Restore or Not Restore

I do not have trains like this but when I see the new tinplate, I think the shiny and bright colors set it apart. I would repaint if it was me. Your call.

The choice is always matter of personal preference. There are folks who would restore items in much better condition than your passenger car, and there are folks who would not restore a passenger car in similar condition.

I am one of those folks who do not like restorations. If the car was mine, I'd clean it, and look to upgrade to a better piece.

 

I have trains that were passed down to me from my Father and Uncle that have been "loved" throughout the years and I would never restore them but I've also bought trains specifically to restore. 

 

I guess it depends on if they would be worth more to you in their current condition or restored. What are your plans for them?

 

Paul

Restore, thats what I am doing to my Std Gauge Passenger Cars

I agree with CW.  If they were mine, I'd clean them as best I could and start looking around for similar cars in better condition.  They're not so rare that they'd be impossibly difficult to find.

 

I hesitate to restore because my father bought this train way back and it was our Christmas tree train. Being stored with all the 027 train didn't help the condition. I guess it is sentimental. But, they sure look rough.

 

If that had been passed down from a family member or had some sentimental value, I would clean it up and leave it alone.  If it was purchased or has no sentimental value, I would restore a piece in that condition.

 

Jeff Davis

Believe it or not... it is cleaned up. LOL

It really depends on what you are after.  A repainted car as far as the TCA is concerned can be rated only as "good".  It may look new but it is not original.  If this is important than don't repaint.  Take Mr. Burfle's advice and buy some in better condition.

These cars can be found in excellent condition between $100.-$150 for the 3 car set.  Repainted by someone who really knows what they are doing will cost close to that.  Not worth it unless the cars have sentimental value.

 

Paul Edgar

 

"Is that acceptable...?"

 

It is your toy, do with it want you want.

 

Would your father want to see the train running around the Christmas tree scratched rusted and pitted or shiny and bright?

 

Sorry, but I don't fall into the "leave it alone because of sentimentality" camp. Toys and meant to be played with, old or new.

 

Seriously tho, it is your toy so do what you want not what others might do if it were theirs...

 

athayer,

   I would contact Papa Steve Eastman, here on the OGR, and ask him very nicely if he would consent to historically restore your Tin Plate rolling stock, in fact if I were you I would beg him to restore it.  Those particular cars could be something special, fully restored.

 

PCRR/Dave

Not restore: structurally sound, runs well, sentimental value, can still read lettering...

Restore: prohibitively rusty, structural problems, no sentimental value, bought for restoration and/or learning...

 

That one is getting close. It sure would look good with a beautiful coat of new paint and a little shine. 

Sentiment is the only factor in whether you paint or not.  They are your cars, they belong in your family.  They're worth is as much as you wish them to be.  Do not worry about re-sale value, if that is somewhere in your mind.  Do you want a stand-out cool relatively new look?  Then paint them by all means.  I certainly would not hesitate to re-paint them if they were mine.  I truly like the tinplate look when they are all new and shiny.  It's a decision you need to make.  Also, it may increase their value later in your family to know that you took the time to preserve them for the future.  Bob S.

restore...someday someone will open up a box and either see "crap to pitch" or something worth keeping

 

What is it that you want to feel when you see the train running?  "I have made this like new, as when it came into our family? or "See how this old veteran has been enjoyed and handled over the years."

Ultimately I would say it would harm their intrinsic collector value. It really depends upon what is important to you.

 

Gilly

I'm always on the fence with these. I like the original patina, imagining the joy some child had putting all the scratches and dents there. Mom and Dad bought me a set of 1630s a few years ago, in pretty nice shape. I picked up another car in the same condition as yours, and it stands out when I run it with the other cars. I'd like to pick up a couple more in the same shape and redo them as their own set.

But since your trains have the family connection, there is the sentimental connection.It's your call. But if it were me, if the condition is solely due to 70 years of storage issues, I'd take plenty of "before" pics and restore them.And give them a place of honor on the layout or a nice display with a pic of Dad(one from years ago with the trains if possible)

I think you would be surprised how nice these would clean up. Clean, lubricate and enjoy. Make sure you label (I use liquid paper to make an area to write an ID number) and document the significance of the train. Much more enjoyable as an original!

athayer,

Since the cars mean so much to you and hopefully your family, pack them away. Find another set of same in, C-7+ to use during the holidays. Down the road you can decide what to do with your originals. (after the warm & fuzzy feelings die down)

 

God Bless,

"Pappy"

Take a bunch of nice photos and put those in an album; then do a really nice job repainting the train in original colors--much like the train was when new and your dad started playing with it.

 

Run and display the "new" train pointing out to visitors its age and history.

 

If that train was a piece of furniture in that condition, it would not see the light of day; it would be refinished.  JMHO.

personal preference, usually a few dings and paint chips add

some charm and character. But this is way beyond that.

repaint them, I think you will be happy with the results.

>

 

I had a couple sets of rust bucket tinplate passenger cars that I picked for next to nothing, they were in real bad shape. One set became the Northern Pacific and the other set the Spokane Portland & Seattle.

 

 

Personally, I'd pay to have it restored by a pro. Anything less...keep it as is. I have a "O" tinplate set that I bought at York that was done by a pro. To me, it looks like it did when some lucky kid got it in the 1920s.

 

TrainsRMe probably summed it up best.  If you want to keep the original trains your father had yet want them to look pristine when they were first opened then cosmetically restoring them is the way to go.  If the wear and tear is part of that nostalgia however, then leave them as is.

 

It seems that the condition of the paint bothers you enough that you want to do something about it, so I would say go ahead and get them restored.  The fact that these trains were from your father hasn't changed after all, in fact, to play devil's advocate, you could go and get another set in better condition, but then that particular set is not literally the ones your father had; they were owned by someone else, true? 

These are pretty cars and really deserve to be restored. I would paint them up.

go for it restore them and you will get the pleasure of a beautiful train and the satisfaction of doing the restoration.  Forget the value aspect as the condition they are in they are not worth that much any how.

steve

 

I think the original poster meant that the photograph above is after cleaning.

I'm on a slow repaint of a 2037 and its tender along with a couple of PRR passenger cars That I decided to match color of the engine. I'm painting it a light blue color This came about because at the time 1st this engine needed to be sandblasted as it was full of chips and all. It is coming out good the Passenger cars have been the actual problem for some reason the PENNSYLVANIA. had to paint , sandblast that area , repeat and repeat as I couldn't see it but let me paint it and it would show thru again. 

But it's going to be a nice set when done

And that at the time I had like 4 2037 from very good to poor which I felt this one fell into. 

If you do decide to Restore them have it done by a Pro. They deserve it.

 

It largely depends on your intent.  If you want a really good brand-spanking new engine, then not only go for cleaning but painting, too.  But if the engine has a patina of wear, sometimes that is worth more than its being new-looking.  Let's face it:  almost anyone knows that an old post-war engine with a nice black paint job has been re-done.  It's just like a guy wearing a bad wig--it is noticeable.  As far as collector value, leave it alone.  You will not enhance its value appreciably to justify the effort and may well destroy its value by doing so.  Let me give you an example.  I have a WWII carbine.  I decided to take it to a gunsmith to have the barrel and other parts blued.  I paid about $100.00 at the time and its value is not what it would have been had I left it alone.  My friends collect old relics like muskets, swords, etc.  They NEVER ever do anything to enhance the pieces they collect except to keep them protected in the condition they are already in.  For myself, I have an engine that my father bought me as part of a train set 65 years ago.  I do just enough to keep it running.  I am thinking of retiring it with all its nicks and scratches just to show everyone what a child's toy train looks like after 65 years.  As they look at it with all its imperfections, it is like an old relic from another time that gave some child great joy--that nostalgic feeling is priceless.

It's not a rare or valuable (monetarily) piece, but it does have sentimental value.

 

That said, I would, without hesitation restore it!  Make it look nice, put it on the layout and run it another 70 years.  Or, fix it up and put the set on display.  Also, if the piece looks nice, my thoughts are that maybe your heirs will keep it in the family.

 

If you want to try to restore it yourself, there have been some excellent threads on restorations, in the past, and I'm sure that other folks on this forum would be glad to offer their advice.

 

Jim

I would if you want to restore it have it done by a pro.

That way you can enjoy them

I would say go for it and bring those trains back to their former glory.

I think the only one who can answer your question is you as ultimately it comes down to personal preference.

Personally, I've gone both routes in the past for different reasons each time.  I never regretted either decision.

-Greg

A lot of folks had noted that if you do restore the cars, have it done by a pro.

 

I take a different position, if you have the time, try restoring them yourself.  I think the passenger cars come apart relatively easily and there have been threads on removing paint, prepping cars, and painting cars. Maybe you could re-use the name plate and number boards, or buy new ones.  The worst case is that if you are not happy with the repaint - strip it and paint it again.

 

Jim

plus the bonus of saying "I did that" If you do decide to do them yourself, practice on some junkers until you feel confident for the main show.

I would call  Joe Mania. He is the number one go to guy for this. They deserve to shine again. Sonething to be proud of.

Rob

Original paint is most desirable, but only if it is in nice shape.  Your car looks a bit past looking good as is.   I don't think I would run it much looking that bad.  Good candidate for restoring, if you have the know how.