07/11/2004
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The main effort again this week was paint.  Not removal this time, but application.  On the Monday holiday, my very understanding wife came down to the OTR with me and helped wash the fireman's side of the hood to prepare it for Phil's use of the Scotch Brite pad on Wednesday and Thursday. 

I finally repaired the flexible conduit to the speedometer drive.  The 5472 has an electric speedometer which is operated by a "tachometer" that supplies 60 pulses per wheel revolution to the speedometer.  The conduit protects the wires from the drive and looked as though it had snagged on something.

On another front, I opened up the rear sand box to have a look inside. The main reason was due to the fact that I could not get the rear sanders to operate for more than a few seconds without the valves becoming plugged up.  Now I know why.  The inside of the box looks like the inside of a ship that has been abandoned on the beach for a decade or two.  This is just another one of the many little projects that will continue to consume our future time.

Saturday was paint day. Phil (bless his heart again) came down first thing in the morning and helped me mask both sides of the hood for painting.  First, I put one coat on the primered surfaces and let that set for 3 hours.  Then, I put a second coat on both sides of the hood.  Believe me when I say that this is one big, black locomotive.

Dennis Mann went to the Golden Gate Railroad Museum Saturday morning and traced the "472" from the cab side for me.  Now, I can start making the pattern for our "5472" for the cab sides.

Dan Furtado sand blasted the rear class light housings so I can start work on them.  I just don't have enough to do it seems.

Sunday, I went down to remove the masking paper from Saturday's paint and with a little time on my hands, wound up painting the engineers side of the cab.

You may notice the missing paint on the frame side.  Phil and I discovered that this paint has the same problem as that on the rear end.  It simply is not stuck to the metal.  So, it will be removed and painted from scratch.  The red is the wrong color and in the wrong place anyhow.