For those of you who love the sound of the EMD SD40-2, here is recording you can download.
BNSF 6812,6703,2840,2907 full recording --- 18.31MB

BNSF SD40-2 recording

Very late in the evening of May 30, 2009 an eastbound BNSF PASKCK (Pasco to Kansas City) train showed up at Yardley (Spokane WA) with a most unusual power consist. On the head end was GP39M 2907 followed by 2840 and two SD40-2s, 6703 and 6812. A pure EMD consist which included two SD40-2s! The train went through to Hauser yard, but stopped at Park rd for a meet with a westbound. Steve Koberstein and I drove to the feed mill to enjoy the sounds as this consist went from idle to run 8 in about a block after the westbound had passed. I then headed for home.

I had just walked in the door when Steve called to let me know that this same consist would be immediately returning west on a KCKPAS train. I stayed up to watch them go by from my deck, and at the last minute decided to make a recording with my Sony ICD-SX57 MP3 recorder. They didn’t turn the power, so the 6812 was leading, followed by 6703, 2840, and 2907. After the train passed I decided that perhaps it might be a good idea to make some additional recordings of this train; after all, how many more opportunities might I have to record SD40-2s in mainline BNSF service? After a quick phone call to Steve to setup a rendezvous, I was on my way. I recorded at three additional sites and then combined these four recordings into one. This document covers what was heard at each of these four recording locations. Times indicated are minutes:seconds into the actual recording and mark the beginning of the described activity.

Location 1 – my deck at the end of Malvern rd on the northeast corner of Otis Orchards, south of the tracks
The train is nearing the end of double track and has a yellow signal at Harvard rd. He is in dynamic braking. The train approaches from the east.
00:27 – 00:45 dynamics clearly heard as the engines pass.
01:19 – as the train continues to pass the 6812 is heard blowing for the McKenzie rd grade crossing.
02:00 –The rear end passes and the train sound fades in the distance to the west
02:49 – 6812 blowing for the Harvard rd grade crossing.
03:18 – end of Otis Orchards recording segment

Location 2 – wooden bridge private road crossing above ex SP&S line between Latah Jct and Overlook
03:19 – frogs can be heard croaking in the water-filled ditch along the right-of-way
04:15 – the sound of the SD40-2s wide open in run 8 is heard as they come upgrade toward me.
04:25 – frog’s stop they’re croaking as the train gets closer
05:20 – the train blasts under the bridge
05:42 – end of wooden bridge segment

Location 3 – Marshall WA on the highway bridge that spans all 3 railroads - the ex NP, UP, and ex SP&S. The UP ROW here is now a trail and their trains now utilize the other two lines. This train is upgrade on the ex SP&S coming around a long curve just beyond Overlook siding.
05:43 – still in run 8
05:47 – throttles back as he sees a yellow approach to Lakeside Jct where he will be meeting an eastbound.
07:01 – throttles back again as he gets near to the bridge.
07:15 – under the bridge
07:21 – throttles back again
07:32 – end of Marshall segment

Location 4 – Anderson road grade crossing, approximately 1-1/2 miles east of Cheney WA.
07:33 – it is now the still of the night at about 2:30 am! The eastbound has cleared Lakeside Jct and the KCKPAS is again on the pull in run 8. I enjoyed this one the best of the four locations.
10:05 – begins to blow for the Anderson rd grade crossing. Notice the echo – the 6812 has one fine sounding horn!
10:24 – throttles back between 2nd and 3rd horn sequences
10:47 – engines pass the recorder. This time we record the entire train passing. He is on a curve and there is quite a lot of flange squealing sounds.
03:12 - the air-powered rear end device is heard as the rear end passes and the train fades into the west.
14:07 - Blowing for Pine street in Cheney. The sound really comes back on the last sequence.
15:23 - Blowing for Cheney – Spangle road in Cheney.
15:59 – end of Anderson road segment and end of recording.

I didn’t get home until about 3:30 am. Was it worth it – YES! Would I do it again – YOU BETCHA!

Bruce Butler – Spokane WA

Postscript. As of November 18, 2009 I have not seen any other SD40-2s operating through Spokane.