I need a truck set and the flat pancake gear for the one end.  Any idea where I can get these items.  Called Bachman and they don't have the partrs anymore.  It is a 1975 model 1300.  Thank you

Check ebay, you may find one being sold as parts.

I have been but they are far and few between.

That should tell you something.  Time to update

Some older items I just can't let go of and to repair them gives satisfaction.

I understand, it can be hard to let go and I agree satisfaction can be gained by a solid repair job.  But sometimes, letting go and moving on is for the best...

PS-You should not post your email address out in a public forum like this one.  Hackers may take a liking to your email address

You could try replacing the trucks with Northwest Short Line Stanton Drive trucks. You'll want Stanton Drive Model 1210, with the 6'6" wheelbase and 40" wheels. These power trucks are DCC ready, and can be seen by scrolling down to page 6 of the .pdf file found here:

http://www.nwsl.com/uploads/chap2_web_09-01.pdf

Len

...quite the bargain @ $84.95+ shipping, LOL !

He said, "Some older items I just can't let go of..."

I've had people put well over $100 into an old Lionel loco, that wasn't worth $20 on a good day, to get it running again. Their explanation generally ran along the lines of, "I've had it since I was a kid, and it has sentimental value and I want to see it run again."

So I got to a point when people would ask, "Is it worth repairing?", I'd tell them, "I can't tell you that. I can tell you what it will cost to repair, but only you can decide if it's worth repairing at that cost."

So when these kinds of questions come up, I try to point people at possible solutions. It's up to them to decide if they want to make the investment in time and/or money to implement it or not.

Len

Please don't feel as though I have a quarrel with your suggestion or such suggestions as to spend $60+ to repower an old Athearn locomotive bc you are absolutely right as far as options being available and it is good of you to direct people to such options.  I have an opinion about cost benefit analysis and make no pretense on whether I will influence how one wants to spend their dough.  It is only important that I control that for myself.  I have an opinion of those who have done as you have stated, and it has to do with an old phrase about a fool and his $$.  I am sure you did not mind such clients though and it does not sound like you did much to disuade them for obvious reasons. 
I loved the first car I ever owned, but that did not mean I was willing to pump unreasonable expense into keeping it alive.

Actually, I did try to talk them out of those sentimental repairs, for reasons that may not be so obvious. Except maybe to the Bachmann Service Center folks. I usually tried to show them, for the same amount of money, they could get a brand new entry level loco that was actually better quality than the one they wanted fixed.

1. Parts for the really old, low end, stuff are really hard to find. And an inordinant amount of time that could be better spent doing other repairs went into track them down.

2. Some of those really old locos are a bear to take apart, and then put back together again. More time gone that could be better spent.

I stopped trying, and went to the method I described earlier, when I finally figured out emotion trumps reason almost every time, and I was wasting even more time trying to convince them otherwise.

Len

Quote from: Len on January 23, 2015, 10:21:37 AM
Actually, I did try to talk them out of those sentimental repairs, for reasons that may not be so obvious. I usually tried to show them, for the same amount of money, they could get a brand new entry level loco that was actually better quality than the one they wanted fixed.

1. Parts for the really old, low end, stuff are really hard to find. And an inordinant amount of time that could be better spent doing other repairs went into track them down.

2. Some of those really old locos are a bear to take apart, and then put back together again. More time gone that could be better spent.

I stopped trying, and went to the method I described earlier, when I finally figured out emotion trumps reason almost every time, and I was wasting even more time trying to convince them otherwise.

Len

You had not stated that earlier.  Thanks for clarifying.  And I am glad that you did share that with them in the interest of being fair and reasonable.

And there is another saying I like; "Some people have more $$ than brains."