I’ve seen it on a couple of cars I bought online. I’m not an expert in why. I did find repro rails on eBay, but didn’t have the proper tools to put them on. A black sharpie sometimes will cover stuff like that up.

I have heard that some people use a product called "gun blue" which is used in gunsmithing to restore the coating on weapons. Ace Hardware sells it among many other places.

@Lionel/MTH Railroader posted:

Looking at a 6464-200 boxcars and noticed the metal door rails are tarnished. Did the bluing not take at the factory? Is this common with other 6464 postwar boxcars?

Some rust from FWT,  oil from your hands also does that,  I bought gun blue to touch up my dads shotgun came out good, give that a try I did blue some pw items came out ok

@Lionel/MTH Railroader posted:

Looking at a 6464-200 boxcars and noticed the metal door rails are tarnished. Did the bluing not take at the factory? Is this common with other 6464 postwar boxcars?

nice looking car by the way Mark

You can replace those door guides, it's very easy to do.

@Sitka,

I wasn't aware of that product.  It's also available on the major online retailer's site and already ordered it.  I actually had some pistols that needed it, besides a couple of Lionel rail guides!

@Lionel/MTH Railroader posted:

Looking at a 6464-200 boxcars and noticed the metal door rails are tarnished. Did the bluing not take at the factory? Is this common with other 6464 postwar boxcars?

Yes the rust / tarnish is a pain, easy way to remove the rivet is take a soldering iron, put it against the rivet head, careful with not applying to much heat and pull rivet out gently, don't over heat or you will damage the plastic, as for the rails they do sell them mostly aftermarkets, Good Luck.

Thanks for the reply. I got a

Birchwood Casey Super Black Touch-Up Pen - Flat Black

I will try that first also have the gloss one. I will see which one matches. Looks more black than blue. They make a blue one too.Maybe that will do before I replace rails.

@oldpirate posted:

Yes the rust / tarnish is a pain, easy way to remove the rivet is take a soldering iron, put it against the rivet head, careful with not applying to much heat and pull rivet out gently, don't over heat or you will damage the plastic, as for the rails they do sell them mostly aftermarkets, Good Luck.

That sounds like a very risky way to remove the rivets. I have a different trick that usually works well. A pair of sharp heavy duty flush cutters can be used to get under the head of the rivet and carefully squeezing them will lift the rivet enough to get a pair of pliers on there to pull it out. My preferred cutters are Xuron rail nippers used for cutting HO rail.

@Ryan Selvius posted:

That sounds like a very risky way to remove the rivets. I have a different trick that usually works well. A pair of sharp heavy duty flush cutters can be used to get under the head of the rivet and carefully squeezing them will lift the rivet enough to get a pair of pliers on there to pull it out. My preferred cutters are Xuron rail nippers used for cutting HO rail.

Yes it can be risky if one does not take their time and use a little common sense, as I said apply very little heat to the rivet head and lift as shown with flat head screw driver, notice the iron tip is flat, also helps having steady hands, to reinstall, set the rivet as far as it goes in then if needed apply small heat pushing it into place, have yet to ruin one,

Oldpirate has it right. I have done this more than a dozen times. It is still the best way to do it.