Yesterday my step son picked up an Athearn BB Santa Fe PA-1 (used) at a train show we went to. The unit runs decently and is in good condition. It’s definately a bit older than the BB Geep’s I have from the 80’s as it has a slightly different mechanism and the truck side frames are metal instead of the plastic my units have. Does anyone know how old the model could be?
I plan on adding DCC to it and looking at the mechanism, it looks like the Digitrax wiring harness for BB locos will work on this one. But before I add the decoder I want to take it apart and really clean out the mechanism.
My guess would be from the seventies or earlier, based on the metal truck frames.
And I wholeheartedly agree with the “take it apart and really clean out the mechanism” part, whether you plan to use it as DC or convert it to DCC. I have bought many second hand locos and this is the first step I do to any of them.
I have to agree, late 60’s to mid 70’s on that one. Those units are heavy! It ought to be a really good puller. Imagine how it would do with a Mishima motor in it. It would pull like an elephant on steroids!