Didnt go to the show looking for USA tinplate

And......?

A nice little 252 set with a couple extras.  Needs a complete rewire but the wheels are good.  The black part of frame is really bent up(looks like it was dropped) but the shell is nice.  I think the paint will polish up a bit as well.  I will pick up a more era correct transformer to go with the set.  

OK!  ☺

The fun part will be straightening the bent frame.  The motor block and the apple green part is ok, its the black frame work that is really twisted.  Suggestions on straightening it, or does someone have a good used one?  

Got the frame in much better shape, rewired the engine(need a headlight bulb) and away she went.  Runs smooth and quiet.  Needs a front coupler on the 252 and one coupler on the 3rd Pullman car.  I think I am going to repaint the green as its quite motley looking, even with a good polishing with pledge polish.  Just need some Olive green in a spray bomb.  

What approach or method did you take with the frame? They use hydraulics and torch heat for vehicles on a rack. I would have used a good steel straight edge or metal block and some lightweight hammering.

I could think of a way to put longitudinal tension on it and then hammer it or heat it.

Do you believe the cars were repainted with an incorrect shade? It is hard to determine in the photos. They do look dirty and repainted.

I held it against a solid object, this case the kitchen counter, used a towel to protect my hands and pushed on it several times to "square" it up.  Then there was a slight wrinkle/bend at one of the mounts to the body, I used a flat punch and a ball peen hammer to tap that back flat using the edge of my work bench as a flat surface.  A bit of minor "adjusting" when I put the mounting screws back and and its pretty close, maybe a bit high at the front vs the rear.  I will true it up a bit more when I get the chance.  For now its back together and running around the railway.  I am using a paperclip as a "coupler" till I get a replacement for one of the coaches.   

I was thinking the metal was heavier - silly me -

what is it about the color of the cars that you don't like?

I like the Olive color when its nice and shiny and not darkened with what I think is staining from smoking and handling over the years.  The engine's paint is thin and blotchy.  I have tried waxing and buffing but its not getting any better.  To me a respray of just the green would bring back the train back up to snuff.  The insides of the cars and roofs look nice, outside, not so much

might look different in person, but I'd leave those trains be. 

artfull dodger posted:

I like the Olive color when its nice and shiny and not darkened with what I think is staining from smoking and handling over the years.  The engine's paint is thin and blotchy.  I have tried waxing and buffing but its not getting any better.  To me a respray of just the green would bring back the train back up to snuff.  The insides of the cars and roofs look nice, outside, not so much

 

 

Ok, I get it now - it doesn't appear to be original the best that I can tell - they are very handsome with fresh shiny paint. Still, it is a nice set - I really like the window shades in the cars - it is a nice detail piece

I found that Brasso, would remove the crud(which I think is nicotine tar and grime).  Now they look much better than they did.  After a light rubbing as the Brasso also removes some paint, I polished with Pledge and that brought back some of the shine. Need to get a good car wax, all I have is quickie spray wax right now, and give the roofs and sides a good buffing.