Help with screws for AJIN Brass E8

Not to be overly nitpicky, but this is a phase II E7.  The spotting features are the roof vents in lieu of fans, the lack of a continuous filter grille along the side, the vent compartment behind the door, and specific to a late phase E7 are replacement of paired windows with vents.  Much like the F3 built during the same period, the E7 was an evolution of design specifications that changed quickly from the E5/6 prewar locomotives to the E8s of late 1949.

As for the screw, have you tried looking at the brass screw section at Ace Hardware?  I have found more than one good match going through the miscellaneous bins of brass screws.  I believe Overland imported a lot of Ajin product.  The trainphone antenna gives it away as a PRR prototype.

A great find!  Enjoy!

You can get a pretty complete metric mini screw assortments at Amazon for about ten bucks. If you have or plan to have a number of these its more than worth the investment. 1.5 to 3 or 4 mm diameters.

Pete

Robbin, get your hands on a SAE/METRIC screw checker, …..nice ones around 10 bucks on popular shopping venues, ……Working with brass models, the need for screw identification will be almost commonplace……save yourself a big headache and look into one!…So while you’re shopping for Pete’s recommendation, stick a screw checker in the cart too…….😉

Pat

Robbin, nice E7 find. Most brass trains are made in Orient so they will use metric screws.

Gonna be metric. Probably an M2, 4mm long. You can get a "life supply" of them from McMaster Carr or other supply houses. Amazon probably has them too.  If you just need one, try the local hardware stores (not big box), but not every place will have them that small.

I believe those are M3, could be M2. I have some of the originals and could send you one, or I typically replace them with ‘laptop screws’, lots of good assortments out there very reasonably.

Thanks GG1!  When I was writing I was struggling to figure out what I had bid on (and won).  E7 is great!

And yes this was sold with a huge number of Overland models but this one had no box, so it makes sense (and I assumed, hoped) it was an overland model.

And right again on the PRR as there was a ton of PRR engines.  All brass.  I tried to get a few but this was my only success.  My first diesel two rail to go with the steam fleet!

Should be fun to get this running.  Looks like it has been quite some time since it ran so need to lube and such.

Thank you all for the screw size recommendations, checker and kits.  I will definitely get those!

And what a great group!! I sincerely appreciate the help and advice!

@Robbin posted:

Thanks GG1!  When I was writing I was struggling to figure out what I had bid on (and won).  E7 is great!

And yes this was sold with a huge number of Overland models but this one had no box, so it makes sense (and I assumed, hoped) it was an overland model.

And right again on the PRR as there was a ton of PRR engines.  All brass.  I tried to get a few but this was my only success.  My first diesel two rail to go with the steam fleet!

Should be fun to get this running.  Looks like it has been quite some time since it ran so need to lube and such.

I like the E7, especially for PRR as they lasted in some cases into the Conrail era with NJDOT.  They pulled the great limiteds all across the PRR system into the PC years and closed out their days in the more mundane duty of commuter service.  There are even a few photos of PC E7s in early Amtrak service.  E8s and E9s often get all the glory, but the E7 more than proved its value and is indicated in the numbers produced with 428 A units and 82 B units compared to 450 E8As and 46 E8Bs.  The E9 while the most powerful and modern of the E units only had 100 As and 44 Bs built.  Just evidence that both passenger service was starting to decline, and the cab unit era was nearly its end.

While many E8s/E9s exist, the only surviving E7 is the PRR one in Strasburg.   

Does your model have the nose mounted lift rings?

The Amazon screw assortments that Pete suggested is the way I went.  I have several of them, and I have everything from 1.4mm screws to 4mm screws in various lengths.  Very useful.

Oddly, it's much harder to find a similar assortment of SAE screws, the metric assortments are everywhere.

Most of our trains are made overseas where metric is the norm.

Brass trains have historically been almost exclusively imported since the 1950's staring with Japan, Korea in the early 1980's, and then to China near the turn of the century.  It makes complete sense that all the screws would be metric.

Japan adopted the Metric system in 1868, so they have had a little more experience than us here in the world of nonsensical imperial units.

@harley rider posted:

Most of our trains are made overseas where metric is the norm.

True, but Lionel and MTH have been making trains overseas for a long time, and they still have quite a number of SAE screws.