What happens to older train sets when parts are required and no one has them? I have 2 older train sets that need parts and can't seem to locate any parts, anywhere. Not even Bachmann Parts Online. I have an old Centennial and a TGV and parts are not online.
You either can no longer use them, send in the loco for replacement with a different loco that is in production. So when you send you TGV in you would get a new diesel loco back and could chose from a loco like a GP 40 or GP 50 and it would cost you $15 plus shipping for replacement. The DD40AX centennial would also get you either a new GP 40 or GP 50 or other ones, you would not get another centennial back. But you could buy a new one from your local hobby shop or a dealer.
You might be able to find the parts on Ebay.
Check these items out to use as parts for the TGV:
http://cgi.ebay.com/BACHMANN-TGV-WHEELS-SET-3-EXCELLENT-CONDITION-NSCALE-/300559287587?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item45fabac523 (http://cgi.ebay.com/BACHMANN-TGV-WHEELS-SET-3-EXCELLENT-CONDITION-NSCALE-/300559287587?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item45fabac523)
http://cgi.ebay.com/TGV-N-SCALE-BACHMANN-needs-work-looks-great-prop-/300566106446?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item45fb22d14e (http://cgi.ebay.com/TGV-N-SCALE-BACHMANN-needs-work-looks-great-prop-/300566106446?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item45fb22d14e)
http://cgi.ebay.com/BACHMANN-TGV-ENGINE-NOT-WORKING-N-SCALE-/300559282693?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item45fabab205 (http://cgi.ebay.com/BACHMANN-TGV-ENGINE-NOT-WORKING-N-SCALE-/300559282693?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item45fabab205)
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313&_nkw=bachmann+tgv&_sacat=See-All-Categories (http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313&_nkw=bachmann+tgv&_sacat=See-All-Categories)
For the DD40AX:
http://cgi.ebay.com/BACHMANN-N-6906-UP-EMD-DD40AX-POWER-ENGINE-11452-zz-/190539850650?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2c5d0f639a (http://cgi.ebay.com/BACHMANN-N-6906-UP-EMD-DD40AX-POWER-ENGINE-11452-zz-/190539850650?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2c5d0f639a)
Or for the Centennial Train set:
http://cgi.ebay.com/BACHMANN-HO-SCALE-E-Z-TRACK-SET-CENTENNIAL-MINT-/330575459403?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item4cf7d5344b (http://cgi.ebay.com/BACHMANN-HO-SCALE-E-Z-TRACK-SET-CENTENNIAL-MINT-/330575459403?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item4cf7d5344b)