Cleaning Materials?

[Frank53]

I have to do some sprucing up of my engines. I seem to recall folks stating they use dishwashing solutions for cleaning, as well as furniture polish to add some luster.

True/False/Better ideas? 

[Jumijo]

Frank,

I've always had excellent results using only soapy water made from dish washing liquid. First I dust off the piece with a soft artist's brush. A makeup brush works great too. This removes any loose stuff. Sometimes this step alone is enough.

Removing the shell is the easiest way to clean them. I like to clean mine at a sink with plenty of warm running water to rinse with. I soak a few paper towels with the soapy solution and LIGHTLY clean the piece. Q-tips are great for getting into smaller areas. Rinse thoroughly.

For plastic painted shells, especially silver or red (like the 2343 SF F3's), I recommend that you do not attempt to clean them. The reds and silvers from that time period are extremely fragile and do not react well even to water. To clean the mildew stains on the silver paint, a hair drier set on low was recommended to me. Just dust them with a brush or if you're daring, try cleaning an inconspicuous area first to see if your paint reacts badly. Decals are also extremely fragile and need to be worked around, not on.

Funiture polish will add luster, but it also adds a layer of waxy chemical. My preferrence is to leave the piece in its natural state. Lionel suggested using a little petroleum jelly to remove smoke pellet residue from shells. I did that and it made the shell a little too glossy. Even after wiping most of it off.

You have some truly beautiful engines. Good luck with your cleaning.

Jim

[Dr. John]

Like Jim said, be sure to rinse off the soapy water thouroughly. If any soap remains it can dull the finish and leave spots.

[jpelosi2002]

Liquid Tide and a tooth brush and rinse with warm water. The toothbrush gets into all the crevices and will not scratch the paint. I blow mine off with compressed air afterwards and usually follow that with a light coating of WD40 rubbed in lightly with a soft cloth and Q-tips for the tight areas. As stated above, stay away from reds and use only water on silvers. Oranges will also usually start to disintigrate if bothered.

For the mechanicals I use lighter fluid and a larger sized, flat model brush to work into the nooks, and paper towels and Q-tips for final clean up Then I usually wash it warm water and liquid Tide and a toothbrush. Then back to the air compressor to dry the parts before they can rust. All this is followed with a coat of WD40 for protection of the metal surfaces. After the WD40 has dried I use the proper lubricant for the area, be it grease or machine oil. You'll notice your trains will run close to new after a thorough cleaning and lubrication.

[Jumijo]

Frank,

The November issue of CTT has a Q&A column by Ray Plummer starting on page 37. On page 39, he talks about cleaning postwar trains. It's the last question on the page. Good luck cleaning those beauties.

Jim

[daan]

If cleaning postwar stuff, be very carefull with the decals. I once used a gp9 shell for a repaint, with had decals on it. As soon as I started cleaning with water and soap I was very amazed how loose those decals where. They simple started to come loose of their own. (this was not a big deal since it was an object for repainting, but if it's something that needs to stay in good shape I would advise to keep it away from water..)