Speaking of “heavy paint”…
Due to a thread on the Trains Magazine General Discussion forum about a model locomotive that might have been used at the 1939 World’s Fair (http://cs.trains.com/trc/f/1/t/213047.aspx), I went in research of info about the Fair. I found the following advertisement in a brochure about the 1939/40 San Francisco World’s Fair and Exposition (or the “Golden Gate International Exposition” or 'The Pageant of the Pacific"), and thought it pertinent to this discussion.
(Image is from: http://www.terrastories.com/bearings, credited to: Jonathan Haeber.)
My, how time’s have changed!
Of course, I also remember my grade-school science teacher extolling the virtues of Asbestos! The demonstration desk at the front of the class room had an asbestos top and she would pat it lovingly when she talked about how wonderful the stuff is and that it should be used in all houses to make them fireproof.