The Athearn Trains HO scale Southern Pacific SD40 features prototypical details and realistic sound effects thanks to a Ready to Roll SoundTraxx decoder. Watch the diesel locomotive model as it hauls a freight train on the Model Railroader staff’s Milwaukee, Racine & Troy model train layout.
Video: Athearn HO scale Southern Pacific SD40
By Angela Cotey | April 19, 2017
| Last updated on February 11, 2021
The Athearn Trains Ready To Roll HO scale SD40 includes a dual-mode SoundTraxx DCC decoder
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Finally got one. Nice running model. However, I found that the decoder was missing an element or two. One: the headlight was undimmable; and Two: no dynamic brake sound.
The rear light package doesn’t work right either. The top two light should not come on unless the gyralight button (5) is pushed.
Would have been nice if the red warning lights worked.
It may just be my ears but the SoundTrax EMD 645 sounds much more like the prototype than my ESU decoders. May have to try a couple of these RTR units.
Mr. Otte, Is this a new release of the SD-40? Nothing about this is stated on Athearn’s website!
Great looking engine, but in the video, the bell is louder than the sound of the engine. I have an sd-40 southern pacific red white and blue #7347 and had to adjust the bell also.
Actually I recall they came from EMD without the rear light package. This was added during the GRIP program on the SD-40R’s. Some GP-35’s rebuilt by the CN or M-K did not get the lights. Quoting from the Garmandy SP Dieselization book. The question is: Is the announced Walthers second GP-35 batch with the rebuilt EsPee locos right? I have a pair and I haven’t figured out how to turn it off other hit func 5 in reverse. By the way the sound and non-sound versions use a different motor, Genesis on the sound unit.
What happened here? The engine sat on idle for quite a while, yet when it started to move there were no sparks and a cloud of black smoke coming out of the stack. This is a very good looking engine for Athearn’s “ordinary” line. Couldn’t really tell, but it sorta looked like the indicator lights were on; from the engine number I believe by this time SP had stopped using them. In fact, when this engine was shopped the indicator lights would have been blanked and the rear gyralite been removed. By the way, did it oscillate when you had the unit in reverse?
I just might be tempted to get one of these.