Restore shine on Lionel MPC Burlington silver F3s?

Doug - maybe Armor All Original, using a light touch, on a very discreet area to test it. I’ve had good success with it, but have never used it on a reflective surface on a train.

I do NOT know, but I have *heard* that Armor All contains silicone; if so, it might not be a good choice.

I do know that a number of people have had success restoring shine using future floor polish--which is an acrylic wax/coating.  However, the successes I have seen have all been metal trains--tinplate--and I cannot vouch for its use on plastic, especially that silver paint, which has a reputation fro being easily damaged.

Don't so anything based on my advice except get more info about Armor All before trying it.  Once silicone would get onto the surface, particularly in the crevices of the details, it would be nearly impossible to remove.

Why would silicone not be acceptable? Isn’t it inert, chemically inactive, unlike petroleum based products?

I think before any decision is made on cleaning- shining. One needs to determine the process that was used to get the chrome look - paint or some sort of plastic finish.

moght be worth finding a stray body to experiment.

I used a little car wax on mine after a careful cleaning.

@Jeff T posted:

I used a little car wax on mine after a careful cleaning.

You have to watch wax on some of these finishes. Used lots in auto body businesses - it can seal the material used - causing feature issues

I have used the original Pledge furniture polish for over 35 years now without any harm to finishes.  It was recommended to me by an older TCA member back in the 80's who said he had used it for many years with great success.

Like everything else these days, there seem to be a lot of different types of Pledge offered, so I will only vouch for the Original formula.

Goo luck on your decision,

Don

Wouldn't hurt to drop Len Caparelli a line.  He specializes in restoring/refinishing PW Lionel. One of, if not the best and has always been very helpful. Good luck.

lionellennyrestoration@gmail.com

Around 1990 I tried some Armor All product on the interior of my F-150. Made it shiny alright, but the windows would fog up from some sort of out gassing. For years. Never again.

It always hurts when I see what can happen to that particular finish.  Considering the relatively low value of those engines, the best route might be to try to find a nice set at a meet.  OTOH, since they aren't rare or valuable, if the finish is already bad it would be difficult to hurt it much more by trying something.

@Reverseletter2350 posted:

Wouldn't hurt to drop Len Caparelli a line.  He specializes in restoring/refinishing PW Lionel. One of, if not the best and has always been very helpful. ...

If you have an emotional attachment to the set, that might be a good route - I've seen his work and it's excellent.  However, I'm guessing that shipping and refinishing the set will cost as much, if not more, than buying a like-new or mint set at a meet.

@illinoiscentral posted:

Around 1990 I tried some Armor All product on the interior of my F-150. Made it shiny alright, but the windows would fog up from some sort of out gassing. For years. Never again.

Some things need to breathe…..sealing and wax is not always a good idea.

@illinoiscentral posted:

Around 1990 I tried some Armor All product on the interior of my F-150. Made it shiny alright, but the windows would fog up from some sort of out gassing. For years. Never again.

My experience has been different. I’ve used Armor All original on every car I’ve owned. Dash, steering wheel, seats, doors and handles, pretty much most of the interior. Besides tinted windows, and windshield screens, nothing better to prevent sun damage. Never had windows fog because of it. May’ve been something unique in the material used in your F150. Never owned an F150, but did own a 1990 Ford Taurus Wagon.

I believe the finish was 'flashed' on. Like American Flyer did in the 50's Like the Santa Fe Alco's. Once the Chrome sheen is gone, there is no way to shine them up again, other what you can do with some Windex and a soft rag. Finger prints are the worst offenders. Don't polish too hard or the finish will dull even more.

If in fact it is chrome plated plastic. There are ways to try and clean it. Vinegar or baby oil. There are many video’s on your tube. Romping some of the tarnish - may actually increase shine.

@illinoiscentral posted:

Around 1990 I tried some Armor All product on the interior of my F-150. Made it shiny alright, but the windows would fog up from some sort of out gassing. For years. Never again.

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

My experience has been different. I’ve used Armor All original on every car I’ve owned. Dash, steering wheel, seats, doors and handles, pretty much most of the interior. Besides tinted windows, and windshield screens, nothing better to prevent sun damage. Never had windows fog because of it. May’ve been something unique in the material used in your F150. Never owned an F150, but did own a 1990 Ford Taurus Wagon.

My experience with ArmorAll was the same as illinoiscentral's. I stopped using it years ago. After treating the car's interior with the stuff, over the coming weeks, as the sun hit the interior or the interior heated up, an oily film started coating the interior of the windows. It was a real bear to get off, too. I had friends who complained about the same thing. Apparently some chemical in the ArmorAll was outgassing, as illinoiscentral said. I don't know if they changed the formula since then to eliminate the problem or not, but I wouldn't use it on trains or anything else until that question has been answered.

As far as restoring the shine on those chrome Burlington 8054/8055 F-3s, my experience is in agreement with what Chuck Sartor said above, but he's more qualified than I to speak on it. I've found there's really not a whole lot you can do once the finish is compromised. As Chuck said, you can try some window cleaner or polish or something and see if you think it improves anything. It may possibly give a slightly better appearance, depending on your taste, and on what the finish issues are, but it won't make scuff marks or discolorations go away, or make the shiny chrome sheen come back. The finish on these isn't something that can be buffed out or chemically treated to make imperfections disappear. Again, just my experience.

@postmastermc posted:

Anyone know of a method of restoring the shine on the Lionel MPC Burlington silver F3s?

Doug

Hoping coolness will prevail, Doug. The "chrome" shine on those babies is not easily replaced, and the best advice I saw was to call or write Lenny Carparelli (L&L Trains, NY). Lenny's the current paintmaster and won't steer you wrong...

Put me in the Pledge camp. I know this question was about diesels, but I just cleaned up my good old 681 Turbine with Pledge and it looks like the early 1950's all over again.

@postmastermc can you post some pics of your engines so we can see the degree and severity of the issue?

Armor All is designed to be absorbed into what you put it on and isn't really designed for surfaces that are non absorbant. On a painted surface it can collect in sub surface features, etc.  Given the nature of the way those were done, I would be very careful, that metallic finish on plastic is very thin and metalic paint in general is tricky, and MPC wasn't exactly known for the durability of what they did.

I agree with others a light polish like pledge might help, though the dulling on that silver surface is not the same thing as a regularly painted surface IME, that could be that the surface itself has oxidized through and through.  I have seen suggestions with things like toothpaste (it has a mild abrasive), but I would only try that if you have something you can experiment with, maybe in a hidden area or on a junker car with similar paint. It could clean off oxidation and leave something more shiny, could also strip it right off.

Thanks for all the replies, everyone.  The finish on these engines is not that terribly bad.  The non-powered unit is just a little bit duller (and has a scuff on top) than the powered one.  Nothing I can't live with.  I'll post some pics later.

Doug

@illinoiscentral posted:

Around 1990 I tried some Armor All product on the interior of my F-150. Made it shiny alright, but the windows would fog up from some sort of out gassing. For years. Never again.

The stuff caused my dashboard to Crack. Won't allow the stuff near my cars!

On quite a few occasions, Chris Gans at Nicholas Smith told me that Lemon Pledge is the way to go. He insisted that it must be the Lemon Pledge type of Pledge products. I can’t verify that this works but Chris has never led me astray.

Here's what they look like.  The one on top and on the right is a tad duller.

Seeing the pics, two sayings come to mind - "better is the enemy of good" and "if it ain't broke, fix it until it is" (Red Green).

@WRW posted:

On quite a few occasions, Chris Gans at Nicholas Smith told me that Lemon Pledge is the way to go. He insisted that it must be the Lemon Pledge type of Pledge products. I can’t verify that this works but Chris has never led me astray.

He is correct, but use it sparingly...