950.
4-8-2 2300-2307 - 8 IC 3/1944 Rebuilt by the Paducah Shops in 3/1944 from the 2400 class featuring 73.5-inch drivers.
4-8-2 2350-2352 - 3 IC 7/1945 Rebuilt by the Paducah Shops in 7/1945 from the 2400 class featuring 70-inch drivers.
4-8-2 - 2500-2555 56 IC 1937-1942 Rebuilt with 2900 class boilers.
4-8-2 - 2600-2619 20 IC 1942-1943 Built new by the Paducah Shops.

Passenger Locomotives

Wheel Arrangement Original Number(s) Second/Rebuilt Number(s) Quantity Builder(s) Completion Date Notes
4-4-2 1001 - 1 Baldwin 1902 -
4-4-2 1002-1026 - 25 Rogers (Alco) 1903-1904 -
4-6-0 5060-5065 - 6 Baldwin 1905-1907 -
4-6-0 1000 2099 1 Rogers (Alco) 1902 Rebuilt from a 2-6-2, later equipped with 61-inch drivers.
4-4-2 1031-1048 - 18 Schenectady (Alco) 1905-1907 -
4-4-2 1049-1053 - 5 Baldwin (Alco) 1909 -
4-6-2 1054-1138 - 85 Brooks (Alco), Richmond (Alco) 1910-1913 -
4-4-2 1139-1203 - 75 Brooks (Alco), Schenectady (Alco) 1916-1920 -
4-6-2 1300-1302 1000-1002 3 Baldwin 1919, 1922 ex-VS&P #380-382.
4-6-2 1310-1312 1130-1132 3 Baldwin 1924 ex-A&V #480-482.
4-6-2 - 2030-2097 59 IC - Rebuilt from 1027-1134 and equipped with 61-inch drivers.
4-6-2 - 2098 1 IC - Rebuilt from 1049 and equipped with 61-inch drivers.
4-6-2 - 2099 1 IC Rebuilt from 1000 and equipped with 61-inch drivers.
4-8-2 2400-2414 - 15 Schenectady (Alco) 1925, 1926 -
4-8-2 2415-2459 - 45 Lima, Schenectady (Alco) - -

Articulated Designs

Wheel Arrangement Original Number(s) Second/Rebuilt Number(s) Quantity Builder(s) Completion Date Notes
2-6-6-2 6000-6009 - 10 Richmond (Alco) 1919 ex-Central of Georgia, acquired in 1926 for a group of ten 2-10-2s.
5191023091264514t1661857956.jpgIllinois Central 4-8-2 #2608 leads a string of hoppers through Du Bois, Illinois, circa 1954. Fred Byerly photo. American-Rails.com collection.

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