How did Lionel/K-Line get the "shine" on the aluminum cars?

Very good question. I always heard that the K-Line "extruded aluminum" cars were plated. The question would be, plated with what?

Are they polished and then bright clear anodized?

Interesting topic....anyone out there know how they did the bright finish which in my opinion (except for the chromed plastic) looks very much like stainless reflecting light..

Alan

Requires some research, but if I were too speculate, I would say they are polished aluminum with a coat of some sort of material that allows the aluminum to maintain its beautiful luster. Just speculation though.

Kind of like certain rings. Which keep their shine despite years of wearing.

Google "aluminum bright dip anodizing."

TRW

They are shiny!  The original Lionel were anodized, giving them a less than shiny appearance, but still clearly aluminum.  If left bare, the aluminum needs to be polished once a year, and it can be very difficult to get the polish out of the grooves.

I would guess they are plated, but if clear shiny anodizing produces that finish, I could change my mind.  I only have one.  It fits in well with the polished and the anodized cars.

Okay - I googled it and am convinced.  Plating is expensive and problematic.  Clear anodizing sounds about right.

I also have a Sunset aluminum coach, and it appears to be painted.  Fits in well with the others, most of which are polished.  Of interest: I just brought the Sunset home this evening to lower it - the major obstacle to lowering is the brake cylinder on each truck side frame - it impacts the part of the extrusion that holds the floor.  The decision will be made later, whether to mill the extrusion or simply file the brake cylinder.  I am leaning toward the latter.

Whatever process that K-Line used, they did it "right". Nothing on the market comes close to this.

AMEN!

They were beautiful.  I assumed when I had some that they were just polished and sealed - you can get the same result on aluminum wheels for cars. 

I actually like the Lionel ones more, less polished but a bit more like the real world look.

Some of the 18" aluminum sets made by MTH in the nineties were "plated" (not painted) aluminum.  I have the Atlantic Coast Line set (20-6501), and they look like stainless steel.  They are quite beautiful, even though they have silhouettes rather than full interiors.  The California Zephyr set (20-6505) in that series was also plated, as were the Southern (20-6503) and New York Central (20-6504) sets in that 18" aluminum series.  Moreover, some of the MTH 15" aluminum sets during that period were also "plated."

How do you polish the Kline Cars? I have some 21 inchers that have some fingerprints and stuff. they are not quite as shiny as the rest.

Thanks,

Adam