by James Burke

The Iron Horse is not usually too choosy about what kind of water she drinks as compared to some other steam machines. Treatment is commonly limited to a can of chemicals dumped into the tender when it’s being filled. The resulting reaction causes undesirable impurities to settle to the bottom of the boiler to be "blown down."

A blowdown valve on each side of the engine allows either man in the cab to activate a blowdown. The blowdown stream of sludge and steam reaches to the right of way fence and beyond. It was early found to be equally effective in stampeding livestock as in enhancing water quality. Aside from such delightful diversions the boiler was blown down a few times each trip at selected locations where nothing would be disturbed. There were, of course, a few historic exceptions such as the case in which a confused student fireman opened his blowoff into a track gang having lunch, creating a scene described by a bent sense of humor, as a cloud of straw hats and lunch buckets.

Among the many cherished traditions of steam operations preserved and practiced along the Durango & Silverton rails is the routine Blowing Down of the boilers -But special precautions are taken here. Along these famous rails today, every rock and tree may hide one of those unpredictable "railfan" freaks who just might get all uptight and unrequited about a face full of boiler steam and sludge. So the bridges are about the best place to blow the boilers and particularly the high bridge below Tacoma -Nobody but a bird could get burned here.

James Burke, railroad historian and photographer is the associate publisher of the "San Juan Silver Stage." His railroad photographs and writings have appeared in a variety of publications throughout the United States.