Re: What makes Bad Water so Bad?

In simpler layman's terms. 2 things effect boiler water: Alkalinity (hardness measured in "ph" value), and mineral content (known as "disolved solids" measured in ppm - parts per million") excessive amounts of either will make the water in the boiler foam. Today water treatment is a rather exact science, but back in the days of steam there was a bit of "black magic" involved. There were water treatment programs on the RR's and companies like Nalco made water treatment. There was at one time some sort of water treatment plant in Chama, located in the former tool room/pump room. The tanks were removed to make the tool room and used to sit outside the shop. When I was working there we didn't use treatment and didn't seem to have much problem.

Farmington's water was notorious for being bad. Whether it was alkaline or high mineral content I do not know. If it was well water, alkalinity was probably the problem. Crews tried to avoid taking as much water as possible in Farmington and tank up again at Bondad, whose water came from the Animas River.

The Rio Grande installed slotted tubes about 6" dia. (probably old superheater tubes) in the tenders at the water hatch. The fireman would put "Nalco Balls" into the tubes and they would slowly disolve into the water. The balls were water treatment chemical, about the size of a cannonball.

Engines that regularly ran to Farmington tend to have more boiler problems. 488 was a regular down there in the 50's, and had issues that the other 480's seemed to avoid.

Treating water for domestic use is a totally different deal. The chemicals used in boiler treatment would probably make it poisonous to drink, or at least taste REAL bad.