How to Clean Antique Lionel Trains
There is no doubt that the train changed American history. The ability for masses of people to move from one destination to another, more quickly than on horseback or stagecoach, catapulted a slower society into a fast-paced people on the move. Inventor Joshua Lionel Cowan's love of the romantic rails spurred him to create the miniature No. 5 electric locomotive in 1903. The Lionel company grew and by the 1950s, they were making more toy engines and rolling stock than the real railroads. If you are lucky enough to own an antique Lionel train, take good care of it with careful cleaning.
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Things You'll Need
- Old towels
- Small plastic bowl
- Mild liquid dishwashing soap
- Light oil spray
- Standard screwdriver
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Soft paintbrush
- Needle nose pliers
- Mild liquid scrubbing cleanser
- Cotton swabs
Instructions
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1
Spread old towels out on your work surface.
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Fill a small plastic bowl about 2/3 full of warm water and a mild liquid dishwashing soap. Do not use dishwasher or washing machine detergent on your train.
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3
Disassemble your train by removing all the screws with your screwdriver and then remove the body from the frame. Gently bend back any tabs or clips, taking extra care to not break the older clips. Remove metal door guides as well as the brake wheels. If the wheels are difficult to remove, spray a very small amount of light oil on the pins to gently work the wheels loose with the screwdriver, pushing from the inside out.
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4
Spray any rusted parts with light oil spray and use a cotton swab to work the oil into the parts, lifting the rust as you pull away. Take extra care to not spray or transfer oil onto other parts of the car.
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5
Dip the soft paintbrush into the soapy water and clean an inconspicuous part of the train -- the undercarriage or inside are recommended. Clean any dirt or grime away with the brush and allow the train to dry. If none of the finish is removed, you may finish cleaning the remainder of the car. Take extra care to clean around any rubber-stamped lettering as even the gentlest of motions can remove the letters. Use cotton swabs dipped in the soapy water to gently clean hard-to-reach places.
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6
Clean the wheels using cotton swabs dipped in the soapy water and then rinse the car and wheels with clean water. Allow all the parts to air dry.
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7
Reassemble your train and dust occasionally with a dry, soft paintbrush.
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Tips & Warnings
If you break a wheel while removing or cleaning it, find a replacement part through Lionel.
If your car remains dirty after the gentle cleaning, try dipping a soft, wet paintbrush into a very small amount of liquid scrubbing cleanser and gently paint the cleanser onto the car, avoiding any letters or lettering. Rinse with clean water within 20 seconds. As with the gentle cleaning method, try the cleanser in an inconspicuous area of the car first.
Don't try to clean a red-painted Lionel car. Washing it easily removes the paint, so brush the car gently with a dry paintbrush.
If your train car or track has flaking paint, find a restoration expert to clean it for you as these cleaning methods will remove paint.
Do not use a toothbrush to clean your Lionel train as the brush may remove paint or markings.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit toy train image by pearlguy from Fotolia.com
