HO Scale Athearn Ready to Run SD40-2s with DCC/Sound Overview

[@sunnysiderails397]

Cool video and love the Ready to Roll series got a couple of the SD40 ish locos also, strong runners! Love the lighting in your train room and the low angle of that run by looks great, some really cool rolling stock on there also, great video! -Ken

[@TrainShenanigans844]

I use to have quite a few of the ready to roll series when I was younger they’ve always been great locomotives. And thank you the lighting was definitely an upgrade from the old fluorescent lights that used to be installed. Thanks for the feedback!

[@haroldalexis4200]

Doesn't matter if it's ATHEARN GENESIS or ready to run engines or freight cars the details look great! Your UNION PACIFIC SD 40-2 DIESEL models are an A +. This model railroader loves both of these. 😀

[@TrainShenanigans844]

Oh I couldn’t agree more! I have plenty of ready to run freight cars and they’re perfectly fine to me. This was just my first experience with any ready to run engines with sound but I’m happy with them for sure

[@paulkirkmanMYTRAINS]

I bought one a couple of days ago. I bought a 1574 with DCC and Sound. Really runs well. I really like. I really like the Athearn the line a lot !!!! Nice video !!!

[@TrainShenanigans844]

I’m glad you like it and that’s a great price too. Definitely can’t go wrong with Athearn at all!

[@Riogrande6400]

What Athearn did is use the Soundtrax economy decoder. For the SD40 locomotives so they have the start up sequence. I really like the RTR LINE of locomotives. I have over 8 BNSF SD40-2 locomotives I used Cannon cab interior kits. With amazing results.

[@TrainShenanigans844]

Ah ok I wasn’t aware of that! And agreed I like the ready to run line of well. Good sound and good runners. I’m jealous of your 8 SD40s I definitely would like to have more. They’ve always been a favorite of mine for sure

[@Riogrande6400]

@@TrainShenanigans844 I get most of my trains from swap meets held across the state a few of my SD-40s from swap meets I got one with sound for 30$ because it got dropped onto the floor the chassis was undamaged the shell however was very very damaged. I got an old Blue box she'll for 10$ at the same meet. I'll try to make a video of them running on my club layout.

[@kyleftw1679]

WOW, I was waiting for a review on these , and these are some amazing models, very detailed for RTR. Heard they are going to start putting TSU 2 in the RTR models now instead of Econami. I ordered 1923 and can't wait for it.

[@kyleftw1679]

Where did you get them for 157 dollars?

[@TrainShenanigans844]

I was pretty impressed with them. I’d definitely get them again if they offered something I was looking for and offered it in the RTR series. But yes they are starting to put tsunami 2 in the RTR series from now on I believe. I didn’t see a whole lot of difference between economi and tsunami to be honest they both seem to sound really good

[@TrainShenanigans844]

Also I usually order most of my athearn stuff from one of my local hobby shops and he discounts them when I do

[@kyleftw1679]

@@TrainShenanigans844 Awesome! Where did you get them for that price?

[@kyleftw1679]

I see why, you do give him alot of business.

[@ConductorGoldy]

They are definitely nice. Only Issue with the UP ones (Which actually stopped me from getting either of them) are the rear number boards. UP does not use them. They are blanked out and painted yellow on the real ones with the numbers in red underneath them. The fake class lights on the rear are annoying but not nearly as bad as the number boards. But for the price, they are pretty dang good. Also to another comment-don't hold your breath for Intermountain. Would be surprised if they ever come out. Scale trains has the tooling for 40N's now so, that's what I'm waiting for lol. -Thanks for the video!

[@TrainShenanigans844]

I honestly didn’t even think of the read number boards until you pointed it out. I should’ve noticed that. My Genesis GP38s aren’t like that I’m really surprised I didn’t catch that now. I plan on having my entire fleet slightly weathered at some point so maybe whenever that goes to happen I’ll have the number board mistake fixed. And you’re not the first person to tell me about intermountain. Maybe I’ll just stay away from them

[@SOU6900]

I love Athearn products. My ONLY complaint about their stuff is the hand rails. Seems like all I have to do is just look at them on mine and they break and pop loose.

[@TrainShenanigans844]

I haven’t had too many issues with mine. Nothing broken at least but yeah I have noticed sometimes things are popped out of place right out of the box

[@samusvi2693]

they are so overpriced and not worth it. not only do the rails fall off but their lights always fail as well. at the cost of them these days, they should not have any issues what so ever and last a life time with no issues at all.

[@ShawnCalay]

​@@samusvi2693 yes sir! There should be more of us....I got like 22 SD40-2 and SD40T-2 kits to paint for America Latina Logistica....I still need to get a SD45T-2 and 2 SD40Rs after that I will never buy athearn again ...

[@rthack2]

I have several of their RTR locos. Run well, look great, sound good. Lots of bang for the buck. These and the Scale Trains Operator series are really the best bang for the bucks out there.

[@TrainShenanigans844]

I’d definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a good locomotive without breaking the bank. I haven’t had any experience with the operator series from scaletrains but they seem pretty comparable to these

[@samusvi2693]

i really miss this hobby a lot. but it has gotten so out of hand cost wise that it is not even feasible to consider getting back into it.

[@TrainShenanigans844]

Trust me sometimes I ask myself what the hell I got myself into but I do enjoy it still

[@paulhebert3615]

Wish Athearn would blank out the rear marker lights like the prototype.

[@TrainShenanigans844]

Yeah I agree and I didn’t even notice it until someone pointed that out. Both of these road numbers were also supposed to have rear ditch lights so I’m not sure what happened there but oh well

[@paulhebert3615]

@@TrainShenanigans844 They do look good, just wish they were a bit more accurate.

[@TrainShenanigans844]

@@paulhebert3615 I can’t disagree with ya on that one!

[@JohnPiper04]

Do you have any Scaletrains locomotives in your collection?

[@TrainShenanigans844]

Yes I have around 10. Just never made videos of them because they’re things that have already been released. I did get a couple SD40-2s from the newest run I just haven’t had a chance to edit and upload it yet

[@JohnPiper04]

@@TrainShenanigans844 I bought the scale trains ET44AH CSX back in July or August and it is very impressive. I especially like the see through metal grating in the rear area

[@TrainShenanigans844]

@@JohnPiper04 Scaletrains is probably the best that you can buy in my opinion. You definitely can’t beat the detail. Their lighting and sounds are also very good too. Athearn genesis is right up there also though. Scaletrains is announcing their first 4 axle locomotive soon and I’m very curious as to what it’ll be

[@shanestrains7179]

Ok. Two things. 1st its not called economy. Its eco-nami. As in economy and tsunami. 2nd i was considering ordering an sd40n from athearn. But i noticed that intermountain is coming out with some also. Dunno which im gonna get yet

[@TrainShenanigans844]

Thanks for correcting me on that. I’d be curious to see how intermountains version compares to these ready to roll ones from athearn.

[@kyleftw1679]

The intermountain SD40-2s from the past had truck problems, in my opinion the Athearn RTR unit has pretty close detail to what Intermountain offers.

[@AbelG8781]

Intermountain has horrible production and delivery times.

[@kyleftw1679]

@@AbelG8781 yeah that too.

[@jpbassseniorbasssenior323]

👍👍

[@armandito7383]

Where buy?

[@kyleftw1679]

Pretty much any online hobby shop, or local one

[@armandito7383]

@@kyleftw1679 I hope he answers me, thanks

[@01_this_dude84]

Hey