Quoted from Nihonmasa:also, important info:
when I am grounding the transistor tab to ground, the coil is activating as it should
This only tells you there's continuity from the transistor to the coil and nothing else. It does not test the transistor.
The only way R140 (330ohm resistor) can burn is by seeing too much voltage/current and the path to high voltage/current is through a shorted Q12 transistor (collector to base) or shorted C74 capacitor that's causing R140 to see 43 volts.
More likely transistor Q12 is failing.
The banded side of the diode on the coil is to the 43V solenoid power wire (yellow wire, not the yellow-blue wire)?
What model new coil did you use?
What model transistor did you install at Q12?
The playfield solenoid fuse is the correct rating of 1 amp slow-blow? i.e. has someone previous overfused it?
Quoted from Nihonmasa:So U19 could be the culprit? I checked and there is no continuity through its legs 11,12,15
With the game OFF, in diode mode on your meter at U19 you should measure 0.6 - 0.7 between pins 11 and 12 and between pins 11 and 15. Swap the meter leads around if you get no reading.
With the game ON in attract mode, in DC voltage mode on your meter at U19 you should measure 0.85V on pin 11 and 0.3V on pin 12. Pin 15 is ground.