Thanks for the kind words. I stripped it using "Hi Speed ready strip Citrus paint & varnish remover". It works great for all die cast stuff and there is no obnoxious odor and I use it indoors all the time. It will take two applications. I use a small paint brush to apply. See pictures. After stripping I wash the boiler with soap and water, clean out all the detail areas with a toothbrush, pick and or a small wire brush. It's amazing how dirt and crude gets in all detail areas. I don't strip the inside of the boiler. Not worth the trouble. Sometimes I soak the item in vinegar but I did not do that this time. Before painting, I wipe it down with alcohol and use gloves so I don't get fingerprints, oil etc on the clean casting. I was careful not to spread the stripper on the numbers and that lower part of the cab area.
I did not strip the front boiler cover with gems. Didn't need it, so I just removed it and put a new lens in before reinstalling. Always put in a new lens. I will not paint the tender, it's plastic and looks ok. I removed everything but the numbers, bell and a label under the cab roof. After removing the boiler railings, I pulled out the 'clevis' pins and used a wire brush on them in my dremel tool which cleaned and shined them up well.
I masked the numbers with Frog masking tape and after every application of whatever I would redo the masking to keep the numbers dry and tape will still stick. I think a liquid masker would work well on the numbers.
Take your time, let it sit overnight for each application. I probably spent two weeks stripping, cleaning and painting.
Hope this helps, let me know. If you need a headlight lens send me a picture of yours removed and I can mail one to you.
Again thanks for the kind words. 
Stripper on a die cast car, just for illustration.
