At the Lionel SS I worked at in the mid-70's, after we cleaned the exterior of diecast engines with dishwash & a toothbrush (being careful of the lettering in certain cases...), we'd give 'em a mist of lemon Pledge. We'd then let them "simmer" on top of an old oil-fired furnace that was warm, not hot, for about an hour. The heat just really helped the Pledge bond a bit better to the paint. After time was up, buffing it with a soft cotton cloth would make it look brand new. When coupled with our paint touch-up method, you couldn't tell the difference.
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