Cleaning Methods for Lionel post-war Steam Locomotives

There are 3 or 4 versions of the 726. Some are more desirable than others.
There are two major nickel rimmed driver versions, and two sintered iron driver versions.
There is:
1946 nickel rim - has a horizontal motor, and smoke bulb (sometimes converted to heater)
1947-49 nickel rim - has a slant motor
1952 sintered iron driver - has a slant motor, opening in chassis for magnetraction, no magnets or pole pieces
1952 same, but with the letters "RR" underneath the 726 number on the side of the cab.

Cleaning: disassemble the engines / cars first.

IMHO, you can clean the metal boilers and steam chests of the 2035 and the 726 with hot water and dish soap. I use both a soft bristled tooth brush and a chip brush to get into the cracks / corners.
just be careful around the numbers. So far, in all the years I've cleaned bodies this way, I have never damaged a metal steam engine body or steam chest.

Hold firmly, shake vigorously, and hang to dry.

I would do your 2337 in a similar fashion, just a whole lot gentler. And watch any decorations: lettering, decals. I think there is a flag on the side of the body. Be extra careful there. In my experience, one of the worst things you can do is try to dry the shell with a towel. Sometimes everything looks good, until the towel takes off or smears a decoration.

 

 

Don't use the dishwasher !!  Usually I wipe the exterior clean, look them over for obvious faults like loose wires etc then see if they run !!  Take the shells off and  spry clean them with electronic cleaner and clean the commutator with swabs and clean out the gaps with a toothpick.  I don't touch the E unit unless I have to.  After that, go over it lubing all the places that need it -especially the wheel bearings and where the  commutator shaft goes through the motor sides. Run it easy to get it going. I have found, if it is really dirty, after running it, clean it again.  Maybe even a third time.  There are several versions of the 726, good engine. I have a good 2035 and a not so good 726RR that is going to a repair shop. Good engine. mine is just crappy. The 736 I have is great.

I have used "Restorzit" for many years on Tinplate and cast metal boilers.  Works fine.  Just purchased a new bottle, $8.00, at York.  The dealer who sells it has the old Train Enamel paints.  I do not remember his name, there is no address or anything other than directions on the bottle.

Good luck.

bruce

Naphtha (Zippo fluid) cleans plastics well for when soap and water just doesn't get it done. It was the original plastic cleaner suggested by Lionel. But it should be used sparingly as I think some inks, paints and decals aren't part of the "safe to clean" list. Really, researching by loco or car is best. Don't use alcohol, it stains some lionel plastics. Nor simple green...but that might be FT only. Any beta testing on that?

Like CW said, be CAREFUL around white letters or red as well. Those two lionel colors are prone to wash off.

Rob

Nor simple green...but that might be FT only. Any beta testing on that?

What does FT mean?

I've used Simple Green to clean some metal parts, and to remove some stubborn dirt from unpainted plastic parts. I would not recommend it as a general purpose cleaner for trains. It will rapidly remove many of the decorations Lionel applied to their trains, and will even remove paint.

Unless you've had lots of practice & experience cleaning trains, don't use it.

If you do find an application for Simple Green, be certain to rinse well.

Also, consider using the search function for such basic questions. This topic has been covered extensively. Just using the search for "cleaning trains," I got these returns shown in a screenshot.

FT is fastrack CW, someone that used to post here often used it and it melted his track (Lee W) Rinsing didn't stop the chemical reaction from creeping forward. Neither did other attempts to remove it. It wasn't an "instant" reaction, it took some time to progress too, over a day or more. After reading that, I'd keep it off my plastic train goodies.

Hey, its not really suggested, but you could throw them in tub too. If washed and dried quickly and fully, you likely wouldn't give oxidation time for a foothold. Oil would remove the five minutes of progress it did make.  EG, a raw metal automobile panel might be washed before painting.

  Water alone isn't the enemy, it needs oxygen and some time too. A water supplies trace contaminants can vary this too I guess, but normally it's not the catastrophe you might guess. I've fully dunked both engines and cars that have lived another 25 years since, tin and post war both, an improvement over their former condition for sure.

I use the kitchen sink preferably when wife is not around.  I use dish detergent but not the special dishwasher machine type.  Put a little on the edge of the sink, then barely wet the train.  Put the shaving brush or paint brush in the full strength detergent and gently brush the train. Rinse with water trying not to get it in sensitive places. Shake dry and then set it on linoleum floor in front of a fan for several hours.  If not satisfied I wash again and again with more enthusiasm until satisfied or convinced it ain't coming off.

  After reading that, I'd keep it off my plastic train goodies.

I've using Simple Green for years, I am not concerned about long term effects, I think I would have seen them by now.

I remember the threads by the fellow who ruined his Fastrack by cleaning with Simple Green. I don't recall reading that he rinsed the track. I don't see how he could have rinsed it, being that the track was on a layout.

I think it bares repeating that I do not recommend the use of Simple Green unless you have had a lot of practice cleaning trains, and are familiar with what is delicate, and what would be attacked by this strong cleaning product.
As I developed by experience cleaning trains, I made plenty of mistakes, and ruined plenty of items. I still make mistakes from time to time.

In OGR Backshop Video Volume 9, OGR Backshop Foreman Jim Barrett did a video sequence about cleaning Postwar trains. His methods are gentle, thorough and safe for your trains.

Simple Green is not the "right stuff."

I generally use warm water and dish soap as well.  

As I've mentioned elsewhere, if you're interested in removing paint from plastic, generic Lectric Shave does a good job.  Be certain to rinse it off thoroughly afterwards, or it will discolor the plastic... 

Mitch

Having had work experience selling industrial cleaning compounds, I have always been leery of products like Simple Green and I usually test something before I go all out.  Cleaning old Lionel paint can be frustrating though but a little grime is better than paint removal. Unless you want to repaint !!

Anything i receive used gets a dish soap and soft toothbrush scrub.

The paint will take a good scrub, I go very gently on lettering, best to leave them a little dirty than gone.

I don't recall if the track was pulled or not, could have been rinsed on the layout by rag squeeze and towels soaking the excess..? But there were a few efforts beyond just a rag to wipe it with for sure. He was interested in how to stop it even after it was wrecked. I think a baking soda solution may have even come into play. The real point is he was unsuccessfully and using it cost him some track.

I also used S.Green often and I'm sure on plastic too but I won't again. In the 70s I used 409 on a carnival concession trailers plexi or lean windows (per owner) and it frosted them over, lol. We couldn't see anything but silhouettes of folks waiting for funnelcakes outside for a week. And while it's actually another good product, I've never bought a bottle for myself.  So anyhow add 409 that to your list of "better to not use on plastic", and clean the stove with it instead.

  For stubborn "only God knows" stains,  scuffs, and minor scratches, for years I used a plastic polish and super fine plastic rubbing compound I found at the now closed(? pretty sure restructuring failed) Wico coin-op gaming supply house. I think Maguire's Wax co. produced it. Toothpaste, normally Crest, and/or bakingsoda, sometimes mixed, was a close alternative that I never had an issue with as a by hand rubbing compound.

Clear plastic scratches just about vanish with Lemon Pledge in them.... if you've not run out of Lemon Pledge. ("Hmm no... No Peter; You buy" )

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and a horse hair shoe brush.

Talk about a pretty photo background.

Very nice Tayco Bob.

Yes, that's a great background!!! Can we see more of it? That is awesome!

A near mirror image of what I grew up looking at. It reminds me of how awsome having a filled out PW steam collection at your disposal is. I saw the "like notice" for a thank you, and needed another look

A good series of photos of it and I might have new wall paper to load

I dust with soft, natural bristle paint brushes a lot, Wetting the brush onlu if I want corners cleaner. If I notice a greasy or grimey sheen it gets soapy water. For any dunkings or even light soakings, and accidental wetting of steel, I'm glad  I "know where my towel is" and use it to mask the wheels/etc with absobency. I normally have a hair blowdryer ready to speed the full drying, too. Even on a hot dry day, and especially on a cool damp one.

 I think a baking soda solution may have even come into play. The real point is he was unsuccessfully and using it cost him some track.

Simple Green is alkaline, as is baking soda, so I don't see how baking soda would neutralize it.

As Rich wrote: Simple Green is not the right stuff.

Someone mentioned plastic polish from Wico (a defunct amusement machine supply company). I wonder whether the product was Novus. You can read about and buy Novus at Pinball Resource.

Novus will remove scratches, but there can be a down side. In my experience, the area where the polish is used will be much shinier than the surrounding areas. I have all three Novus products, but have only used them a couple of times because I did not like the results. Maybe someone can explain how to avoid this.

If you are going to place an order with Pinball resource, I suggest you consider the following items:

Light socket cleaning stick
Rubber Light bulb remover
"L" contact adjuster

Ditto on mild dish soap (a.k.a., Dawn.....good enough for oily ducks, good enough for oily trains!), soft bristled brush (i.e., well-worn toothbrush), and thorough rinse.

But for drying, I'll use compressed air (wearing goggles, of course!) at less than 20 psi to get the excess water off of the cleaned parts....metal or plastic.   Reason?...some water supplies have mineral content sufficient to leave evidence of the standing water as it slowly evaporates.  Not good, IMHO.  So, I'll gently blow the excess water off the surfaces and also the cavities (blind screw holes, etc.) that collect water in the cleaning process.  I prefer compressed air to a hair dryer because I'm mainly interested in moving the water off the part, rather than simply accelerating evaporation.

Now, if I plan to further paint or clearcoat the item, I will let it continue to dry naturally for at least 24 hours.....probably 'overkill', but I've got plenty other things to do, usually.

One of our (LHS) customers further refines his water rinse step in this process by re-using the accumulated water from his basement dehumidifiers....which intuitively should have 'zero' mineral content.  (His wife uses the water in her steam iron, too!).

FWIW, of course.....

KD

Novus WAS it, and its not the first time ive mistakenly associated it with Miguires. I guess its the numbers on the labels and Meguires old packaging being less ornate and of similar shape back then. They needed a Novus 2.5 IMO. The 2 is a bit light and 3 a bit heavy. #1 is almost like an eyeglass cleaner, "windex for plastic". In fact, I think that's how I used up the #1; cleaning my glasses.

    If the scratch is bad enough most anything can be an improvemnt, there is not a perfect repair for scratched plastic.  Any rubbing compound is akin to sanding, you either keep it tight to the worked on flaw, feather the application, or do all surfaces to match. Obviously on trains you can't raise the low surface of a scratch, or lower the surrounding area enough to blend as you might on a large item. But polishing the trench walls of a scratch does make it less noticeable. Mask if you can, by hand vs wheel. I'd try the tips of toothpicks, light pressure and time; it isn't going to happen fast that's for sure, you've seen its a very light cutter.  The only other " cure' I know of is heat enough to smooth the haze by melting ( not really applicable here) or a surfactant like Pledge to fill the haze over and smooth. Acrylic floor "polish" (like Future) applied very sparingly with toothpick tip might give a similar but longer lasting result? Keeping it the groove might be just as tough as polishing though ( its closer to a clear paint than a normal polish, so outside of the scratch, I'd say "don't" applies.)

My guess on why try the baking soda, would be its reputation for absorbing and neutralising other things. I think someone else pointed out the alkyline match too. All redundant really, "Don't" was my only real point, and it was confirmed (and saved me from searching, lol, which isn't as fast & easy now as it was on a  PC)

On acrylic polish, I know in the past some folks used to used the product in cleaning trains regularly, and its accumulation and chipping didn't always work out well. Is there a way to remove that product safely I wonder?

Beware of Dawn dish soap as it CAN REMOVE some old paints. I watched in horror as it took paint off a collectable old slot car. After airbrushing I use it to remove leftover paint on my hands. Go EASY with this stuff.

Rob

oldrob posted:

Beware of Dawn dish soap as it CAN REMOVE some old paints. I watched in horror as it took paint off a collectable old slot car. After airbrushing I use it to remove leftover paint on my hands. Go EASY with this stuff.

Rob

Say, what?! 

Jim R. posted:

oldrob posted:

Beware of Dawn dish soap as it CAN REMOVE some old paints. I watched in horror as it took paint off a collectable old slot car. After airbrushing I use it to remove leftover paint on my hands. Go EASY with this stuff.

Rob

Say, what?! 

Yep, you saw it here. Whatever is left after using laquer thinner on my hands washes right off with dish soap and water, same with the paint jars. Some lionel colors, especially lettering, will wash off with water, you think Dawn won't do it? Its your train, do as you like.

Rob

Nothing is 100℅ safe 100℅ of the time. If I'm that concerned about one, Id research the individual item's quirks before I did a anything at all. And even then I'd test first.

Dawn penetrates and breaks up oils, even dried and hard. Most ink has quite a bit in it. Especially straight, it doesn't surprise me at all. A weak solution is far less risky, and less effective.