How old.

I would like to guess around 1900-1905, the bridge is fairly modern and I have Pictures Of the Tallulah Falls line around that time and the picture quality is about the same. So I may be wrong but its just a guess.

Westboro is northeast of Cincinnati and southwest of Columbus.  The lettering on the tender looks like it's P.R.R. from about 1900 and the open vestibule passenger cars would confirm that time period.  Interesting shot.

Paul Fischer

Thanks for the infomation if you blow the picture up it says B&O on the tender.

Based on the details of the engine, including the fluted domes, capstack and clerestory roof, along with the open vestibules of the coach, I'd date this earlier than 1900--more likely the late 1880s.

Plate girder bridges aren't all that modern. In fact, the first one was built for the B&O in 1847.

That locomotive looks to me like a Rogers wood burner.

It's a coal burner--you can tell by the straight stack and extended smokebox front.

There is an air pump right in front of the locomotive's cab, and there appears to be air hoses between the cars.  Can't imagine it being much before 1893, but I would think passenger equipment would be the first to be brought into compliance with the Railroad Safety Appliance Act.  So I'll put my vote in for 1895-1905, maybe 1910.

Trying to be helpful, I decided to look for more information on this bridge. I searched the net, but couldn't find any mention of railway bridges in Westboro, OH.  So, then I started searching satellite images. It was at this point that I discovered that a lot has changed in the past 100 years, and Westboro no longer has a railway. But, traces of it can be found, and after following the remnants of an old trackbed, I think that I've managed to locate the bridge as it is now. The scene matches as far as I can tell. Even the weir is still there. A lot of tree growth has obscured much detail, but I'm fairly certain that this is the bridge. I had hoped to be able to find a better photograph with perhaps a date visible, as the bridge looks fairly new in the original photograph.

Anyway, here is how it looks nowadays.

And here is a wider view in case anyone lives close enough to investigate further. 

Air brakes were invented in 1869.

True, but not universally applied at that time; nonetheless, one can also see what appears to be an air cylinder under the coach.  What appears to be missing is a generator for electricity on the engine and what also appears to be a older oil/kero headlight up front.  That might date it back a bit, but exceptions to all details exist depending on use and location, etc...

Other than that, please continue to take guesses as to the actual date of the photo.

All the details, taken on their face, indicate an image taken before 1900. Also, by 1890,  96% of passenger cars were equipped with air brakes.

I would say between 1890 and 1900.  The B&O didn't reach into that area of Ohio until after 1880, the bridge appears pretty new and she is burning coal.

She may be coal buring, but she's from the 1870s.

Where did you dig that up at?

Doubt that it is June - no leaves on the trees.

From the research I have done I found some information in researching the county, stating that the line which had hoped to be completed by July 1, 1884 was in fact not completed until November.  The first train to travel the entire route from Columbus to Cincinnati was on November 13, 1884 in which it carried members of the board of trade from Columbus,Oh on a special train.  While not 100% positive, I believe this is that train.