Dennis GS-4 N & W No. 611 posted:FYI the article is:
"Get Your Trains Ready! Our 9 tips For Dusting Off Your Trains And Getting Them Rolling." The article begins on p. 22, and, is authored by Joseph L. Mania and the CTT Staff -- obviously all very knowledgeable on this topic.
Cleaning threads will be like oil change interval discussions -- it's like God, religion, and politics. For folks who may not know, Mania is a restorer and he does beautiful work. He restored a few of my dad's accessories so I speak from personal experience. If he says Pledge is fine, I would not hesitate to use it (and I may now try it). Don't forget too, some of the stuff for which he is recommending Pledge is far from collector grade anyways and it is a question of making older, perhaps well-worn trains look nice for a holiday display. I don't think Joe would tell people to rip out the Pledge with abandon for a pristine 700E. Who wants to look at old, scratched up and dull junk running around the Christmas tree?
Fwiw, I have used a soft paint brush or detail brush and a neutral detail product (e.g., Griot's Garage Speed Shine) in a very modest amount, wiping with a microfiber towel, to spruce up trains. I have found if they are dusted regularly the need to use that type of product is minimized and that is probably for the best.
