Team Bullet Train

2011-09-27T00:28:34Z

70.30.52.9:

{{factions|autobot}}
:''Team Bullet Train is an [[Autobot]] subgroup from the [[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:TeamBulletTrain.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I hear them trains a comin'. They's rollin' 'round the bend...<br />Left to right: Rapid Run, Midnight Express, Railspike]]
'''Team Bullet Train''' is a trio of... well, bullet trains. They are deep-cover Autobot protectors sent to [[Earth]] who shuttle [[human]] passengers around until duty calls. And when called into battle, they are capable of holding their own against the [[Megatron (RID)|best]] [[Ruination (RID)|of]] [[Scourge (RID)|them]].

The members of Team Bullet Train are...

* [[Railspike (RID)|Railspike]], the leader
* [[Rapid Run (RID)|Rapid Run]]
* [[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]]

The three can also combine to form the mighty [[Rail Racer (RID)|Rail Racer]].

==Fiction==
===''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
[[Image:BulletTrainRescue single file link-up.jpg|thumb|left|220px|I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.]]
Team Bullet Train were first called on when the [[Linear RFG]] bullet train was under threat from the [[Predacon (RID)|Predacon]]s. Dumping their carriages, some of which contained indignant commuters, the trio caught up with the Linear RFG. With the train out of control thanks to [[Dark Scream]]'s sabotage, they set about working out a way to stop it. They used their single file link-up maneuver and, with [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]]'s help, brought the train to a halt just short of a bridge that the Predacons had destroyed. When [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] arrived to show his men how it was done, the team combined into Rail Racer and battered him into a retreat. The train saved, Team Bullet Train returned to their regular civilian duties. {{storylink|Bullet Train to the Rescue}}

[[Image:SecretoftheRuins RapidRun Railspike thumbsup.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
The team was called in to [[Metro City]] when Megatron and his three goons attacked it. Though they found the streets difficult to negotiate in their large robot modes, the team located the Predacons and started battling them. Megatron eventually joined the fight as well, and the Autobots combined into Rail Racer, at which point Megatron simply left. The fight had only been a diversion while [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] investigated the [[Payuma ruins]]. {{storylink|The Secret of the Ruins}}

When the aging steam train "[[Grandpa]]" needed protecting, Team Bullet Train was the obvious choice, though Midnight Express seemed to believe the train was sentient. They successfully fended off a series of attacks from Sky-Byte and his three Predacon cohorts, but once the train reached its destination, the Predacons successfully snatched it. Team Bullet Train gave chase, and Midnight Express snatched the train back right before Megatron could grab hold of it. {{storylink|Secret Weapon: D-5}}

In an attempt to track down the rogue Autobot [[Skid-Z (RID)|Skid-Z]], Team Bullet Train entered the [[International Grand Prix]], but their contribution to the mission came to a halt when a Predacon-induced rock slide blocked their path. {{storylink|Skid Z's Choice}} [[Tow-Line (RID)|Tow-Line]], another new Autobot, was corrupted by a Predacon disk, and began towing away the other Autobots including Rapid Run. After Rapid Run suffered the indignity of being scraped along buildings and was dumped down a hole with [[X-Brawn]] and [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]], Tow-Line was brought to his senses, and the three bots rescued in time to enact some revenge on the Predacons. {{storylink|Tow-Line Goes Haywire}}

[[Image:Ultimate Robot Warrior Railspike Rapidrun.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
Rapid Run caught [[Slapper (RID)|Slapper]] interfering with a [[Buddha|Buddhist]] statue, leading the Autobots to discover the Predacons believed that the [[Cave of the Dragon]] harbored a statue that transformed into a [[dragon]]. In an attempt to scare the Predacons off, Rapid Run and Railspike disguised themselves as a dragon, while Optimus and Midnight Express played the part of the statue, but it all went a bit topsy turvy when Midnight fell over. The plan succeeded nonetheless. {{storylink|The Ultimate Robot Warrior}}

After practising their link-up manoeuvre, Team Bullet Train returned to the Autobot base to review footage of previous adventures in an attempt to find the Predacon base. {{storylink|Hope for the Future}} After the creation of the [[Decepticon]]s by Megatron, the team was sent to [[Sherman Dam]], where they combined into Rail Racer and fought [[Ruination (RID)|Ruination]]. {{storylink|Commandos}} When the Predacons were following Side Burn around in an attempt to find the Autobot base, Team Bullet Train took part in an ambush at [[Pier 7B]], though they largely stood back while Optimus fought [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]]. {{storylink|Attack from Outer Space}} In their Rail Racer form, they fought off the Decepticons at [[Crestline power plant]]. {{storylink|The Fish Test}}

[[Image:Landfill Bullet Trains exit bridge.jpg|thumb|right|240px|I like trains!]]
Due to a [[Global Space Bridge]] malfunction engineered by the Decepticons, Team Bullet Train accidentally ended up on a busy city street. Rapid Run later got into a fight with [[Wedge]] over whose fault it was, and the other team members had to restrain him. A later attempt to use the bridge resulted in the three trains ending up in similarly unlikely places. Once the Global Space Bridge was fixed, they accompanied the [[Build Team]] and other Autobots to the north energy research facility to fight the Decepticons, though they allowed [[Landfill (RID)|Landfill]] to deal with Megatron as a matter of honor. {{storylink|Landfill (episode)|Landfill}}

[[Image:TwoFacesUltraMagnus Bullet Trains searching.jpg|thumb|left|260px|"They must be somewhere in this completely empty field."]]
On one occasion, Rail Racer kept Ruination busy while [[Landfill (RID)|Landfill]] stole back the energy which the Decepticons had been pilfering. The Decepticons were mighty angry at the Build Team and began attacking construction sites, promptly fleeing whenever the other Autobots, including Team Bullet Train, turned up. After the whole matter was sorted, the Autobots enjoyed a hot oil bath on an island. {{storylink|A Test of Metal}} The team helped the rest of the Autobots test the Global Space Bridge. {{storylink|Lessons of the Past}} They were also sent looking for the [[Autobot Brothers]], who had disappeared while tracking [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]], a recent arrival to Earth. They were approached by Magnus himself, who informed them that Optimus was being led into a trap, and the three trains rushed to help the Autobot leader. {{storylink|The Two Faces of Ultra Magnus}}

When the Autobots were on the verge of locating [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Fortress Maximus]], Team Bullet Train were dispatched to the location under Metro City to protect the Build Team. While Midnight Express became disorientated in the tunnels, Rapid Run and Railspike faced [[Ro-Tor (RID)|Ro-Tor]] and [[Movor]]. Ultra Magnus's misguided attempt to help unleashed a flood which washed all three Team Bullet Train members into the huge cavern housing Maximus. They formed Rail Racer to defend the giant robot from the Decepticons. {{storylink|Fortress Maximus (episode)|Fortress Maximus}} They later battled Ruination while the Build Team concealed Maximus. {{storylink|Koji Gets His Wish}}

[[Image:FortressMaximus Rail Racer stockfootage.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Team Bullet Train also attempted to defend Maximus from the Decepticons once his location was exposed. Scourge managed to successfully activate Maximus, but proved unable to control him. {{storylink|Maximus Emerges}} When Scourge magnified the human portion of his bio-signature in another attempt to control Maximus, Team Bullet Train was sent into the desert with Build Team and a thousand children to halt the titan. {{storylink|The Human Element}}

Gathering at a predetermined location, the Bullet Trains and the rest of the Autobots ambushed the Decepticon forces. The team combined into Rail Racer to fight Galvatron's ''[[Megastar]]'', but the battle station was eventually felled by Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Surprise Attack!}} After Galvatron used [[cyber-bat]]s to gain control of the world's children, the Autobots were forced to retreat into the space bridge and were followed by the Decepticons. Galvatron ruptured the tunnel during the battle which followed, flooding it with molten lava which the Autobots were only narrowly able to escape. They were prompt seized by a powered-up Galvatron. {{storylink|Galvatron's Revenge}} Team Bullet Train reformed Rail Racer in order to protect Optimus Prime, and were subsequently held in a paralysed state by Galvatron until the Decepticon leader's defeat at the hands of [[Omega Prime]]. {{storylink|The Final Battle (RID)|The Final Battle}}

===Ultra Magnus...to the Rescue?===
Rail Racer was seen via [[T-AI]]'s viewscreen, presumably on a mission since the Autobots had spread their forces thin. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus...to the Rescue?}}

==Toys==
===''Robots in Disguise''===
[[Image:RIDtoy-Railspikeblankwindows.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Railspike]]
[[Image:RID Midhight Express Toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Midnight Express]]
*'''Team Bullet Train''' (Mega, 2000/2001)

:[[Railspike (RID)|Railspike]]
:[[Rapid Run (RID)|Rapid Run]]
:[[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]]

:Team Bullet Train were sold separately in Hasbro markets, whilst in Japan they were also available as a box set.

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Team Shinkansen''' (チーム新幹線)
*''Italian:'' '''Turbotreni'''

[[Category:Autobot subgroups]]
[[Category:Combiner teams]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise]]

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Team Bullet Train