can we get a shoutout to the Micromaster Sixtrain recolor named Rail Racer in Universe 2003 :sad: All things considered Haslab would be the best place to gauge interest in a Rail Racer remake just by the virtue of how Haslab works and what people keep saying about RR. Not many people would be interested in him? We can literally look at how many people would crowdfund him (similarly when a bunch of people said “Oh Omega Prime will never reach the goal” once he did people started touting the numbers)
Maybe it's because I grew up with Shining Time Station and my parents literally met on a streetcar, but the idea that Americans have zero interest in trains is ludicrous. Not as many people in Japan have automobiles, and yet they still buy stuff shaped like cars. And yes, I am still pissed that both Saban and Hasbro skipped over ToQger.
As a lifelong resident of New York I can tell you that trains are a part of MY daily life. Of course we don't have bullet trains here, it's a subway system so our train cars are just boxy, kind of like a bus but bigger. That being said...I think it would be cool to get a transformer that turns into a subway car like that. How cool would it be if it was like the minicon assault team or Reflector , like you'd buy a set of 3 that can be hitched together to look like a train, but despite having the same alt mode they'd have different ways to transform so they can combine. What's a good pun on "subway" you can make into a combiner team name?
I’m right there with you. I remember as a kid taking the train into the city with my parents all the time and that made me love the Bullet Train Team. It never even occurred to me back then that the trains were “misshapen” compared to the trains I’d see regularly on the LIRR. I just thought they were a different sort of train I’d never seen before. This is especially true because I had a Lego train set that also was a bullet train. Unfortunately, I wasn’t collecting Transformers at the time so while I loved watching the show, I never got any of the RiD toys.
Rail Racer: “WHY DO AMERICANS HATE TRAINS?!” Raiden: “Just a different culture, man. I know you’re going to bring up Astrotrain as a counterpoint, but he’s also a shuttle.” What I’d love are some “Hearts of Steel Universe” guys (mainly Centurion, although he’d probably be called “Centurion Bumblebee” so he’d sell better) and some more diverse train Transformers to get us Yanks used to the concept. Throw in Core Class Raiden/Trainbots (they’d be a perfect follow-up to baby Volcanicus) and Titan Class Rail Racer, and you’d have enough to fill a Generations range. But what would you call it? “Transformers Derailment?”
Sure, David. A JNR D-51 locomotive... a JAPANESE steam engine. You want an American steam locomotive, go with a Union Pacific Big Boy, or a New York Central Hudson or something.
@@Jimboliah3985yeah, but kids, even most adults, aren’t gonna know that from an American steam engine. I see Astrotrain and I just see the train that pushed Gigawatt around.
Huge Rail Racer fan, here. I feel fortunate to have a complete set. Recommendation: Rapid Run's shield makes for an outstanding over the shoulder antenna/weapon for the combined RR mode. He looks super sweet with this addition.
@@reserven5795 it's like an antenna/dish meets missile launcher. I have it over his right shoulder. While in backpack mode, I have RR's hands folded 90°, pointed to the rear. This allows the post holes to be up/down orientation, and puts them right at shoulder height. The shield/gun post is held by the hand, in this case the hole that has ended up top. The shield is positioned with wings flat over the shoulder, the back triangular panels are folded up (they look like cat ears). The missile portion aimed directly forward, like any other good bot. If you'd like me to send I pic, let me know!
@@reserven5795 I originally thought I could do something with those. Turns out: they're just good at breaking up the form. 😂 Which is okay: that shield needs something.
I know we already have a Decepticon train character, but I really want another one just so it can be called “Derail”. Maybe a diesel engine to compare against Astrotrain’s steam engine.
Another big problem with a modern Rail Racer is Hastak seems to be really trying to put their figures in scale with how they were in the show, and in the show, Rail Racer was taller than Super Mode Optimus by a considerable margin. Each of the individual Team Bullet Train members would have to be at least Commander Class to make a combiner that big, which I just don't see happening any time soon even through Haslab.
These will all break eventually or yellow. I even have a few with screws that got corroded shortly after release. They just need to do new versions of them.
Hope we get more trains in the new generations prime toyline, like Raiden, Rail Racer, Hearts of Steel, etc. I don’t get why HasTak is so hesitant to make trains in modern generations
@@rhaeasoul8531 Speaking as a Brit, there are plenty of us interested in trains. Besides, what about train sets? Are those not a thing elsewhere? I had pleanty of different kinds of Train set as a child, and endless daydreaming about ones I had neither the money nor space for.
@@medafan53 I’m not saying trains don’t have a presence but they’re just more niche in most of the world esspecially passenger trains. Japan is pretty much the capitol of train toys as you’ve got the brave series, sentai, shinkelion, and transformers.
I have no idea how we've come to the conclusion that Americans hate trains or that we dont have a strong relationship with trains. Thats just simply not true. Is it the same as Japan? No but its still a strong relationship. Model trains have been synonymous with Christmas for over 100 years. Model railroading is a multi million dollar industry and no its not just appealing to old guys. Model railroading has existed for roughly 150 years and is still going strong because the hobby continues to innovate. Kids can now run and program trains with smart phones via wifi signals. The reason why transformers don't do well as trains is because hasbro/takara only pick trains that are seen in the east. Western designs have never been done. There are tons of western trains that are iconic world wide that have never been touched. Unfortunately hasbro is just too afraid to experiment.
FYI, the voice actors for Team Bullet Train were Mike Reynolds (Railspike), Keith Diamond (Rapid Run), and David Lodge (Midnight Express) respectively, with the latter also providing the voice for their combined form Rail Racer. Oh, and in case you forgot, Team Bullet Train's debut episode, "Bullet Train to the Rescue," aired in limited markets in the US on September 11, 2001. Try to guess what happened on that day.
Trains in America are more of a niche market accept for major metropolitan areas with subways. Other than that, there's the rail fan subculture, but it doesn't reach the saturation level it does in Japan. I've heard model training is huge with Japanese children. The train-themed Super Sentai series wouldn't make it as Power Rangers in the states.😭
I would love to see a new take but the stigma of trains not selling i wouldnt expect anything closer to a commander or even less a titan the best and safest thing would be one leader and two voyagers at best, only time will tell
One thing. Nothing to do with Transformers. But a other anime serie with train bots . Namen is Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion Its use really the same design like rail racer .
If you are itching for a new bullet train combiner team, and are willing to step outside of Transformers proper, then there an option in the form of the latest season of Takara's series Shinkalion, Change the World. All of the train robots in that line are being designed to combine with each other, and there's a very high likelihood of the same trains featured in Rail Racer of being made in Shinkalion.
As a kid, I always thought Rail Racer looked cool but I think he was just overshadowed by the Commandos. Those guys were _the best thing ever_ for me as a kid, so Rail Racer was just "another combiner guy who isn't Ruination." I fall directly into that group you mentioned of kids who liked trains but just Thomas the Tank Engine, too.
The voice of Railspike is Mike Reynolds who voiced Gennai in Digimon, General Ivar in VR Troopers, and Captain Mutiny in Lost Galaxy. Always love Rail Racer as a kid though I can see the toys are not great with the translucent plastic. Hope a third party company can do a better version of Rail Racer
unless your Astrotrain, not train transformers stands a chances of being made Galaxy Shuttle wasn't originally a train but because Astrotain had a train alt-mod so Galaxy Shuttle got a train mode
I've got a korean version of Rail Racer, which seems to be about the same as japanese one. I've had it for at least about a decade. I love it to bits and combine/disassemble and transform it back and forth fairly regularly. For the statistics` sake I can report no issues with clear plastic almost a quarter century later since the release. Slider joints in the knees, on the other hand, do act up sometimes under the combined weight.
I recently learned that the Supertrain Megazord despite its popularity in the fandom was also a shelf warmer. Which sucks. I probably would have bought it but I wasn’t into Power Rangers at the time. Same with Transformers since I loved trains as a kid. If Hasbro made a ZAP Supertrain it probably might do well. And ZAPs aren’t really for the general retailer.
12/13 year old me knew everything about jrx locomotive classes by the time the line came out because I feel in love with Raiden from the day I saw him on webtv back in the late 1990/ early 2000s back in the day and went to my library to read up on trains from other countries because they looked so cool to me and I thought we were finally getting a new Raiden at least at the time as the name wasn't dropped yet when I saw them so I was so excited. Sadly it wasn't but I got all three and still have them right behind me. Sadly midnight express legs broke one me so I glue them so he stuck in combiner leg mode forever but I still love them none the less
Gennai was the old man in Digimon, they made him look like young Obi-wan in D2. Midnight Express isn't a bad name, it has the same amount of syllables as Ultra Magnus. Considering the mark-up Zing gave Omega Prime - please not Haslab for Rail Racer.
Man i loved trains as a kid. I used to watch them for days gonpast my school on a bridge and could tell different types. Eurostar. Shinkansen,tgv all of it was great. The trainbots were my second fave of rid. hoping we get a haslab now that omega has been funded.
I bought these guys when they released. I never saw them get a price drop either. And they sold out in my neck of the world. One of the best combiners they ever put out.
I am "lucky" enough to own the Hasbro version without painted windows. I saw those at retail ONCE, which was when I bought them. Also saw the painted windows version ONCE and should have gotten those but was bitter about Hasbro offering "improved" versions after I bought the "inferior" versions. But Hasbro has no clue what will actually sell, or what their customers want.
I only had Rapid Run. I remember these being hard to find. Although I never loved trains, I did like combining Transformers. Though I don’t regret not having the other two.
Only ever had Rapid Run laying around (likely due to my older brothers), and always dreamed of having the complete set. Sadly, that hasn't happened yet, and I can never seem to find the poor guy's missile (likely lost to the aether).
I'd be all in for another train combiner. Would also love an Astrotrain that is just a highly detailed super express JNR, no space plane. Just gimme my transforming GE999 with attached slug that splits apart and carries a big rifle and two guns and forms extra body armor. That would just make my decade.
I was going to say, kids in America DO like trains because we do have trains in the U.S. I actually live near a still functioning train station... granted it's mostly a tourist trap now, the train just goes on a small tour line and then comes right back to where it started. There's a video on my channel from the train if you want to see that. And the movie Back to the Future 3, that's the same train station in that movie. It was filmed where I live. There's other things that were filmed here as well but Back to the Future 3 is the main reason tourists always come here. I do however agree that specifically BULLET trains are not popular in the U.S. though I don't think that's the reason Hasbro won't make them considering they keep trying to make Astrotrain into a bullet train. Classics in 2006, Generations repaint in 2014, not exactly a "bullet train" exactly but Titans Return still isn't the steam engine that he's suppose to be. Also still surprised we didn't get an Omega Supreme out of that mold because the ship mode looks like Animated and the train mode looks like Energon Omega Supreme, that design is literally just splitting the difference between two other Omega Supreme designs. It took us till 2019 to actually get his proper train mode back. You would think that if just not being popular in America was the problem they wouldn't keep trying to push the sleek bullet train design onto a character who isn't known for it. Of course I'm sure the reason they wanted Astrotrain to be a bullet train is because the sleeker design is a lot easier to turn into s space shuttle than the boxy steam engine. If they think bullet trains aren't popular when it's on characters who are actually known to be bullet trains, it's REALLY not popular on a character who's suppose to be a steam engine. Personally I think the reason they aren't popular isn't what they turn into. It's the fact that they all look the same. They're ALL white, blue, and yellow bullet trains that turn into similar robots and combine into a bigger similar robot. Compare that to the other set of train combiners who are a lot more visually interesting. They all have different color schemes, they all represent different styles of trains. That allows them to look a lot more visually distinct from each other. Moving away from just the idea of train combiners... my personal favorite combiners are the Combaticons, The Protectorbots, and the Technobots, and any of the beast combiners. Look at what they all have in common... they're all visually distinct component parts. My least favorite combiners are the Arealbots and the Constructicons, to a lesser extent. Mostly the problem with the Constructicons is that Scrapper and Bonecrusher could almost just be retools of each other. If you know your construction equipment really well you could point out the differences between them but kids aren't going to know or care, to a kid those are the same thing. Arealbots, those are all just white and red planes, none of them really stand out as being visually distinct. Not to a child anyway. That's the real problem with Rail Racer is they're all the same so there isn't much incentive for a kid to want all 3 and combine them if the result is to take 3 robots who all look the same only to turn them into a bigger robot who still looks the same. It actually would have helped them if they weren't all bullet trains and/or had visually distinct color schemes.
I was thinking just that. The Masterpiece trainbots might be a good way to gage the popularity and possibly give us a new Railracer/JRX. Of course they would need to separate sales and see how the import market to America does for those releases. Of course Takara might surprise us and do a release of them
Loved, loved, loved these guys when they first came out. Though even I admit Midnight Express (Who, sorry, has a -fantastic- name) is a bit doofy looking. On the other hand, having the combiner be Rail Racer and one of the members be Rail Spike is a bit repetitious, even if both are good names. And you touched on their state of "size class limbo", which I remember first reading about on message boards some years ago. And, of course, Rail Racer himself is absolutely fantastic combiner that even holds up fairly well today. But I'd love a three-pack update at Commander or Titan class. I'll take HasLab too though.
I wanted them, but of course they never released in New Zealand at all, so frick me for liking trains I guess. The Universe version of Rail Racer made up from the Micromaster Sixtrain set didn't come out here either.
I'm honestly surprised a 3rd party hasn't tried their hand at these guys yet. Somebody like FansHobby that makes big, play oriented stuff could probably knock out a banger.
@TJOmega ah cool! I just thought about it when I watched this the other day. I remember seeing it in Japan the last time I was there I thinking "Oh they went there!" but now looking at it, you're right. Thanks man!
Rail Road Travel in the USA is sacrifices Convience and Comford for Economic Efficiency and Political Bureacracy. Cargo Railways share the samel Rails as Frieght.
At best, Hasbro would prob only make these guys if they were in the Core class scale, but even then... Otherwise Hasbro, try making an original (old man-looking?) character that turns into a steam engine to test that market.
The most we’ll probably get is Hiro retooled from Siege Astrotrain (could double as a pretty sweet SG Astrotrain), but considering that TakaraTomy already makes the Plarail Thomas toys, maybe we’ll see Plarail compatible Thomas x Transformers figures.
Not sure we'll get that any time soon, considering Mattel has been mismanaging Thomas & Friends for a solid 6-7 years now (on top of squandered potential by HiT Entertainment in the 00s & before Mattel's buyout in 2012/13) - that said, it'd be cool to see Hasbro tackle some British & American prototypes for new Transformers (diesel, electric, maybe a fireless for Scout/Core class, possibly a noted steam engine like the Gresley A4s) as well as new CHUG-scale figures for Raiden, Rail Racer, the Micromaster teams, etc.
15:29 You had to mention the little blue embarassment, didn't you? There are plenty of people (including kids) in the States, who have a huge enthusiasm for actual steam locomotives thundering down the mainline on a railtour, or diesels hauling big freignt trains. THAT is the side where trains are a huge part of every-day life in the States. Commuter and passenger stuff, not really. But considering America's rail network was predominantly made for hauling mass-amounts of freight, that's fine. Hell, there are people who like trains, but they have outgrown Thomas, to the point of having a deep-seeded haterd for him, due to the inevitable metric ton of embarassment he brings.
You said it. Americans like steam engines and diesel powered trains. What Takara has been making were either japanese passenger trains, or bullet trains. Both of those types are more popular in Japan, but also other countries like Germany. Or else the ICEs from Märklin wouldn't sell out the entire time in Germany. People like the classics, but people here and in Japan also like the more modern and sleek designes from bullet trains and similar types. And lastly, the bullet train team was initialy designed by Takara for the japanese market and only later imported to the west. So it it's obvious that they chose what sells in their market.
Mid-night-Ex-press, four syllables Op-ti-mus-Prime, four syllables They're really the same length to say, but I'll agree somehow Midnight Express just feels a bit longer, and it can't be shortened as comfortably as Optimus _or_ Prime.
![Twenty One Pilots - “The Line” (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/E2Rj2gQAyPA/mqdefault.jpg)
can we get a shoutout to the Micromaster Sixtrain recolor named Rail Racer in Universe 2003 :sad:
All things considered Haslab would be the best place to gauge interest in a Rail Racer remake just by the virtue of how Haslab works and what people keep saying about RR. Not many people would be interested in him? We can literally look at how many people would crowdfund him (similarly when a bunch of people said “Oh Omega Prime will never reach the goal” once he did people started touting the numbers)
Great point. I do worry that Haslab would price the three figure set outside of average peeps, though.
i've wanted a rail racer since i first saw RID 01
Maybe it's because I grew up with Shining Time Station and my parents literally met on a streetcar, but the idea that Americans have zero interest in trains is ludicrous. Not as many people in Japan have automobiles, and yet they still buy stuff shaped like cars.
And yes, I am still pissed that both Saban and Hasbro skipped over ToQger.
Understandable. The closest we got to train zords in Power Rangers was (I think) Lightspeed Rescue.
@@Rabbitlord108 And also the 6th Ranger in Mystic Force
As a lifelong resident of New York I can tell you that trains are a part of MY daily life. Of course we don't have bullet trains here, it's a subway system so our train cars are just boxy, kind of like a bus but bigger. That being said...I think it would be cool to get a transformer that turns into a subway car like that. How cool would it be if it was like the minicon assault team or Reflector , like you'd buy a set of 3 that can be hitched together to look like a train, but despite having the same alt mode they'd have different ways to transform so they can combine. What's a good pun on "subway" you can make into a combiner team name?
subwoofer. have em use sound based weapons and combine into a giant dog
I think Terminal could be a cool name for either the combiner or one of the members
I’m right there with you. I remember as a kid taking the train into the city with my parents all the time and that made me love the Bullet Train Team. It never even occurred to me back then that the trains were “misshapen” compared to the trains I’d see regularly on the LIRR. I just thought they were a different sort of train I’d never seen before. This is especially true because I had a Lego train set that also was a bullet train.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t collecting Transformers at the time so while I loved watching the show, I never got any of the RiD toys.
How about subtext or wayfarer
closest thing we have to a subway car is the Tobot "Metron"
Rail Racer: “WHY DO AMERICANS HATE TRAINS?!”
Raiden: “Just a different culture, man. I know you’re going to bring up Astrotrain as a counterpoint, but he’s also a shuttle.”
What I’d love are some “Hearts of Steel Universe” guys (mainly Centurion, although he’d probably be called “Centurion Bumblebee” so he’d sell better) and some more diverse train Transformers to get us Yanks used to the concept. Throw in Core Class Raiden/Trainbots (they’d be a perfect follow-up to baby Volcanicus) and Titan Class Rail Racer, and you’d have enough to fill a Generations range. But what would you call it? “Transformers Derailment?”
Here’s what “Wave 1” would probably look like:
*Core Class*
Shouki
Kaen
*Deluxe Class*
Centurion Bumblebee (Hudswell Clark 0-4-0)
Prowl (SR USA Class)
Hound (JNER Class DE10)
Knock Out (streetcar)
*Voyager Class*
Starscream (biplane)
Breakdown (Baldwin DRS-6-4-1500)
*Leader Class*
Optimus Prime (4-8-4 Northern tender engine)
Megatron (GER A10)
At least Astrotrain becomes a very recognizable steam engine, a staple of the American Wild West.
Americans don't hate trains, we prefer steam trains.
Sure, David. A JNR D-51 locomotive... a JAPANESE steam engine.
You want an American steam locomotive, go with a Union Pacific Big Boy, or a New York Central Hudson or something.
@@Jimboliah3985yeah, but kids, even most adults, aren’t gonna know that from an American steam engine. I see Astrotrain and I just see the train that pushed Gigawatt around.
Huge Rail Racer fan, here. I feel fortunate to have a complete set. Recommendation: Rapid Run's shield makes for an outstanding over the shoulder antenna/weapon for the combined RR mode. He looks super sweet with this addition.
...i have no idea how you do this
@@reserven5795 it's like an antenna/dish meets missile launcher. I have it over his right shoulder. While in backpack mode, I have RR's hands folded 90°, pointed to the rear. This allows the post holes to be up/down orientation, and puts them right at shoulder height. The shield/gun post is held by the hand, in this case the hole that has ended up top. The shield is positioned with wings flat over the shoulder, the back triangular panels are folded up (they look like cat ears). The missile portion aimed directly forward, like any other good bot. If you'd like me to send I pic, let me know!
@@setaside2 oh I get it, using rapid runs hands to do it. I was thinking the tabs on the shield had something to do with it
@@reserven5795 I originally thought I could do something with those. Turns out: they're just good at breaking up the form. 😂 Which is okay: that shield needs something.
I know we already have a Decepticon train character, but I really want another one just so it can be called “Derail”. Maybe a diesel engine to compare against Astrotrain’s steam engine.
Make him a Class 08
@@EternityKingdomsHeadHoncho I was thinking more along the lines of a AC44CW, but I see the vision for a devious diesel
I hunted these guys down when the released. Still the best 45 bucks I've spent on Transformers to this day.
thats insane! im still trying to find the set for a ok price
Midnight express is the definition of “never skipped leg day”
he never skipped leg day and unfortunate for him he’s in Norway where there’s 24 hours worth of daylight
My mom worked for Via rails so i have an appreciation for Team Bullet Train
Another big problem with a modern Rail Racer is Hastak seems to be really trying to put their figures in scale with how they were in the show, and in the show, Rail Racer was taller than Super Mode Optimus by a considerable margin. Each of the individual Team Bullet Train members would have to be at least Commander Class to make a combiner that big, which I just don't see happening any time soon even through Haslab.
my jrx broke in one of rapid run's arm panels so I can testify that the clear plastic is still breakable
These will all break eventually or yellow. I even have a few with screws that got corroded shortly after release. They just need to do new versions of them.
fun spinoff idea for this video, "A History of Trains in Transformers" since Trains are so under-utilized as alt modes.
If the leaks are to be believed we are getting a new bruticus. Hasbro seems to be on a rid 2000 kick wonder if we are getting a runination
they better make Battle Gaia as well as a pulse exclusive
Hope we get more trains in the new generations prime toyline, like Raiden, Rail Racer, Hearts of Steel, etc. I don’t get why HasTak is so hesitant to make trains in modern generations
Who knows?
It’s probably becuase the rest of the world particularly the west doesn’t have much of a train culture unlike Japan.
@@rhaeasoul8531 Speaking as a Brit, there are plenty of us interested in trains. Besides, what about train sets? Are those not a thing elsewhere? I had pleanty of different kinds of Train set as a child, and endless daydreaming about ones I had neither the money nor space for.
@@medafan53 I’m not saying trains don’t have a presence but they’re just more niche in most of the world esspecially passenger trains.
Japan is pretty much the capitol of train toys as you’ve got the brave series, sentai, shinkelion, and transformers.
I have no idea how we've come to the conclusion that Americans hate trains or that we dont have a strong relationship with trains. Thats just simply not true. Is it the same as Japan? No but its still a strong relationship. Model trains have been synonymous with Christmas for over 100 years. Model railroading is a multi million dollar industry and no its not just appealing to old guys. Model railroading has existed for roughly 150 years and is still going strong because the hobby continues to innovate. Kids can now run and program trains with smart phones via wifi signals. The reason why transformers don't do well as trains is because hasbro/takara only pick trains that are seen in the east. Western designs have never been done. There are tons of western trains that are iconic world wide that have never been touched. Unfortunately hasbro is just too afraid to experiment.
FYI, the voice actors for Team Bullet Train were Mike Reynolds (Railspike), Keith Diamond (Rapid Run), and David Lodge (Midnight Express) respectively, with the latter also providing the voice for their combined form Rail Racer.
Oh, and in case you forgot, Team Bullet Train's debut episode, "Bullet Train to the Rescue," aired in limited markets in the US on September 11, 2001.
Try to guess what happened on that day.
I would love to see a new take on railracer.
Same. Though I’d like to see Raiden as well
Midnight Express is a night-time sleeper car that Japan used to operate, so the name does make sense.
It is also slang for smuggling drugs
Trains in America are more of a niche market accept for major metropolitan areas with subways. Other than that, there's the rail fan subculture, but it doesn't reach the saturation level it does in Japan. I've heard model training is huge with Japanese children.
The train-themed Super Sentai series wouldn't make it as Power Rangers in the states.😭
Love the old one but really would like a update.
How is Midnight Express' name too long for a transformer?
It's 4 syllables, same as Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Devastator
It’s just more a weird name like something you’d call an actual train or bus not an alien robot.
@@rhaeasoul8531 he is a train
@@HouseholdWheel but also a sentient robot too. Midnight express sounds like just a standard passenger vehicle name.
@@rhaeasoul8531 So?
Metroplex is the name of several actual cities.
there's a guy called Transit.
Transformers names can be anything
15:07
I mean, how close are Monorails at Disney? The look a bit like Railspike
Shoutout to Jim Cornette and the Midnight Express!
I would love to see a new take but the stigma of trains not selling i wouldnt expect anything closer to a commander or even less a titan the best and safest thing would be one leader and two voyagers at best, only time will tell
I love rapid run of the bullet train members I love his attitude in the show
Following you for like 20 years I never thought I'd see corny and the midnight express in a video of yours 😂😂
One thing.
Nothing to do with Transformers.
But a other anime serie with train bots .
Namen is
Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion
Its use really the same design like rail racer .
I could see them managing to make them again if Takara snuck it in as a crossover with Shinkalion
If you are itching for a new bullet train combiner team, and are willing to step outside of Transformers proper, then there an option in the form of the latest season of Takara's series Shinkalion, Change the World. All of the train robots in that line are being designed to combine with each other, and there's a very high likelihood of the same trains featured in Rail Racer of being made in Shinkalion.
Om a huge Rail Racer fan. And honestly, the Walmart i work at sells a train set during the holidays and it either sells out, or almost does.
As a kid, I always thought Rail Racer looked cool but I think he was just overshadowed by the Commandos. Those guys were _the best thing ever_ for me as a kid, so Rail Racer was just "another combiner guy who isn't Ruination." I fall directly into that group you mentioned of kids who liked trains but just Thomas the Tank Engine, too.
The voice of Railspike is Mike Reynolds who voiced Gennai in Digimon, General Ivar in VR Troopers, and Captain Mutiny in Lost Galaxy. Always love Rail Racer as a kid though I can see the toys are not great with the translucent plastic. Hope a third party company can do a better version of Rail Racer
unless your Astrotrain, not train transformers stands a chances of being made Galaxy Shuttle wasn't originally a train but because Astrotain had a train alt-mod so Galaxy Shuttle got a train mode
I've got a korean version of Rail Racer, which seems to be about the same as japanese one. I've had it for at least about a decade. I love it to bits and combine/disassemble and transform it back and forth fairly regularly.
For the statistics` sake I can report no issues with clear plastic almost a quarter century later since the release.
Slider joints in the knees, on the other hand, do act up sometimes under the combined weight.
Respectfully, I disagree about Midnight Express' name. How is it too long, when Optimus Prime--which has more syllables--isn't?
I recently learned that the Supertrain Megazord despite its popularity in the fandom was also a shelf warmer. Which sucks. I probably would have bought it but I wasn’t into Power Rangers at the time. Same with Transformers since I loved trains as a kid. If Hasbro made a ZAP Supertrain it probably might do well. And ZAPs aren’t really for the general retailer.
12/13 year old me knew everything about jrx locomotive classes by the time the line came out because I feel in love with Raiden from the day I saw him on webtv back in the late 1990/ early 2000s back in the day and went to my library to read up on trains from other countries because they looked so cool to me and I thought we were finally getting a new Raiden at least at the time as the name wasn't dropped yet when I saw them so I was so excited. Sadly it wasn't but I got all three and still have them right behind me. Sadly midnight express legs broke one me so I glue them so he stuck in combiner leg mode forever but I still love them none the less
Gennai was the old man in Digimon, they made him look like young Obi-wan in D2.
Midnight Express isn't a bad name, it has the same amount of syllables as Ultra Magnus.
Considering the mark-up Zing gave Omega Prime - please not Haslab for Rail Racer.
Man i loved trains as a kid. I used to watch them for days gonpast my school on a bridge and could tell different types. Eurostar. Shinkansen,tgv all of it was great.
The trainbots were my second fave of rid. hoping we get a haslab now that omega has been funded.
I bought these guys when they released. I never saw them get a price drop either. And they sold out in my neck of the world.
One of the best combiners they ever put out.
As someone who owns the Hasbro version of Rail Racer, it's a shame they didn't sell better. They are great toys
I am "lucky" enough to own the Hasbro version without painted windows. I saw those at retail ONCE, which was when I bought them. Also saw the painted windows version ONCE and should have gotten those but was bitter about Hasbro offering "improved" versions after I bought the "inferior" versions. But Hasbro has no clue what will actually sell, or what their customers want.
When I was a kid Railracer and Ruination were my first combiners
Midnight Express definitely never skips leg day
Railspike was my favorite Transformer growing up. I played with it more in train mode than bot.
I would like the MPG release, especially because that gives us a chance at the Decepticon variant.
Dominus Trannis
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My favorite set from RID. They've had a well loved place in my collection for many years.
These three bots look like they would fit in with the Shinkalion line
I only had Rapid Run. I remember these being hard to find. Although I never loved trains, I did like combining Transformers. Though I don’t regret not having the other two.
Only ever had Rapid Run laying around (likely due to my older brothers), and always dreamed of having the complete set. Sadly, that hasn't happened yet, and I can never seem to find the poor guy's missile (likely lost to the aether).
"Kids don't care about trains because they're not part of daily life" ah yes, kids also notoriously hate spaceships, tanks, dinosaurs, etc
I'd be all in for another train combiner. Would also love an Astrotrain that is just a highly detailed super express JNR, no space plane. Just gimme my transforming GE999 with attached slug that splits apart and carries a big rifle and two guns and forms extra body armor. That would just make my decade.
I really wish Hasbro would go back to the good old days of solid plastic everything.
I was going to say, kids in America DO like trains because we do have trains in the U.S. I actually live near a still functioning train station... granted it's mostly a tourist trap now, the train just goes on a small tour line and then comes right back to where it started. There's a video on my channel from the train if you want to see that. And the movie Back to the Future 3, that's the same train station in that movie. It was filmed where I live. There's other things that were filmed here as well but Back to the Future 3 is the main reason tourists always come here.
I do however agree that specifically BULLET trains are not popular in the U.S. though I don't think that's the reason Hasbro won't make them considering they keep trying to make Astrotrain into a bullet train. Classics in 2006, Generations repaint in 2014, not exactly a "bullet train" exactly but Titans Return still isn't the steam engine that he's suppose to be. Also still surprised we didn't get an Omega Supreme out of that mold because the ship mode looks like Animated and the train mode looks like Energon Omega Supreme, that design is literally just splitting the difference between two other Omega Supreme designs. It took us till 2019 to actually get his proper train mode back.
You would think that if just not being popular in America was the problem they wouldn't keep trying to push the sleek bullet train design onto a character who isn't known for it. Of course I'm sure the reason they wanted Astrotrain to be a bullet train is because the sleeker design is a lot easier to turn into s space shuttle than the boxy steam engine.
If they think bullet trains aren't popular when it's on characters who are actually known to be bullet trains, it's REALLY not popular on a character who's suppose to be a steam engine.
Personally I think the reason they aren't popular isn't what they turn into. It's the fact that they all look the same. They're ALL white, blue, and yellow bullet trains that turn into similar robots and combine into a bigger similar robot. Compare that to the other set of train combiners who are a lot more visually interesting. They all have different color schemes, they all represent different styles of trains. That allows them to look a lot more visually distinct from each other.
Moving away from just the idea of train combiners... my personal favorite combiners are the Combaticons, The Protectorbots, and the Technobots, and any of the beast combiners. Look at what they all have in common... they're all visually distinct component parts.
My least favorite combiners are the Arealbots and the Constructicons, to a lesser extent. Mostly the problem with the Constructicons is that Scrapper and Bonecrusher could almost just be retools of each other. If you know your construction equipment really well you could point out the differences between them but kids aren't going to know or care, to a kid those are the same thing. Arealbots, those are all just white and red planes, none of them really stand out as being visually distinct. Not to a child anyway. That's the real problem with Rail Racer is they're all the same so there isn't much incentive for a kid to want all 3 and combine them if the result is to take 3 robots who all look the same only to turn them into a bigger robot who still looks the same.
It actually would have helped them if they weren't all bullet trains and/or had visually distinct color schemes.
trains! I would love more train transformer ^^ Maybe we'll get a Rail too (hopeful)
You know maybe right now with Brightline on both east and west and Amtrak getting some popularity they might try to do it.
I hate the name "Midnight Express" purely because the other two had names both beginning with R and with three syllables each.
I was thinking just that. The Masterpiece trainbots might be a good way to gage the popularity and possibly give us a new Railracer/JRX. Of course they would need to separate sales and see how the import market to America does for those releases. Of course Takara might surprise us and do a release of them
I like the name Midnight Express just because its the only bullet train name that sounds cool other than Classics Astrotrain.
Loved, loved, loved these guys when they first came out. Though even I admit Midnight Express (Who, sorry, has a -fantastic- name) is a bit doofy looking. On the other hand, having the combiner be Rail Racer and one of the members be Rail Spike is a bit repetitious, even if both are good names.
And you touched on their state of "size class limbo", which I remember first reading about on message boards some years ago.
And, of course, Rail Racer himself is absolutely fantastic combiner that even holds up fairly well today.
But I'd love a three-pack update at Commander or Titan class. I'll take HasLab too though.
I wanted them, but of course they never released in New Zealand at all, so frick me for liking trains I guess. The Universe version of Rail Racer made up from the Micromaster Sixtrain set didn't come out here either.
which is also the reason Ressha Sentai ToQger was not adapted into a Power Rangers season.
TIL I have the variant version with the painted windows!. Its the only figures I still have from RID
I'm honestly surprised a 3rd party hasn't tried their hand at these guys yet. Somebody like FansHobby that makes big, play oriented stuff could probably knock out a banger.
Takara kills it with the shinkalion line and they’re doing a 3 train combiner this season….. just release that under the transformers banner?
The purple version was released by Tomy Takara as a Neon Genesis release.
That was a different toyline called Shinkalion, the Rail Racer molds have never been reused.
@TJOmega ah cool!
I just thought about it when I watched this the other day.
I remember seeing it in Japan the last time I was there I thinking "Oh they went there!" but now looking at it, you're right.
Thanks man!
Rail Road Travel in the USA is sacrifices Convience and Comford for Economic Efficiency and Political Bureacracy. Cargo Railways share the samel Rails as Frieght.
I think Rail Racer would make for a really great titan.
More like a combiner size titan that is slightly shorter than both Devastator and Predaking.
Did we get any other bullet train Transformers besides the ones mixed in with the Micromaster Trainbots?
At best, Hasbro would prob only make these guys if they were in the Core class scale, but even then... Otherwise Hasbro, try making an original (old man-looking?) character that turns into a steam engine to test that market.
I got mine in the separate packages one from Kmart one from Toys r Us and the final from Walmart i loved it wosh they would re release it
I've been missing rapid run forever Y^Y My other two have been sitting in their boxes since i got them.
I think we could definitely get a Haslab or MPG Railracer in the next few years tbh
I never have seen the show or had the toy but a friend of mine had all 3 and i found it so awesome xD
All aboard the pain train!
Thank you for making this I really enjoyed the video!! Hope I can get a rail racer that can stand one day😂
watch hasbro eventually do a collaboration with thomas the tank engine
The most we’ll probably get is Hiro retooled from Siege Astrotrain (could double as a pretty sweet SG Astrotrain), but considering that TakaraTomy already makes the Plarail Thomas toys, maybe we’ll see Plarail compatible Thomas x Transformers figures.
Not sure we'll get that any time soon, considering Mattel has been mismanaging Thomas & Friends for a solid 6-7 years now (on top of squandered potential by HiT Entertainment in the 00s & before Mattel's buyout in 2012/13) - that said, it'd be cool to see Hasbro tackle some British & American prototypes for new Transformers (diesel, electric, maybe a fireless for Scout/Core class, possibly a noted steam engine like the Gresley A4s) as well as new CHUG-scale figures for Raiden, Rail Racer, the Micromaster teams, etc.
I was bothered that we never got raiden in combiner wars or railracer love the trainbots my action figure holy grail would be g1 raiden
Very enjoyable video
rail spike great name
rapid run good name
midnight express Horrible name
i allways thought his rail razzer
People forget Transformers raiden
Those are 6 trainbots .
15:29 You had to mention the little blue embarassment, didn't you?
There are plenty of people (including kids) in the States, who have a huge enthusiasm for actual steam locomotives thundering down the mainline on a railtour, or diesels hauling big freignt trains. THAT is the side where trains are a huge part of every-day life in the States.
Commuter and passenger stuff, not really. But considering America's rail network was predominantly made for hauling mass-amounts of freight, that's fine.
Hell, there are people who like trains, but they have outgrown Thomas, to the point of having a deep-seeded haterd for him, due to the inevitable metric ton of embarassment he brings.
So they aren't skyrim fans
You said it. Americans like steam engines and diesel powered trains. What Takara has been making were either japanese passenger trains, or bullet trains. Both of those types are more popular in Japan, but also other countries like Germany. Or else the ICEs from Märklin wouldn't sell out the entire time in Germany.
People like the classics, but people here and in Japan also like the more modern and sleek designes from bullet trains and similar types.
And lastly, the bullet train team was initialy designed by Takara for the japanese market and only later imported to the west. So it it's obvious that they chose what sells in their market.
I think the original English language releases should have forgone the individual releases & only released them as a 3 pack.
So when it comes to reusing Rail Racer, I guess you could say... the game was rigged from the start?
Mid-night-Ex-press, four syllables
Op-ti-mus-Prime, four syllables
They're really the same length to say, but I'll agree somehow Midnight Express just feels a bit longer, and it can't be shortened as comfortably as Optimus _or_ Prime.