I finally purchased a set of 610,612 cars on eBay that are a lot nicer than I thought they would be. I will put them behind a #254 loco I was lucky enough to purchase from my brother-in-law's uncle's estate. I need help for preserving what is there. What are the BEST steps to take for keeping them original without destroying lettering?
They are mojave with maroon inserts. Lots of chips but very little corrosion. "New York Central" abd numbers are faded but readable. Any tips on cleaning,and rewiring would be appreciated.
Welcome to the forums!
I somehow don't expect this to be an HO or N set...are we talking a larger scale/guage, say O?
-Crandell
Thanks for replying so quickly. I'm new to the forums and took your advice about being more specific in my message. This is a different way of communicating for me.
Yes, I am referring to O gauge pre-war Lionel.
It will take a few postings and a lot of mistakes before I learn the finer points of this format. Also did some editing of first message.
-Joe C.
Since you are in O scale, you will probably find better advice if you go to the top of this page and click on Classic Toy Trains. This part of the forums is mostly HO and N scale folks, though many of us started with a Lionel set somewhere in our past. I still have my pre-war and some of my post war Lionel waiting for a loop to run on and show off.
Good luck,
welcome to the forum, and glad you found your way to this part.
I recently did a real thorough cleaning of this set, though in olive green. I'll be doing a mojave set next winter. But the steps would be the same.
first, honestly assess the condition of the cars, and how important it is for you to get them as close to new. For me, it wasn't my first attempt, so I went all out.
I disassemble as much as possible. Taking off roofs, trucks, and decided to replace most of the couplers, and the ones I kept i wanted to shine. I even took the air tanks off the of the bodies, just be careful not to break the tabs that hold them in place. Also, you may need new washers for the trucks if they have those horse shoe shaped ones.
Next I took the wheels off the trucks. Soaked all of the the metal parts i was saving, wheels, axles, couplers, and roof screws in mineral spirits over night. The next day I cleaned with a shop cloth then a wire bruch on the dremel. All brightened very quickly. I then sprayed with wd40 and wiped down with a cloth again and put them aside.
The only real metal trim piece on these cars is the nickle ends to the air tanks. I removed these from the air tanks, again being gentle with the tabs. Mine weren't bad, just oxidized. I used some Mother's Mag polish (found in auto supply stores) on them with the soft buffer wheel on the dremel. Took a few buffer wheels to do them all as the Mother's mag polish turns it all a bit black before it returns it to a bright shine. It takes some time, but really looks nice. I then put the end back on the air tanks that i had just cleaned with a damp cloth.
Now for the painted pieces. Be very careful with this. In some ways this 80-year old paint is tough, but in other ways it can easily be ruined. The one thing you do not want to do is clean the painted surfaces with detergent or water. If there is any visible dirt, a damp cloth, and i always start on the dry side, should do. To bring out the luster, I use Maguire's No. 7 automobile polish. There a slight grit to it, so be gentle. I put a little on my finger and just rub it on the flat surfaces is small circular motions. I use the same motion, and same light touch with a clean soft cloth to clean it off. Be careful on the edges and high spots, the paint here is usually a little more worn anyway. Take your time and the shine will start to come back. Around the lettering I'm extra careful and use a little No. 7 on a Q-tip. I'll go with less shine in these areas in favor of keeping the lettering. If there is any tough dirt or staining, I will use a little bit of polishing compound, but this is a last resort and a light touch is needed.
I then fix lighting systems and wiring. All very easy, but I like to use either the black cloth covered wire (for and authentic look) or superflex, both available from Olson's Toy Train parts.
Reassemble, remember to be careful with any tabs, and don't bend them down to the original position as this is usually when they break, rather just turn them slightly, it will hold the pieces together fine.
After they're all back together I spray a little Lemon Pledge Furniture polish (from the pump, not aerosol) and shine lightly with the soft cloth again. Some people use car wax, but i hate seeing the white wax buildup in the corners and window frames.It's not so hard. It just takes time. I have work space where i can leave the parts without disturbance and I never feel hurried to get any part done "tonight". it's just a little time here and there to get it done.
Good luck. Ask more questions if you're unclear on anything. And post photos after you're done.
Tim
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