In the latest excellent CTT I got from my mailbox yesterday is an article from a professional restorer regarding Lionel PW F-3s. The article stated (correctly) that the modern ABS materials made in today’s non-metallic toy trains wasn’t invented until the 1950s. This little tidbit of info got me interested in learning more about ABS (that’s one of the fun things about toy trains, btw, it gets one interested in a range of subjects).
There are numerous articles on ABS when you Google the subject. One basic primer on the topic is http://www.bpf.co.uk/bpfindustry/plastics_materials_Acrylonitrile_Butadiene_Styrene_ABS.cfm
It states that “ABS is an ideal material wherever superlative surface quality, colorfastness and luster are required.” This is something the earlier trains didn’t have, resulting in all sorts of paint problems.
The article also states that ABS has "rigidity, hardness and heat resistance. "
Also, I was surprised to see the many everyday appliances made of ABS.
While I’m still a die-hard die-cast fan, I’ve gotten a new appreciation for ABS.