Has anybody found a suitable product to clean the stainless exteriors of Budd cars? As a subset of that question, what is the best way to remove Amtrak decals without damaging the stainless underneath?

Ben Kroger
Dallas, Texas

I found vinegar and water worked well for daily cleaning. Automotive polishing coumpound might work depending onhow bad the finish is. Polishing compound is very gentle and would be est applied with a random orbital buffer. For really bad crud, use rubbing compound followed by polishing compound.

Later!
Mr. Ed

The NYS&W Historical Society in New Jersey highly reccommends "Bar-Keepers Friend" cleanser. They have used this with much success on their restored original NYSW RDC, the M-1. This can be found in many supermarkets, Costco's, bar supplies, etc. It is cleanser similar to "AJAX" or "Comet" but much less abrasive. You may need some extension brushes to reach the higher areas. If a slight film is left, a damp towel can be used, especially on the fluted areas.

Ben:

Nothing works better to clean your Budd car exterior than a good, old-fashioned acid bath. It's very tricky to work with, but the car will look like a million dollars when you're done. The best product I have found seems to be "Aluminum Brightener" which is generally used on truck trailers and airplanes. Any number of companies make this stuff, but it can be tough to find in less than 55 gallon drums. Recently I found an outfit called Applied Hydro Technologies in Phoenix, AZ (www.ahti.co) that makes "Aluminum Brightener 6129". I was able to get a 5 gallon container shipped via UPS and I recall it was around $100.00 including shipping.

Now, as for using this stuff, here are a few pointers:

1) Wear eye protection and rubber gloves. Use long sleave shirts and long pants. It will burn you like a bad sunburn if it touches your skin for more than a few seconds.

2) It's water soluable, so keep a hose close by to wash it off the car and to wash yourself if any gets on you.

3) Never, I repeat NEVER use this stuff on a hot day or in the direct sun. It will dry quickly and PERMENENTLY etch the stainless steel. Then the only recourse is to polish the etching off, and that ain't easy. Always use it on an overcast day, or on a 70 degree (plus or minus) day on the SHADY side of the car.

4) Poor some in a bucket, and apply it with a large, soft bristle brush. Do small sections at a time, maybe around 4 square feet or so. Use it full strength (not diluted with water). RR car rust and grime is tough to get off, and full strength is required. You will get a feel for how long to leave it on, but around 5 - 7 minutes is probably about average. Keep it wet! Agitate it frequently. Don't let it dry! After the prescribed amount of time, hose it off thoroughly. You may need 2 or 3 applications to get an area clean, especially on the roof.

5) It won't remove paint, but it will usually discolor it.

6) It normally does not attack plastic windows, but test a small area before hand to be sure.

7) It will not attack rubber, such as rubber window gaskets.

8) On occasion it will attack and etch glass windows, but I have found this usually only occurs on very old (20 years plus) glass. If you have old glass, protect it with vasoline first.

This may sound complicated to use, but the results are nothing short of STUNNING! I highly recommend it.

As for removing Amtrak stripes, the later decal-style Amtrak stripes are a particular headache to remove. However, I still use a good grade of water-based paint stripper like JASCO. It's expensive, but you get what you pay for. It will normally not attack the stainless underneath. Watch those plastic windows though! Once the stripper has set for a few minutes, use a plastic hard-bristle brush that is solvent resisitant (in other words, it will not melt when exposed to paint stripper). After most of the stripe is gone, clean the remaining small leftover particles with good old SOS pads. Then finish with an acid wash and you're ready for action. By the way, you will find that the same rules apply to paint stripping as for acid washing as far as safety attire and using it out of the direct sun. However, if the paint stripper dries, it won't be a problem other than you'll just have to re-apply it. Stick to the shady side of the car for that as well.