Old black and white steam locomotive photo. The Norfolk & Western RR. Circa late 1880's.

Periodically through the years, I have come across treasures at various flea markets, and post card / stamp collectors shows around the greater Chicagoland Area.

This is an old photo from the Norfolk & Western Railroad. Judging by the box headlight -wooden cab -capped smokestack -shiny boiler jacket-airbrakes- and not a trace of automatic knuckle couplers, I would say that this photo is from the late 1800's.
Possibly 1888 -to 1892. On the locomotives pilot or "Cowcatcher" as some people called it, appears to be an early version of todays automatic knuckle couplers. Freight and passenger trains were becoming longer and heavier around this time, and this small to mid sized looking 4 -6 -0 ten wheeler type, was actually considered a "Big" engine around this period of time. This may have been a passenger service locomotive.