For some reason, CDS used the date 1939 to signify that gold leaf was only
used up until then on their lettering descriptions. This is false as seen on
the CPR lettering arrangements Jeff mentions.
I dont know why CDS did that either because they had a fairly large
collection of stencil drawings on hand; including the G5 stencil with the
1947 note saying that passenger engines are to use gold leaf.
It would not be unreasonable to conclude that gold leaf was phased out
starting late 1949 or in the early 1950's. This would not have been an all
at once shopping but more of an as-needed approach. So it is quite possible
some locos escaped the Dulux Gold until the mid 1950's.
I dont have cost per locomotive but the cost of using gold leaf (plus
materials) per passenger car was about $8.50 compared to $3.80 for paint.
For the curious that worked out to about a ¼ ounce of gold. Gold leaf is
recyclable so much of that cost was recovered compared to using paint.
An ex-railway lettering painter told me the primary reason gold leaf was
phased out and paint used was because of a wonderful new technology called
decals. Decals reduced the amount of time and skill needed to letter
locomotives and rolling stock. In the mid-50s many painters and
apprentices that specialized in lettering were put out of work because of
it.
Jeff
