Editing Astrotrain (G1)

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2}}
{{disambig3|Astrotrain}}
:''Astrotrain is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Astrotraing1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Choo Choo Rocket]]
'''Astrotrain''' loves to sow confusion. To this end, his [[Triple Changer]] abilities serve him well. Nothing pleases him more than confronting an Autobot in a dark corner and making him wonder if he's up against one Decepticon or two. He craves having this power over others. Single-minded, you may say, but when most of your time is spent transporting troops around, you have to take your jollies where you can. He wants more from life, but it's either fly the other Decepticons around, or get scrapped by them. Occasionally, this drudgery is broken by the opportunity to [[Combiner|combine]] with his fellow Decepticons as part of [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megascream]] or [[Galvatronus]]—sure, he may just turn into a limb, but at least it's ''something''. Sometimes, he's [[Binary bonding|partnered]] with the [[Titan Master]] [[Darkmoon]].

He also craves having power over a massive [[Astroforce|army of train drones]]. Follow your dreams, Astrotrain. Follow your dreams.

{{bigquote|It's always the same thing. I fly them to points unknown, exhaust all my fuel, and they get to have all the fun.|Astrotrain on his eternal role as the Decepticons' ride|"[[The Gambler]]"}} 

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Jack Angel]] (English), [[Takurō Kitagawa]] (Japanese)|[[Zhang Mingyu]] (Chinese), [[Jorge García]] (Latin American), [[Gerd Wiedenhofen]] (German, ''Hoist Goes Hollywood'' & The Movie), [[Reinhard Brock]] (German, ''The Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1''), [[Christoph Lindert]] (German, ''The Killing Jar'' Generation 1 Dub & ''Triple Takeover'' Generation 2 Dub), [[Walter von Hauff]] (German, ''Ghost in the Machine''), [[Gernot Duda]] (German, ''The Big Broadcast of 2006''), [[Holger Schwiers]] (German, ''The Burden Hardest to Bear''), [[Gerd Rigauer]] (German, ''Prime Target'' Generation 2), [[Tonio von der Meden]] (German, ''Ghost in the Machine'' Generation 2 Dub), [[Hélio Ribeiro]] (Portuguese)}}
[[File:AstrotrainTakeover.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|It doesn't matter if you're grey or white... if you're a boy or a girl...]]
Astrotrain arrived on [[Earth]] during the second year of [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s campaign to conquer the planet and its energy resources. His activities prior to that point remain unclear, but he was first seen guarding human slaves in an energy mine following the Decepticon takeover of [[Central City (Earth)|Central City]]. When the Autobots returned from a brief exile in space, Astrotrain and his comrades were defeated and sent packing. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}}

He once transported Megatron to the [[Moon (moon)|moon]] where he and the Decepticons' leader attempted to jam Earth's radio waves. The attempt was interrupted by the arrival of [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], [[Carly]], and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. Astrotrain engaged in a bad pun, accused Omega Supreme of being too outdated to catch him, and then was the victim of a Cybertronian's impression of a sandworm (see image) before being thrown a few planetary diameters. {{storylink|Blaster Blues}}

[[File:Omegasupreme astrotrain.jpg|thumb|Behold my mighty hand!]]
Typically one of the more easy-going among the Decepticons, even Astrotrain isn't above letting a little power go to his head. While tracking [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], he shot down the Autobot, who had been on a fuel scouting mission, and managed to trick the [[Titan (species)|people]] of [[Titan (moon)|Titan]] into believing that he was one of their [[Sky God]]s, so that they would mine [[energy crystal]]s for him and the Decepticons. Astrotrain used [[Jero]], a corrupt High Priest who was as fanatical as he was ruthless, to further his ends. However, the Autobots [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] and [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] arrived aboard Omega Supreme looking for Cosmos. Omega Supreme was virtually out of fuel after the trip, but the Autobots soon managed to refuel him using the energy crystals. Knowing that he, [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] alone couldn't beat Omega Supreme, Astrotrain destroyed the crystals in a fit of pique before flying off, leaving Jero to die like the worm he was. Harsh, Astrotrain, harsh. {{storylink|The God Gambit}}

Astrotrain was used by Megatron to transport energy rich asteroid ore being mined by the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] in high orbit. Astrotrain maintained his shuttle mode so that [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] could load him with cargo. He apparently did not have very keen sensors in that form, as the Autobot Cosmos was able to very clumsily swipe some ore from his open cargo bay, then loudly fell over Astrotrain's side without the Decepticon even reacting. {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme (episode)|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} 

Astrotrain later transported [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] to the planet [[Monacus]] to check up on Decepticon sympathizer [[Gyconi|Lord Gyconi]]. When they learned that Gyconi had captured a number of Autobots and brainwashed them into mindless slaves, the Decepticons tried to stow them aboard Astrotrain to take them back to Megatron. However, their plan was stopped by [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]] and [[Slizardo]], and the latter two followed Astrotrain into space as he escaped with his comrades. {{storylink|The Gambler}}

When [[Deceptitran]] sent word for assistance in overcoming [[Tlalakan]] rebels, Astrotrain transported Megatron and his warriors to that distant world to protect their energon horde. The rebellion gained Transformer aid of their own, though, and [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] and friends drove off the Decepticons and led the Tlalakans to freedom. {{storylink|Sea Change}}

[[File:TripleTakeover-ThrustAndAstrotrain.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.05|"What have you got there, Astrotrain?"<br />"Go away, Thrust. Nobody likes ''your'' style!"]]
However, the incident on Titan had given Astrotrain a taste of power, and he decided he liked it. With the help of [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], Astrotrain froze Megatron and Starscream in a sewer system in order to take over the Decepticons. He then created an army of trains to help him rule, thinking it was a good idea. Although he managed to amass a surprisingly large amount of [[energon cube]]s, the productive day ended with him flooding the entire city after bursting a water main. Worse, Megatron thawed out. The embarrassment of these incidents forced Astrotrain to creep back into the Decepticon ranks quietly... at [[fusion cannon]] point. {{storylink|Triple Takeover}}

[[Chumley|Lord Chumley]] used Astrotrain's likeness as a lure to capture [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]]. Megatron later sent the real Astrotrain (as well as Blitzwing) to go negotiate with Chumley so they could team up to annihilate the Autobots. The Triple Changers arrived in time to see Optimus refuse to rescue a distressed young woman. Astrotrain was curious, but Blitzwing fell for the ruse and got stuck, so Astrotrain was left with no other option but going to the castle to free him. On his way there, Astrotrain found Chumley using a [[Chumley's arachnoid drones|robotic scorpion]] to fight Optimus Prime, and proposed Megatron's deal. Chumley responded by flinging the Decepticon away, hanging him up to the walls, and defusing his weapons. Astrotrain was frustrated and explained himself, but Chumley rejected the notion and claimed he'd rather have the help of an aardvark. But as Prime inched closer, Chumley panicked and freed the Decepticons, who promptly made their getaway. He learned that day, to never trust Decepticons. {{storylink|Prime Target (episode)|Prime Target}}

[[File:HoistGoesHollywood-AstrotrainClaws.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|No razors here, folks.]]
Megatron dispatched Astrotrain, Starscream, Ramjet, and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] in order to catch the [[Female Autobots]], making up for Shockwave's failure. Running into their leader, [[Elita One]], Astrotrain and Ramjet grabbed her and took her prisoner. When Optimus Prime arrived to rescue Elita, she kicked Astrotrain in the face, forcing him to lose his grip. He recovered and was able to celebrate Prime's apparent disintegration, later got zapped by the duo of [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] and [[Firestar (G1)|Firestar]], and in shuttle mode he transported the retreating Decepticons away. {{storylink|The Search for Alpha Trion}} Megatron's next mission for Astrotrain was to go with Thrust and Ramjet to salvage Dirge and his cargo, who crashed in a swamp near a movie set. When they arrived, Astrotrain deployed a pair of claws to haul Dirge back, while a nearby [[Attack of the Alien Robots director|director]] filmed them. Once they returned to headquarters, Astrotrain informed Megatron of the film crew that was watching them as they carted the device, and the enraged Megatron set out to destroy the film. {{storylink|Hoist Goes Hollywood (episode)|Hoist Goes Hollywood}}

Astrotrain transported Megatron, Starscream and Rumble to the lost Autobot colony of [[Antilla]], where they discovered the entire civilization had been wiped out by the deadly [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]]. Not heeding a holographic warning from the Autobots, Megatron ventured further into the colony and seized an [[Lightning Bug|advanced heat ray weapon]] from its storage chamber. As they left Antilla, a Cosmic Rust spore-filled asteroid appeared to chase after Astrotrain, prompting Megatron to test out of the power of the 'Lightning Bug' weapon on the space rock. The blast obliterated the asteroid, but the shrapnel from the explosion pierced Astrotrain's hull and punctured Megatron's chest plate, infecting him with Cosmic Rust. Oddly enough, Astrotrain was never infected. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}

[[File:TFTM-AstrotrainCoronation.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.15|I guess you could say it's his... ''crowning moment''! Gah ha ha ha!]]
Astrotrain witnessed Starscream throw a fit over Megatron's obsession with Shockwave, and was surprised as everyone else when the Seeker shot Megatron in the back. But when Megatron overpowered his subordinate, Astrotrain was disgusted and allowed Starscream to be humiliated. He was then present for a battle with Starscream's new team of [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]], but didn't contribute anything in particular. At the end of the day, Megatron ordered Astrotrain to take the traitorous Starscream and the Combaticons to an asteroid floating through space, where they would be banished forever. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}} Astrotrain could be glimpsed on the simulation of Megatron's [[orbit disruptor cannon]], but did not get to actually see it in person. {{storylink|B.O.T. (episode)|B.O.T.}}

In the year [[2005]], he transported the Decepticons away after getting their aft-sections [[Battle of Autobot City|handed to them]] at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. He couldn't make it back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with the amount of weight on board, so they tossed [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|some]] [[Insecticon (G1)|dead]] [[Thundercracker (G1)|weight]] overboard. After that, Astrotrain served as the ring for the subsequent fight among the Decepticons to replace the ejected Megatron, where the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] formed [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] inside him (slag, Astrotrain is big!) and Rumble and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] used their piledrivers (slag, Astrotrain is sturdy!) Apparently, they all made it back fine, and Astrotrain was the one to crown Starscream during his coronation as the new [[Decepticon leader]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}
{{note|Astrotrain’s involvement in these events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the comic mini-series “[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]” and the storybook “[[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|Transformers the Movie]]."}}

When the Decepticons lost their hold on Cybertron, Astrotrain went with the rest of them to [[Chaar]], where he was seen trying to deliver Energon cubes to the starving army. When he tried to take a cube for himself while the Constructicons were fighting amongst themselves for the energy, they merged into Devastator and kicked him aside. Devastator was then distracted by [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], and Astrotrain made another move for the cube, only to be shot by [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]. Such is life. When Cyclonus insulted the Decepticons for their behavior, Astrotrain somewhat notably mentioned that he knew [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] and Megatron "were the same guy". Cyclonus later stated that he needed energon as it was needed to revive Galvatron, and Astrotrain gave him the rest of his supplies. He got an inspirational speech in return. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}}

When the Quintessons offered the Decepticons energon, Astrotrain joined his cohorts in the feasting, and when the Quintessons made a proposition, he agreed to go with it and went to battle the Autobots with everyone else. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}} He later participated in a battle in space under unknown circumstances. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (episode)|The Killing Jar}}

[[File:Chaos-astrotrain-swisscheese.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
Astrotrain then helped Galvatron and the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] with the plan to destroy Cybertron with a [[death crystal cannon]], supervising the loading of the cannon with the deadly crystals. {{storylink|Chaos (episode)|Chaos}} 

[[File:GhostInTheMachine-AstrotrainPossessed.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Starscream! This is ''[[Furmanism|the worst case of indigestion I've ever had!]]'']]
Later on, when [[Scourge (G1)|intruders]] found their way inside [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Astrotrain responded to the alarm but ended up being possessed by Starscream's [[Spark|ghost]] because of his useful cargo space. Starscream flew his body most of the way to [[Unicron]]'s head, then left it when he closed in on Cybertron, leaving Astrotrain to be shot down by the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]]. Astrotrain was then captured and interrogated by the Autobots, but was as confused as they were about why he had been flying so close to Cybertron all by himself. He was later released as a way of thanking Scourge for revealing Unicron's plans to them. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (G1)|Ghost in the Machine}}

Later, Astrotrain stumbled upon [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] in space and battled him until the two were suddenly interrupted by a laser barrage from the nearby [[Junkion (planet)|Planet of Junk]] and retreated. Astrotrain returned to Chaar to report this to Galvatron, who punched him in the face, insulted him and stated that he didn't care. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}}

Astrotrain was later seen participating in a Decepticon attack on Japan, trying to ram a bullet train head-on, before being driven off by the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]]. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}}
{{-}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga=====
[[File:SRLF4 astrotrain snaps metroplex.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]

Astrotrain joined the rest of the Decepticon forces in an assault on Autobot HQ in [[Arizona]]. This acted as a cover for Soundwave's covert operations in [[Japan]] (which were ultimately foiled).{{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 2|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2}}

Later, when the Autobots began construction of the battle fortress [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]], Astrotrain was assigned to carry out surveillance of the project with [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]. Using Reflector's camera mode to capture images of Scramble City's transformations, Astrotrain brought the images back to Megatron so he could deduce whether or not it was powerful enough to stand up to their own near-complete battle station, [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 3|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #3}}
{{-}}

=====''The Battle of the Star Gate''=====
[[File:SGB1 giant astrotrain.jpg|thumb|275px]]
In the mid-1990s, Astrotrain ferried the Decepticons through space for their attack on the orbital interstellar teleportation platform known as the ''[[Trigger]]'', created as part of a joint effort between the Autobots and the American government. His shuttle mode serving as the perfect disguise to allow the villains to draw in close before striking, he raised brief suspicion by not matching any known Earthly spacecraft, but when Starscream and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] deployed from within him and flew on ahead, the impossible sight of jets flying in outer space led the ''Trigger''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew to believe Astrotrain and his passengers were Autobots. This fatal mistake led to the deaths of three of the four-man crew at the Decepticons' hands before the Autobots arrived to rout the villains. Astrotrain transformed for battle ''without'' changing size and entered the fray as a gigantic robot, but even his huge size couldn't win the day, and the Decepticons withdrew. {{storylink|First Contact (Star Gate)|First Contact}}

Several months later, Astrotrain was employed by Starscream to carry the large payload of energon cubes he had gathered through a deal with the Prime Minister of Japan back to [[Decepticon Headquarters (G1 Earth)|Decepticon Headquarters]]. When the Decepticons came under attack by the Autobots, Astrotrain took flight, but his escape was barricaded by the time-displaced ghost of Starscream from the future (yes, really), {{storylink|Activation}} who spirited the present-day Starscream and the energon cubes away to the ''Trigger''. Astrotrain nervously reported this baffling turn of events to his leader, then joined with all the other Decepticons and Autobots in attacking the twin Starscreams, who had fused their body with the ''Trigger''. The battle ended when Optimus Prime and Megatron combined their power to destroy Starscream's new body, but the backwash from the explosion was so powerful that Astrotrain and all the other Transformers were sent hurtling down to Earth in uncontrolled re-entry, and were not heard from again for many months. {{storylink|The Battle of the Star Gate}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
[[File:FMYOVM Astrotrain.jpg|thumb|left]]
Astrotrain, Blitzwing, and [[Octane]] were amongst the troops serving under [[Sixshot]] in Trypticon on Earth in the year 2011. Together, they helped Sixshot distract [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and his warriors from assisting the Autobots' forces on Cybertron when Galvatron staged a major attack on the planet. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} The three were later dispatched to protect Trypticon from an attack by the Autobot Triple Changers [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] and [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]], unaware that it was just a distraction to allow [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Twincast]] to infiltrate the base. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} He also served as Galvatron's personal transport to the planet [[Praum]], where the Decepticons had set a trap for the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} He also transported Galvatron and [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundblaster]] to Earth from Chaar, where they prepared their strike on Cybertron. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} Astrotrain then went into Earth's orbit to help steal the energy-gathering satellite known as [[Sol 1]], {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} and much later he witnessed [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] reveal his gigantic [[transtector]] at [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

Astrotrain joined the rest of the Decepticon forces in the [[Arctic]] for [[Scorponok (G1)|Mega Zarak]]'s final assault on the Earth. When the Autobots proved victorious, he and the rest of the Decepticons were driven from the Earth and into the reaches of space.{{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}
{{--}}

=====''Transformers Legends'' comic=====
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Headmasters Chapter Prologue}}}}

=====''Super-God Masterforce'' manga=====
"Astrotrain" joined several legendary Decepticons in battle against [[Ginrai (human)|Super Ginrai]]. "Astrotrain" was ultimately revealed to be nothing more than a holographic illusion created by [[Giga]]. {{storylink|Burn, Super Soul! The New Commander Super Ginrai!}}

====Madman ''The Transformers'' comic====
In the year 2001, the Decepticons had managed to conquer Cybertron completely. As the Autobots evacuated off-planet, Astrotrain was one of the many space-worthy Decepticons who pursued them into orbit and attacked. {{storylink|The Transformers (Madman)|The Transformers}}

====''Mars Attacks: The Transformers''====
[[File:Mars Attacks The Transformers - Prowl and Astrotrain.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb]]
Astrotrain was among the Decepticons who were defeated by the Autobots after a battle in a city. When the city was subsequently invaded by [[Martian]]s, the Decepticons attempted to team up with them, only to be double-crossed. The Decepticons instead formed an alliance with the Autobots to see off the Martians, and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] even saved Astrotrain from one of the Martian war robots, though they agreed to continue hating each other. {{storylink|Mars Attacks: The Transformers}}
{{-}}

====Ask Vector Prime====
When [[Gong (GoBots)|Gong]] and [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] got together for a little mischief, they spiced up the [[Battle of Autobot City]] with some [[GoBot]]s. In this new timeline, Astrotrain participated in the assault on [[Guardian (GoBots)|Guardian]] City and killed [[Apollo (GoBots)|Apollo]]. Megatron battled [[Leader-1 (GoBots)|Leader-1]] and fell in battle, and the Decepticons retreated aboard Astrotrain.

Then reality changed again, and the Decepticons now co-existed with the [[Renegade]]s. Astrotrain ordered his passengers to jettison weight, and they promptly did so. The group then turned their attention to nominating the next leader of the Renegade-Decepticon alliance, which quickly turned into a free-for-all. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}

====''Deviations''====
In a universe where Megatron didn’t survive his duel with Optimus, Astrotrain ferried the defeated Decepticons off of Earth and back to Cybertron, pausing only to jettison the casualties of the battle. Unsurprisingly, Starscream seized the title of Decepticon leader, and Astrotrain was present for his coronation on Cybertron... a coronation that was interrupted by Unicron. When Starscream pledged allegiance to Unicron and became "Megascream", Astrotrain was one of the Decepticons who received an upgrade as part of the deal. 

During Unicron’s final attack on Cybertron, Astrotrain accompanied Megascream when the Decepticon leader tried to steal the Matrix. Astrotrain’s new upgrade allowed him to merge with his leader, and the five Decepticons transformed into a massive combiner that flattened Optimus. Astrotrain was presumably killed when Hot Rod opened the Matrix shortly afterwards. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations|Deviations}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
''Astrotrain was one of Lord [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]]'s warriors on Cybertron, operating out of [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]] in [[Polyhex]]. At [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s demand, he [[Communicube|called]] a group of Decepticons back from a planned assassination attempt on [[Emirate]] [[Xaaron]] and the Autobot leaders, leaving all the Decepticons unaware that it was actually a ploy by the Autobots to wipe them out.'' {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

''Some time later, Megatron was teleported to Cybertron alongside Optimus Prime. Straxus came to see Megatron as a liability and sought to take control of his more powerful body. Astrotrain witnessed the mind-swapping process, unaware that it had gone awry upon its completion, leaving both Megatron and Straxus trapped within the same frame.''{{storylink|Resurrection!}}

[[File:Ratbatcratercritters.jpg|left|thumb|"Thus, my new fuel economy plan will increase fuel efficiency. Any other questions, Astrotrain?" "Yeah. What the hell did you just say, Ratbat?"]]
Later still, Astrotrain and his fellow Triple Changers were commissioned by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] to investigate the loss of his [[Wash and Roll|priceless cargo]] that had arrived on Earth via a low-cost freighter, but hadn't checked in as scheduled. Additionally, while on Earth, the trio were tasked with enlisting the aid of a human with access to many "bucks" and connections to the automotive industry, to further help the Decepticons acquire fuel. Upon making contact with the crashed ship, Astrotrain and his companions were infected with [[Scraplet]]s, and began to slowly waste away. The Autobots [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Goldbug]] came upon the site as well, and the Decepticons reveled at the chance at some destructive fun before their demise. Though Goldbug escaped, Astrotrain, Blitzwing, and Octane cornered Blaster {{storylink|Crater Critters}} and took him prisoner. The group then holed up inside the ship, and Astrotrain updated Ratbat on their situation, urging him to send them a cure for the Scraplets. Instead, Ratbat sent over the captured [[Throttlebot]]s with canisters of acid, instructing them to eliminate all of the infected. Lucky for them, Blaster's friends had managed to re-discover the [[Water|strange and wondrous chemical]] that acted as a cure for Scraplets, and prepared to use said cure instead. But Blaster, who had gotten himself infected as well during his fight with the Triple Changers, instructed the Autobots not to use the cure: he would rather die than be instrumental in allowing a Decepticon to live. Goldbug's hand was forced against Blaster's wishes when thousands of Scraplets combined to form a monster, and the only ones with enough firepower to take it down were the Decepticons. All those within the crater were doused with water, and the Triple Changers made short work of the remaining Scraplets. Following their victory, Astrotrain showed quick thinking when he identified a nearby [[G.B. Blackrock]] as a useful asset and [[stroboscopic opticon|hypnotically gained control of him]], thus ensuring the viability of [[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom|Ratbat's greatest plan]]. The Triple Changers then beat a hasty retreat, hauling away Ratbat's cargo. {{storylink|The Cure!}}

After delivering the [[Wash and Roll|cargo]] to its intended destination, the Triple Changers linked up with Shockwave's Decepticons on Earth, {{storylink|Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom}} who soon fell under Ratbat's command. Astrotrain joined the Decepticons in an assault on the Autobot crews of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and [[Steelhaven (G1)|Steelhaven]] on Earth's moon. {{storylink|Totaled!}} Relocated to the [[Arctic]], Astrotrain was among the Decepticons who rushed to defend themselves from an apparently hostile [[Semper Tyrannis|ship]] before it was revealed that the ship also contained Decepticons. When Ratbat and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s armies temporarily came to blows thanks to Starscream manipulating both sides, Astrotrain was seen rolling over [[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]] and [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] in the melee. {{storylink|Cold War!}} Once the Decepticons united against a nearby Autobot regiment, Astrotrain again saw action when he ionically-disrupted the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]], [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]]. Both factions quickly learned they were both victims of Starscream's manipulations, and united to stop the Seeker from attaining the power of the legendary [[Underbase]]. Through their efforts, Starscream was prevented from taking in all but a tiny fraction of the Underbase's energies. Unfortunately, this was still enough to endow the Seeker with unimaginable might. Three squads were formed to tackle Starscream as he attacked three different Earth cities, with Astrotrain being assigned to look over [[Buenos Aires]], Argentina. He was destroyed, alongside the other Decepticon triple changers, in a blast of cosmic power. {{storylink|Dark Star}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
{{note|The Movie adaptation, originally published by Marvel US, is in italics.}}
When [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] was completed in [[2004]], Astrotrain was one of several Decepticons brought by Shockwave to attack the opening day festivities. {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}

''In 2005, when the Attack on Autobot City went pear-shaped, Astrotrain acted as emergency escape transport for the Decepticons. However, he wasn't properly fueled for such a flight, and requested his passengers jettison some weight for the flight home. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}} He was present when Megatron returned as Galvatron to overthrow the usurper, Starscream.{{storylink|Judgment Day!}}''

[[File:Astrotrain space pirates.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|You can't stop the Train, baby!]]
In 2008, the Decepticons were tipped by the [[Quintesson]]s to an opportunity for wiping the Autobots off the face of Cybertron. Astrotrain acted as point-man for the invasion, not only leading the air force of flying [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]], Triple Changers and [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], but also acting as transport for [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Commander Soundwave]] and the legion of ground troopers in his cargo hold. Things turned sour when the Quintessons ambushed the Decepticons on their way to [[Autobase]], though: Astrotrain was forced to dump the soldiers in his hold and quickly transform in order to greet their adversaries. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}

=====The Big Broadcast of 2006=====
{{NoteMarvelBB2006}}
In an alternate future of [[2006]], Astrotrain discovered that the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] appeared to all be hypnotized. He flew to [[Chaar]] and timidly approached [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] with his report. Galvatron angrily hit him into a rock face and declared that he cared nothing about what the Junkions were up to. He told Astrotrain he should leave, so he did. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}}

=====Rhythms of Darkness!=====
In [[Primax 490.0 Gamma|an alternate version]] of [[2009]], Unicron had destroyed Cybertron and the Decepticons (under [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]]'s command) controlled America. Astrotrain and Octane were seen defending the [[Decepticon Powerbase]] from one last, desperate Autobot assault. They shot down the [[Pretender]] [[Crossblades (G1)|Crossblades]], when he was disrupting the base's force field. {{storylink|Rhythms of Darkness!}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[File:Triple changers shockwave secrets.jpg|left|thumb]]
He happily worked for Shockwave's faction in the [[Decepticon Civil War]], along with his fellow Triple Changers. Astrotrain took the time to slug it out with [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] after the [[Enclave]] between Shockwave and Megatron went sour. {{storylink|The Bad Guy's Ball!}} Thanks to an inside informant, Astrotrain and the other Triple Changers joined Shockwave in surprising Megatron at an energon shipment rendez-vous point, overpowering him with blaster fire until the Decepticon leader fell off the side of a cliff. {{storylink|Secrets (G1)|Secrets}} 

Those were happy times for Astrotrain. He was not so happy when he was involved in an ultimately fruitless mass attack on Autobase: Earth {{storylink|Divide and Conquer!}} or when he had to rescue [[Octane]] from a military testing range. When he found out Octane had got there by messing around on the job again, Astrotrain happily buggered off and left him. {{storylink|Manoeuvres!}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
Astrotrain showed up among a crowd of Decepticons all fired up to tackle the [[Cybertronian (faction)|armies]] of [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], just before they pretty much got slaughtered. {{storylink|New Dawn}}

====''Classics''====
{{noteclassics}}
[[File:Astrotraincrossingovershuttle.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Astrotrain is relieved he only has to carry five Constructicons now.]]
[[File:Devastatormegatronastrotraincrossingover.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Clearly, Astrotrain's interior is bigger than it looks.]]
Astrotrain's carcass lay undiscovered at the bottom of the sea for ten years until [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] managed to find him. His remains were excavated piece by piece by enslaved [[human]]s and transported to Megatron's base of operations within the wrecked [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] in northern [[Canada]]. Using incomplete schematics and Megatron's memories of Astrotrain's old body, Astrotrain was finally reconstructed. Astrotrain was immediately put in charge of finding the remnants of the rest of the Decepticons who fell at the hands of the [[Underbase]]-powered Starscream, plus the unpleasant task of carting them back to their headquarters. This morbid job took its toll on Astrotrain, who yearned for real battle. He at one point snapped upon discovering a human space station in Earth's orbit, his last refuge from the organic vermin, and went on a two-day long rampage, sending several satellites raining down onto the planet's surface. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 14|Astrotrain's profile in Club magazine #14}}

After the appearance of the mysterious crossdimensional Decepticon [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]], Astrotrain and the other rebuilt Decepticons under Megatron's command traveled to [[South America]] to investigate an equally mysterious power source that seemed to share traits with Landquake. En route, they were attacked by [[Walter Barnett (G1)|Walter Barnett]]'s [[Armored Robot Hunters|RUNT]] squad. {{storylink|Crossing Over, Part 2}} Astrotrain managed to shake off these interlopers just before [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and his Autobots arrived in search of this same power source, and a new battle between the factions began in the jungles surrounding the power source. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 3}} As the battle escalated, Astrotrain joined with some of his peers in surrounding [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] and [[Hot Rod/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus]], {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 5}} but ultimately, Megatron was forced to call for a withdrawal. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 6}}

Megatron soon granted the mysterious [[Bug Bite (GoBots)|Bug Bite]] and his rogue group of Decepticons an audience. However, Astrotrain and the other Decepticons under Megatron's command were forcibly implanted with reverse-engineered [[cerebro-shell]]s. Bug Bite's plan was cut short when a jammer activated by [[Elita One]] disabled the shells, and a fight soon erupted between Megatron's Decepticons, Bug Bite's Decepticons, and the Autobots under [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]' command. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

When Megatron ended the Decepticon Civil War with [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], Astrotrain was stationed aboard Starscream's warship. He informed his captain when the fortress below began powering down their weapons, thanks to the [[Seacon (G1)|traitors]] in Bludgeon's ranks eliminating the [[Pretender]]. {{storylink|At Fight's End}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
[[File:Megatrons zombie army loose ends 2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Ohh, for God's sake! He's got an arm off!]]
After he fell at Starscream's hands during the [[Underbase Saga]], Astrotrain was reanimated by Megatron and further lobotomized so that he would unquestioningly follow orders. Pressed into service as part of Megatron's [[zombie]] army in [[2012]], Astrotrain was part of a detachment ordered to chase down [[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]] and the [[Wrecker]]s. When [[Skywarp (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Skywarp]] managed to subdue Kup, Astrotrain was ordered by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] to return him to Megatron. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2}} He and the other zombified Cybertronians were offlined permanently once [[Spike Witwicky (G1)#Regeneration One|Circuit Smasher]] frizzle-fried the Ark's computer, [[Aunty|Auntie]]. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 5}} After Megatron's defeat, all of the deactivated zombies were piled into a large pit by the Autobots and obliterated from orbit. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}}
{{-}}

===''Find Your Fate Junior''===
{{notemultipath}}

====Autobot Alert!====
[[File:AutobotAlertAstrotrain.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|"You win this round, squirrel!"]]
Astrotrain took part in a Decepticon ploy to take over Earth’s communication satellites. Ferrying troops and weapons from Earth to the Decepticons’ ships in orbit, Astrotrain may have unknowingly been infiltrated by Hot Rod and Bumblebee. If so, Hot Rod may have commandeered Astrotrain’s military controls to fire upon Cyclonus.

In another possible scenario, Astrotrain was sent into a wild spin out into space when the Autobots successfully sabotaged the Decepticons’ computer systems. {{storylink|Autobot Alert!}}
{{-}}

====Project Brain Drain====
[[File:ProjectBrainDrainDecepticonGuards.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Astrotrain was stationed at the Decepticons’ lab, charged with guarding the [[Brain Drain device]], with which the Decepticons planned to syphon away the Earthlings’ intelligence and transmute it into energy. In one possible scenario, he was one of the few Decepticons too afraid of Galvatron to desert his post when a squad of Autobots stormed the lab. He was unsuccessful in fending them off. {{storylink|Project Brain Drain}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:Astrotrain warwithin.jpg|thumb|Finally, I get to fight instead of carry people.]]
When [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] needed a major distraction to infiltrate the subsectors of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] and establish Cybertron as a living war world, he sent Shockwave to command a full frontal assault against the Autobot capital. Astrotrain was among the many Decepticons who aided Shockwave in this siege {{storylink|The War Within issue 2|The War Within #2}} and aided several of his fellow airborne Decepticons in destroying bridges leading out of the Autobot stronghold. {{storylink|The War Within issue 3|The War Within #3}} As the Decepticons managed to breach the Autobots' final defenses, Astrotrain came down to the ground to help in mopping up the last of the enemy soldiers. {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}} The Decepticons evacuated the area when [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] destroyed the place. {{storylink|The War Within issue 6|The War Within #6}} 

Later on, after Megatron's disappearance led to a factioning of the Decepticon army, Astrotrain began serving with Starscream's [[Predacon (War Within)|Predacons]]. One of the group's attempt to secure a plenty of energon was foiled by the [[Lightning Strike Coalition]], led by Grimlock, who managed to distract Astrotrain and his teammates long enough to swipe their goods and make a quick getaway with them. {{storylink|Fragmentation (G1)|Fragmentation}}

The Predacons remained the only major hold out among the factions when [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] negotiated a great peace between the Autobots and Decepticons due to low energon reserves planet-wide. Astrotrain and the Predacons attempted to prevent the peace treaty and the consolidation of their opponents, but their efforts were in vain until the surprise return of Megatron with his new [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]], thousands of super-charged warriors grown from [[Quintesson]] cloning technology. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath}}

The Decepticons managed to establish an [[Age of Internment]] until [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] finally returned to free the Autobots and equalize the sides once more. After the disappearance of the [[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]] and its crew, Astrotrain and his fellow future Triple Changers, Octane and Blitzwing, began serving directly under Shockwave's command. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} Some time into Shockwave's reign, [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] took over the Decepticons and posed as Shockwave to retain command over the other full-sized Transformers in the ranks. Astrotrain was among the troops duped by the diminutive 'bot into launching an all-out offensive, despite their resources being at an all-time low. {{storylink|Recipe for Hate}} During what was meant to be a suicide mission, the Decepticons nearly claimed victory against the Autobots... until both factions' Micromasters turned up to put an end to the conflict. After the miniature 'bots began brandishing about Shockwave's decapitated head, the Decepticon forces got spooked and fled the battlefield. {{storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

When Shockwave learned how to perfect his Triple Changer process after the [[Great Shutdown]], due to [[Unicron]]ian technology he pilfered from [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], Astrotrain was one of the first to benefit from the procedure.

In 2003, Astrotrain, along with [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], Blitzwing, [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] and Octane arrived with Shockwave on [[Earth]] to place the Earth-bound Transformers under arrest for war crimes and take them back to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|New World Order}} {{storylink|Generation 1 issue 0|Generation 1 #0}} They took Optimus Prime and most of his troops into custody, ferrying them back to the homeworld. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}} But Optimus and his followers were soon freed from their cells, leading to an Autobot insurrection of Shockwave's regime. Astrotrain guarded Shockwave's tower during the uprising, keeping Kup, Prowl, and Arcee from breaching its perimeter. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (issue)|Countdown to Extinction}} Despite his best efforts, the Autobots were victorious, and the bulk of the Decepticon forces were taken prisoners. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

Despite Shockwave's defeat, Astrotrain and Blitzwing remained his loyal servants, and helped him set up a base of operations in Cybertron's wastelands. While on monitor duty, the pair spotted what appeared to be a derelict wandering about their perimeter. Shockwave sent out both triple-changers to investigate, and they made short work of the [[Air Warrior]] they found. While they were puzzling over what it was doing on Cybertron, they were ambushed by [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]], who informed them that Megatron had returned to retake control of his troops! This news caused Astrotrain to switch loyalties, while Blitzwing was destroyed. {{storylink|Lost and Found (issue)|Lost and Found}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File:ArtofWar3 OmegaSupreme Sixshot Astrotrain.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|I choo choo choom you! And there's a picture of a trai...er, space shuttle]]
As part of [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]]'s forces on Cybertron, Astrotrain attacked an Autobot peace ceremony alongside [[Sixshot]], Blitzwing and [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]]. The Autobots responded by activating [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], who blasted Astrotrain out of the air. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}} When he opted to fight on ground level instead and wounded a [[Optimus Prime's rescuees|civilian]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] landed on top of him after falling from the sky, then proceeded to pummel the Triple Changer into the ground. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}}
{{-}}

===''The Beast Within''===
Astrotrain participated in an all-out Decepticon offensive against the Autobots. During its initial stages, the battle swayed in the Decepticons’ favour, and Astrotrain fired away at Powerglide as the Decepticon triple-changer stood atop the defeated Red Alert. {{storylink|The Beast Within}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[File:Overthrown Astrotrain dropoff.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
When [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] wanted to have a peaceful chat with [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] in the early days of the Decepticon revolt, Astrotrain and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] held [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] hostage to make sure Orion didn't get any funny ideas. {{storylink|The Hunt for Soundwave}} This went well until Autobot reinforcements arrived, at which point Astrotrain was punched out by [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]]. {{storylink|Cause and Effect}} He later transported the Decepticons back to [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] after they saved Orion Pax from [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]]'s attack on [[Nyon]]. {{storylink|Choices}} Astrotrain later dropped Orion Pax and Megatron into Zeta Prime's citadel and after Zeta Prime's death, Megatron broke the alliance between him and Orion's unit. {{storylink|Overthrown}} When Megatron was defeated in combat with Orion-turned-Optimus Prime, [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] brought him to safety him by flying past on Astrotrain and grabbing him off the ground. {{storylink|Endgame}}

Looking to punish Megatron for leading the Decepticons into defeat, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] had Astrotrain carry his damaged leader into space and drop him off near [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. {{storylink|Derelicts}} Following a failed attack on [[Starsreach Spaceport]], [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s troops retreated on board Astrotrain, who brought them to the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery|Toraxxis crater]] on Scorponok's orders. {{storylink|Unleashed}} Astrotrain then took [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] to the planet of [[Canis Tor]] in order to recruit the wayward [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] back into the Decepticon fold. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}}

[[File:Infiltration5 AstrotrainImwaiting.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Not even alien invasions can stop Astrotrain from updating his blog.]]
Millions of years later, Astrotrain was part of a Decepticon infiltration cell that had operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, working to destabilize Earth's governing organizations and create global anarchy. Under the command of Starscream, he oversaw the extraction and refinement of the mysterious, Energon-like substance, [[Ore-13]], {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}} but despite having sampled its power, he was unwilling to stand alongside Starscream against Megatron. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

Later on, he took Starscream's place as the Earthbound Decepticon Infiltration Unit's second-in-command under Megatron, and continued to oversee the Ore-13 research. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} During Megatron's scheme to escalate the tensions between [[Brasnya]] and [[Russia]], Astrotrain served as air cover for their ground forces, but was severely damaged by [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} and later retreated.

After being humiliated in battle with Optimus Prime, Megatron ordered [[Sixshot]] to come to Earth several phases before his presence is normally requested. Upon hearing this, the wire in Astrotrain's forehead nearly exploded, but Megatron told him to shut up. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[File:Man&Machine3 Uselesshumans.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
Astrotrain was involved in Megatron's plot in the country of Latveria. He helped supercharge his fellow Decepticons with energy siphoned from [[Spider-Man]] as part of the Decepticons' "[[Mirror response mode]]." {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} While other Decepticons helped fend off the combined forces of the Autobots and the Avengers, Astrotrain remained within the Decepticons' Latverian installation at Megatron's side. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three}} When Megatron headed outside to deal with the opposition personally, Spider-Man broke free of his restraints, and Astrotrain attempted to subdue the super-hero once more. Unexpectedly, he was stunned by [[Doctor Doom]], the human villain being spiteful over Megatron's recent betrayal. After Earth's heroes managed to destroy the "Psycho-Prism" integral to Megatron's scheme, the Decepticon leader recognized that the current mission no longer served a purpose. Megatron warped Astrotrain and the rest of his troops away from the battlefield before retreating himself. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four}}

Witnessing his leader straying further from protocol every nano-klik but knowing none of them would dare tell Megatron he was wrong, Astrotrain decided to do the unthinkable, something no sane Transformer would ever do except as a very last resort: deliberately reactivate Starscream so he could do it ''for'' them. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}} 

[[File:Devastation6 shownomercy.jpg|right|upright=0.95|thumb|Don't cross the streams, Blitzwing!]]
When the alien [[Reaper]]s suddenly attacked their headquarters, {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} Astrotrain left his post (forcing Blitzwing to cover for him) to plot how to exploit the situation with Starscream (though he was openly concerned if the plan failed they'd be dead). The plan worked: Starscream successfully removed Sixshot from the board and attacked the Reapers, at which point Astrotrain popped up in the command bunker to go "look at how brave Starscream is bravely attacking the Reapers by himself!". Megatron deduced what was going on behind his back, but instead of punishment, led the Decepticons into battle. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} After the destruction of the Reapers, Astrotrain expressed surprise at their victory and callously declared that the deaths of [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] were acceptable losses. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

[[File:AHM3 Astrotrain.jpg|upright=1.1|left|thumb|Somebody didn't mind the gap.]]
A year later, the Decepticons on Earth, including Astrotrain, defeated the Autobots on the planet in a mighty battle. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} As the Decepticons subsequently began conquering the planet, Astrotrain carried on being by-the-book and tactically minded in the attack on [[New York City]], suggesting they send the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] to handle ground forces to avoid ballistic attacks. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2|All Hail Megatron #2}} [[Marissa Faireborn]] would watch as Astrotrain and his fellow Decepticons went on a rampage through the city. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} 

He also took to the subway lines in locomotive form to eradicate the humans hiding in the subway stations. Inexplicably, his train mode was seen to resemble an outdated steam locomotive instead of the diesel freight engine it had been a year earlier. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 3|All Hail Megatron #3}} Astrotrain was one of many Decepticons to listen to Megatron's speech about conquest. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}} He later watched Starscream try to take control of the Decepticons using [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], although the revolt was interrupted by the arrival of human jets from [[Europe]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} This was soon followed by the return of the exiled Autobots, at which point Astrotrain wrestled with [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] and laughed at the Autobots when they were seemingly retreating (in reality, they were just [[Omega Supreme (G1)|making room]]). Astrotrain was then tackled into a building by Roadbuster, who commented that the Decepticon was a "lightweight". {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} Megatron and his army were defeated, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}} and Astrotrain served as their escape vehicle as they fled Earth. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13|Uneasy Lies the Head}}

[[File:HeartlikeawheelAstrotrain.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6]]
Three years later, Astrotrain was stationed on the desolate asteroid base where Starscream was in charge. He responded to [[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]'s infiltration of the base, but ended up running straight past the intruder without noticing. {{storylink|Heart Like a Wheel}} When Megatron finally returned to take back command, Astrotrain and the other Decepticons watched him brutally punish Starscream for his actions. {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}} They then followed Megatron back to Earth for revenge. There, Astrotrain was present when Megatron was approached by a lone Optimus Prime, and was ordered to stop the Autobot when he apparently tried to escape. As it turned out, Prime was only getting some distance away from the imminent impact of a satellite he had arranged to be dropped on the Decepticons from space. Astrotrain and his comrades were blown sky high from the ensuing explosion. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}}

Megatron then let himself be captured by the Autobots and taken to Cybertron, where he used the [[space bridge]] technology built into in his new body to summon Astrotrain and the other Decepticons who were waiting on Earth. {{storylink|The Question}} At first they did battle with the Autobots, but were soon mind-controlled by [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] into combining with his [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]] army and forming a huge monster. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} After the war, Astrotrain was among a Cybertronian crowd recruited by Starscream to pressure [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] into revealing one of his secret discoveries below ground on Cybertron. After following Starscream underground, they witnessed [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]], a dying [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]], declare that Starscream was the Cybertronian destined to unite their whole race. Astrotrain and the other Cybertronians celebrated by carrying Starscream on their shoulders through Iacon. {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things}}

[[File:Endofthebeginningoftheworld-astrotrainsoundwaveshockwaveblitzwing.jpg|left|thumb|300px]]

In spite of his support of Starscream, Astrotrain's true loyalty lay with Shockwave and Soundwave, who were secretly in contact with Megatron. As part of Megatron's plan, he and the other loyalists were captured by a mind-controlled Prowl and taken to the [[Black Room]], {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}} where they were upgraded into new forms in preparation of their leader's return. {{storylink|The Verge}} Astrotrain then proceeded to aid Blitzwing in capturing a mixed group of Autobots and [[NAIL|neutrals]] sent to investigate Prowl, running over [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and breaking off his arm in the process. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}} While it looked like the Decepticons had the upper hand, Astrotrain was taken off guard along with the others when [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] revealed her true loyalties to the Autobots and killed [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]. In the Decepticons' resulting escape from the Black Room, Astrotrain helped provide covering fire. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}} The Decepticons went on to fight the Autobots over control of Iacon, but the battle ended with Megatron defeated and Starscream rising to leadership of the neutrals. Starscream's first action was to exile all Autobots and Decepticons who refused to abandon their factions, including Astrotrain. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}}

[[File:Winners&Losers-Astrotrain.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Astrotrain lost his caboose.]]

Out in the wilderness, Soundwave declared that he would lead the Decepticons to hunt down the deserted Shockwave, but Astrotrain and Blitzwing were sick of listening to him after their recent failure and rebelled. They attacked the communications expert and fought his cassettes until the fight was broken up by [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] and Soundwave left to confront Shockwave alone. {{storylink|Shockpoint}} He soon returned and tried to rally Astrotrain and the other Decepticons again, claiming they had to save all Cybertron from Shockwave's machinations. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}} As the Decepticon forces converged on Shockwave's newly arrived [[Necrotitan]], they ran into the exiled Autobots and a battle broke out. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} They were rudely interrupted when the Necrotitan suddenly unleashed an energy wave that gravely wounded soldiers on both sides, among them Astrotrain. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}}

Having lost his legs and an arm to the death wave, Astrotrain was carried to safety and guarded by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. He let his defenders borrow his binoculars, explaining he had bad eyes but kept this secret so Megatron wouldn't consider him a liability. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} Astrotrain wound up at the Autobots' wasteland camp, and when the Necrotitan was defeated by [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], he and the other death wave victims were cured from its corruption. He also got his limbs back somehow. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} He celebrated the victory by going to [[Swerve's]] to drink and sing alongside both Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} The celebrations came to an end when Shockwave put his final plan into action and summoned an army of [[Ammonite]]s to Cybertron, forcing all Autobots and Decepticons to fight back. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}}

[[File:TheMindBomb-SpaceBus.jpg|left|thumb|300px|In case that "Astrotrain" trademark falls through.]]

Following Shockwave's defeat, Astrotrain fell under the command of new Decepticon leader Galvatron, who took his troops to Earth under Soundwave's advice of starting a new approach to peace there. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}} When an enraged Galvatron went on a rampage in their ship, the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', Astrotrain tried to calm him down only to end up redirecting the rage at himself. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} When the ''Nemesis'' was brought down by Prowl during the Autobots' attack on the [[Earth Defense Command]]'s [[Marshall Islands|Bikini Atoll]] base, Astrotrain was injured and had to be pulled out of the wreckage by Blitzwing. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 5: I Dream of Wires|I Dream of Wires}}

[[File:SouthOfHeaven-Astrotrain.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]

Astrotrain then ended up taking Galvatron to a swamp for a secret meeting with Arcee. Astrotain was a little stupefied when Galvatron offered to kill him after Arcee expressed annoyance at his not coming alone, and was also not happy about the bugs infesting the area; his intake manifolds got full of them, and a rather large one startled him when it flew up to his face. {{storylink|Now and On Earth}} Astrotrain next transported some tanks of oxygen, along with a group of Decepticons and humans, to the Decepticons' [[Jupiter]] commune, which was in the midst of being constructed (and which he considered to be a much better place to visit than a swamp). He thought the docking process could have been a little gentler, but didn't hold any ill feelings against the [[Stockbridge|human crew member]] responsible. {{storylink|South of Heaven}}

As the Decepticons made preparations to board the Autobots' [[Ark-7|ship]] and seize its space bridge, Astrotrain wondered how long it would be before the craft's power ran out and the force field surrounding it was gone. He also expressed confusion at the idea that Galvatron had ever been young. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|Aphelion}}

Soon after, Astrotrain and the Decepticon elite were summoned to Shanghai, China by Galvatron, as the Decepticon invasion of Earth was to begin. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}}. When Optimus Prime and his forces arrived in Shanghai, Astrotrain and the rest of the Decepticons present engaged with them. He was one of the Decepticons teleported away from the battle when the [[People's Liberation Army Mecha Force]] attacked the battling Cybertronians. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}}

He dropped Galvatron off at the Copahua volcano for his "appointment" with Arcee, then later picked him up. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}}

He was once again among Galvatron's Decepticons fighting forces defending the *Nemesis* at the bottom of the ocean. When Galvatron turned the Earth into a giant [[Enigma of Combination]], Astrotrain was forcibly combined with [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], [[Acid Storm]], [[Dreadwing (G2)|Dreadwing]], and [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] into [[Galvatronus]] (Astrotrain formed the left leg). Galvatronus punched [[Victorion]] and grappled with [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] with support from two [[Seeker clone|Seeker Clones]]. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again}} After Superion disabled the Earth Enigma, Galvatronus was disassembled into his components. Galvatron ordered Astrotrain to carry him away from the battle while under fire from [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], leaving the rest of the Decepticons behind. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}} 

The two fled in the direction of [[Sanctuary Station]], but were pursued into space by [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] and Arcee. Galvatron shot and disabled Cosmos, who was then able to shoot Astrotrain in the engine, forcing him to enter Jupiter's atmosphere. They were pursued further into Jupiter's atmosphere, but could not land due to Jupiter being a gas giant. Astrotrain tried to convince Galvatron to let him retreat to the space station, claiming he would be able to get free somehow, but Glavatron told him he was not yet through serving the Decepticon cause. Galvatron sacrificed Astrotrain by flinging him in his disabled shuttle mode at Arcee, who bisected him with her swords. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}}

====Spotlight: Mirage====
With the Autobots reduced to a small rag-tag rabble, Astrotrain accompanied Starscream's small strike team to the [[Pegasus Star Cluster]]. Astrotrain and Blitzwing both attacked Optimus Prime after the mercenary [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] destroyed the Autobot bunker's security system, allowing the Decepticons in. Astrotrain avoided death when Mirage forced Prime to lower his weapon in exchange for [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]]'s life. He could barely hold Prime back as Mirage executed [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], losing his grip when the furious Autobot leader attacked the mercenary. 

But it was all Mirage's dream... or was it? {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
[[File:Astrotrain HOS.jpg|left|100px|thumb|That's Mister The Astrotrain.]]
Referred to as ''the'' Astrotrain, he was a black-and-purple locomotive, with a retracted propeller on the front and batwings along the side. 

The Decepticons built (or modified) the Astrotrain to be the locomotive engine pulling their battle train to [[New York City]]. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 3|Hearts of Steel #3}} En route he rammed through an Army blockade undamaged, but ended up driving off a cliff thanks to [[John Henry]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], and apparently falling to his destruction... despite having wings. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 4|Hearts of Steel #4}} 
{{-}}
===''Lil Formers''===
Astrotrain loaned out his right hand to serve as a prop for [[BotCon 2006]]. Though he hoped to get it right back after the convention, it didn’t seem that would be the case. {{storylink|Lil Formers}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in manga===
[[File:Henkei astrotrain pack in.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Astrotrain was one of the Decepticons who accompanied Megatron in his attacks on Earth in the 21st century. He was first seen going on a rampage in the Japanese district of [[Shinjuku]], forcibly pushing a train along from behind while in his own train mode, threatening to derail it. [[Mirage (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in manga|Mirage]] and [[Grimlock (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in manga|Grimlock]] arrived to save the train, prompting Astrotrain to switch to shuttle mode and take off through the city, shattering windows and forcing [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in manga|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in manga|Bumblebee]] to shield human bystanders from the rain of glass with their own bodies. He then transformed into [[robot mode]] and began battling the Autobots, who were unaware he was merely staging a diversion so the other Decepticons could raid a power plant. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 2}} The powerful Triple-Changer had the Autobots on the ropes until their newest ally, [[Hot Rod#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in manga|Rodimus]], arrived to join the fight. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 3}}

===''Henkei! Henkei! Generations'' manga===
When the [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] of another universe attempted to attack [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], Astrotrain and [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] defended their leader. However, Starscream possessed Onslaught and used his body to knock out Astrotrain. {{storylink|Starscream's New Body}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' Bun Bun manga===
Astrotrain was among the small group of Decepticons serving under [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Megatron]] who departed Cybertron in pursuit of the [[Energon Cube]]. When the Cube crash-landed on Earth and shattered into fragments, Astrotrain and the other Decepticons took on the forms of local vehicles and machinery to remain hidden while searching for the shards.

Eleven years after the crash of the Cube, when [[Ramjet (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Ramjet]] and [[Starscream (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Starscream]] found themselves battling the Autobots in the Japanese town of [[Hoshinochō]], Ramjet put in the call to Astrotrain. Astrotrain passed the message on to Megatron, who departed the Decepticons' warehouse base to join the fight. {{storylink|Enter! The Transformers}}

Some time later, Astrotrain joined Starscream and Ramjet in attacking a hydroelectric power plant, and easily fended off the leaderless Autobots who resisted them, as [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Optimus Prime]] was incapacitated at the time. Astrotrain took down [[Bumblebee (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Bumblebee]] and [[Mirage (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Mirage]] single-handedly, then transformed to shuttle mode so the other Decepticons could load the [[energon cube]]s they had gathered. When the revived Optimus Prime came speeding onto the scene soon after, Astrotrain quickly took off in a bid for escape, but was struck by a powered-up blast from Prime's [[ion blaster]] and disappeared in a colossal explosion. However, he was barely able to make it back to the Decepticons' undersea base to deliver the stolen energon cubes, but was denied any usage by [[Cyclonus (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Cyclonus]]. {{storylink|Time of Resurrection}} Astrotrain did not reappear again throughout the Transformers' battles on Earth.

===''Henkei! Henkei! Transformers -Visualize-''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Visualize Shot 2}} {{storylink|Visualize Shot 3}} {{storylink|Visualize Shot 4}} {{storylink|Visualize Shot 5}} {{storylink|Visualize Shot 9}} {{storylink|Visualize Shot 14}}}}

===''Transformers: All Spark''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Fated Rival, Once Again...}} {{storylink|Plans of the Emperor of Destruction}} {{storylink|Great Aspirations}}}}

===''Cloud''===
[[File:Cloud Astrotrain.jpg|thumb]]

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Awakening (Cloud)|Awakening}} {{storylink|Eagerness}} {{storylink|Lightwave}} {{storylink|Metamorphosis (Cloud)|Metamorphosis}} {{storylink|Overwhelm}} {{storylink|Fury (Cloud)|Fury}} {{storylink|TFC-A03}} {{storylink|TFC-D04}}}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
[[Image:tfvsgi the astrotrain.jpg|thumb|right|350px]]
The Astrotrain, "the Hell Ride", was an old foe of [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}} and shuttled captured prisoners down the Polyhex Killway to the horrifying [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. These passengers included some squishy humans, [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] and [[Scarlett]], who sneaked aboard him. {{storylink|Expelled from the Garden}} Shortly after, just before the destruction of Earth, Astrotrain engaged Omega once more and was soundly trounced. {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}}

{{-}}

===''Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe''===
Astrotrain was one of the many Decepticons who pursued the [[AllSpark]] to Earth. He participated in an enormous battle against the Autobots in a human settlement. {{storylink|Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe|The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe}}

===''The Power of the Titan Masters''===
Astrotrain was part of a group of Decepticons dispatched to [[Eukaris]] in the hopes of intercepting [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Clobber]]. While the other Decepticons set up an ultimately bungled ambush, Astrotrain swooped down to try and capture the two Autobots. {{storylink|Titans Return: The Power of the Titan Masters}}

{{-}}

==Commercial appearances==
*Astrotrain battle against both [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]]. As more Autobots joined the fray, Astrotrain feigned a retreat in his locomotive mode, only to take to the air and double back in his shuttle mode as the busted rails came to an end. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Triple Changers and Perceptor|Triple Changers and Perceptor commercial}}
*Astrotrain and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] had the Autobots [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] and [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] pinned down, until [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] and [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] arrived to turn the tide of battle. Though the Decepticon triple-changers attempted to flee, their Autobot counterparts were able to keep pace by rapidly shifting through all three of their modes. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Sandstorm, Broadside, Octane|Sandstorm, Broadside, and Octane commercial}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[File:TF PS2 Astrotrain.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
{{bigquote|Astrotrain, the triplechanger! With space shuttle and train engine forms, this is the ultimate transporter. He carries the logistical burden of the Decepticons' evil plans!|The [[narrator]]|''[[The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers]]''}}
{{voiceactor|[[Alex Easley]] (English)}}

====Autobot story====
Megatron sent Astrotrain to collect the energy they had drained from the [[Monogan Hydroelectric Power Station]]. When Astrotrain was almost at the generator, he had caught up to a squad of Autobots who had come to stop the Decepticons. Astrotrain got the Autobots' attention by blowing his train whistle and approached them in his train form. When he reached the Autobots, he transformed to robot form and announced that all the energy at the power station belonged to the Decepticons. He told the Autobot squad his orders, warned them that he would destroy the Autobots if they got in his way, and threatened to show them the true power of a triple changer. Optimus Prime requested that Astrotrain leave, but the locomotive/space shuttle Transformer brushed this off with a "whatever", and engaged the Autobots. Despite his best efforts, Astrotrain was defeated. Optimus told the triple changer to fly back on his prized wings, back to Megatron. Realizing that he was defeated, Astrotrain decided to retreat, transforming to his space shuttle form and blasted off. He faced off the Autobots once again outside ELTA. Despite having already fought Snapdragon, Apeface, and countless Decepticon foot soldiers in between them all, the Autobots managed to overcome the triple changer once again. 

====Decepticon story====
Astrotrain was a member of a team that Megatron sent to investigate a mysterious UFO that was spotted in the area of [[Zel Samine]]. Something caused the team to lose contact with the main Decepticon forces, and they found out that they could not leave the planet, as Zel's sun, [[Paradius]], emitted electromagnetic rays that was harmful to them. Unable to contact Megatron and with no way to leave the planet safely, Astrotrian and the others scattered across Zel.

The Decepticon forces went to Zel in order to investigate, and Astrotrain found the Decepticons while they were at the hydroelectric power station. He called out to them in his train mode and blew his whistle. He rolled up to them and transformed to robot mode once he was close enough, expressing relief for finding them as his energon supplies had been getting low. When Megatron announced that he was sure Astrotrain would be useful, Astrotrain assured him that he was great in fighting, not just for transporting. {{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Battle Circuit''===
Astrotrain, one of the "greatest Transformers of all time," was part of a Decepticon team that participated in a tournament on Cybertron. He faced off against a team of Autobots in a series of one-on-one matches. If he managed to defeat Bumblebee, Rodimus, Grimlock, Jetfire and Optimus Prime, Astrotrain was declared to be the tournament's champion! {{storylink|Transformers Battle Circuit}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
After [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]] crashed into a movie set, [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and Astrotrain were sent to retrieve him and the weapon he was transporting. Unfortunately they got into an altercation with the Autobots and failed to destroy the film evidence of the crash, which subsequently made it into a blockbuster film. {{storylink|Hoist Goes Hollywood (Legends)|Hoist Goes Hollywood}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:Battle-Tactics-Astrotrain.jpg|thumb|400px]]
Astrotrain participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Rare character who could be recruited after collecting 100 units of Cybermetal, 50 units of Transmetal, and 30 exclusive cores. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Frontiers''===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Frontiers}}}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Astrotrain toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|And then I transform into a train and a rocket and a Transformer again...]]
*'''Astrotrain''' (1985, 1986)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''48'''
**''Accessories'': "[[Ionic displacer rifle|Ionic Displacer Rifle]]"

:Astrotrain was one of the two Triple Changer toys released in 1985, the other being [[Blitzwing (G1)#Generation 1|Blitzwing]]. He transforms into both a purple [[Wikipedia:JNR Class D51|JNR Class D51]] steam locomotive and a gray [[Wikipedia:Space Shuttle orbiter|Space Shuttle orbiter]]. Astrotrain was one of the earliest ''Transformers'' toys to feature [[ball joint]]s for his shoulders, a decade before they became a design standard. 

: [[File:Astrotraincatalog.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|right|[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] called. He wants his weapons back.]]

:In Japan, the 1985 release of Astrotrain had a color scheme based upon the real-life versions of the vehicles he transformed into, with a white Space Shuttle (complete with [[NASA]] decals!) and a black steam locomotive. In 1986, Takara released Astrotrain in his US toy colors.

: Like [[Perceptor (G1)|several]] [[Thrust (G1)|other]] [[Bluestreak (G1)|toys]] from Generation 1, [[Hasbro]]'s [[catalog]]s<ref name="catalogs">[http://www.botchthecrab.com/gallery.asp?gallery=10 Transformers catalogs] at Botchthecrab.com. Generation 1 Astrotrain's prototypes are depicted in both the 1985 and 1986 US catalogs and in the 1985 UK catalog.</ref><ref name="origin">[http://tfsource.com/blog/origin-of-the-species-part-3/ "Origin of the Species, Part 3"] at the TFScource blog, featuring a scan from the 1985 Milton Bradley catalog that also depicts the Generation 1 Astrotrain prototypes.</ref> depict [[prototype]]s that differ from the final product: Not only do the prototypes sport a gray and purple color scheme (which served as the basis for the color scheme used in the cartoon), they also have several notable sculpting and tooling differences compared to the production version; namely, arms that extend on a slide joint, different feet, and a different head sculpt that was also used as the basis for his [[character model]]. In the US and UK catalogs, he was even shown with [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]'s weapons, whereas in the European [[Milton Bradley]] catalog, he sported different decals compared to stickers used for the final toy. The resin hardcopy prototypes didn't actually transform; instead, separate prototypes existed for each mode.<ref name="animeastro">[http://www.tf-1.com/articles/reissue/Animeastro_template.html Original Astrotrain prototype at TF-1.com]</ref> The [[stock photography|stock photos]] of Astrotrain on the toy's [[packaging]], on the other hand, depict the final toy's sculpt in its (mostly) final colors, even though the center of the helmet is painted yellow instead of red. The same near-final prototype was also featured in the 1985 J.C. Penney wish book.<ref name="1985wish">[http://www.x-entertainment.com/articles/0969/ 1985 J.C. Penney wish book] at X-Entertainment.</ref>

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1985/Decepticon/Astrotrain/astrotrain.htm More information on Astrotrain at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===The Transformers Collection===
*'''Astrotrain''' (2004)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''TFC-11'''
**''Accessories'': "[[Ionic displacer rifle|Ionic Displacer Rifle]]"
:In 2004, Takara reissued Astrotrain in his original Japanese white and black color scheme as part of their ''[[The Transformers Collection|Transformers Collection]]'' line of [[Generation 1 reissues|reissues]]. The "[[NASA]]" stickers were changed to "ASTR".

::*''[http://www.tf-1.com/articles/reissue/Astrotrain_template.html More information on Transformers Collection Astrotrain at TF-1.com]''

===Collector's Edition===
[[File:Takara-collectors-edition-astrotrain-proto-colors.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|right|Don't laugh, or he'll become a pain train.]]
*'''Astrotrain Proto Color Version''' (Collector's Edition, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''48'''
**''Accessories'': "Ionic Displacer Rifle"

:Often referred to as "Anime Astrotrain" by collectors, this version sported a color scheme based on the original prototype mentioned above, though the gray plastic is brighter than on the actual prototype, and the hue for the purple parts tends more towards red than blue. He was [[exclusive]]ly available from [[e-HOBBY]] and released as a ''[[Collector's Edition]]'' companion to the ''Transformers Collection'' reissue (see above).

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Destron/Astrotrain/astrotrain.htm More information on Astrotrain Proto Color Version at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.tf-1.com/articles/reissue/Animeastro_template.html More information on Anime Astrotrain (and the original Astrotrain prototype) at TF-1.com]''

===Commemorative Series===
*'''Astrotrain/Decepticon Astrotrain''' (Commemorative Series IX, 2005/2012)
**Accessories: "Ionic Displacer Rifle"
[[File:Commemorative Astrotrain 2005 2012.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Something for the variant collectors.]]
:Following the Japanese reissue, Hasbro intended to make Astrotrain (retaining his previously Japanese market-only colors) available in the United States as well as part of their ''[[The Transformers: Generation One Commemorative Series|Commemorative Series]]'' line of reissues in 2004. However, [[Toys"R"Us]] (who had carried the ''Commemorative Series'' figures as exclusives) decided to discontinue the line due to low sales, and even though [[Ricochet (Headmasters)#Commemorative Series|Ricochet]], the other ''Commemorative Series IX'' figure besides Astrotrain, still managed to get released, Astrotrain was not.

:Since considerable quantities of Astrotrain had already been produced, Hasbro decided to make the figure available through their newly-launched [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] website, serving as a test to see whether exclusives were a viable option for the store. In addition, Astrotrain was also released in Australia (where the ''Commemorative Series'' had previously also been exclusive to Toys"R"Us) as a [[Kmart]] exclusive, for a deep discount price. Despite being an exclusive, he could also be found clogging up shelves in smaller, privately owned toy shops.

:In 2012, several ''Commemorative Series'' figures, among them Astrotrain, were re-released in Hasbro's Asian markets, in slightly altered packaging that (in Astrotrain's case, at least) lacked the "Commemorative Series IX" label, saw his name changed to "Decepticon Astrotrain", had the box next to his name that contains the text "Decepticon Triple Changer" reduced in size and "Triple Changer" changed from uppercase to mixed case, updated the Hasbro logo to the then-current version, added a "choking hazard" safety warning label and moved the "Ages 5+" recommendation above the product code number.
{{-}}

===Classics===
[[File:ClassicsAstrotrain.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|...and a rocket and a train and a Transformer and man it's hard work!]]
*'''Astrotrain''' (Deluxe, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Rifle

:''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Astrotrain, like much of the ''Classics'' line, is an extensive update of the original Astrotrain design based heavily upon his cartoon appearances and using modern toy engineering techniques. He still transforms into a spaceship resembling a NASA Space Shuttle, but with two [[kibble|rather obvious]] locomotive front halves on the sides of the rear hull. Instead of a steam locomotive, his secondary [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] is a [[wikipedia:Tsubame (train)|Tsubame]] [[wikipedia:800 Series Shinkansen|800]] bullet train. His [[robot mode]] is based heavily upon his Generation 1 cartoon animation model design, and is armed with a large purple laser rifle similar to the original toy's rifle (The side of the rifle has a [[Mini-Con]] shaped port on it, if one chooses to do it). However, purple highlights aside, his deco's color scheme is predominantly based on the original Takara toy.

:A design fluke that was acknowledged on Hasbro's official Transformers website allows Astrotrain to connect to ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' Ultra Class [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] or his redecos, ''Cybertron'' Sky Shadow or ''[[Movie (toyline)|Movie]]'' [[Jetstorm (Movie)|Jetstorm]], via his landing gear. (Coincidentally, Jetfire's alternate mode is based on a Ukrainian Antonov An-225 Mriya, which was used to transport the Buran orbiter, the Soviet [[knockoff|counterpart]] of the NASA Space Shuttle, on its back.)

:As with most ''Classics'' toys, he has a heat-sensitive [[rubsign]].

:This mold was also used to make ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' [[Shouki#Generations|Shouki]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/ClassicsAstrotrain/astrotrain.htm More information on ''Classics'' Astrotrain at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Henkei! Henkei!===
[[File:Henkei Astrotrain toy.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|''One man on a lonely platform<br>One case sitting by his side<br>Two eyes staring cold and silent<br>
Shows fear as he turns to hide<br>Ah, ah, we fade to grey!'']]
*'''Astrotrain''' (Deluxe, 2008-[[April 24|04-24]])
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-03'''
**''Accessories:'' Rifle

:In 2008, ''Classics'' Astrotrain was released in Japan as part of the ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei! Transformers]]'' line by [[TakaraTomy]]. The figure was extensively redecoed into a dark grey and purple colour scheme based on the character’s appearance in the Generation 1 cartoon. Instead of the Hasbro ''Classics'' release's rubsign, he has two Decepticon sigils tampographed onto his wings. All ''Henkei'' toys feature a somewhat randomly [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum-metallized]] part somewhere upon them, and Astrotrain is no exception: the trim of his chestplate and engine array are vacuumized purple, with the engines themselves left as unpainted silver chrome.
{{-}}

===Generations===
*'''Specialist: Decepticons''' (2014)
**''Accessories:'' Rifle

:This release of Astrotrain looks superficially similar to the ''Henkei'' version, but saturated with metallic paint and with some deco changes, most conspicuous in train mode. It was sold as part of a Hasbro Asian-[[exclusive]] [[giftset]] along with metallic-painted redecoes of [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#Generations|Galvatron]] and [[Octane#Generations|Octane]]. 
{{-}}

{{anchor|Platinum}}
[[File:Platinum-edition-g1-astrotrain.jpg|right|upright=1.66|thumb|Astrotrain was late getting to the G2 party.]]
*'''Astrotrain''' (Platinum Edition, 2015)
**''Accessories'': "Ionic Displacer Rifle"
:Part of a ''[[Transformers: Platinum Edition|Platinum Edition]]'' two-pack with [[Blitzwing (G1)#Platinum Edition|Blitzwing]] released under the ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' line, this reissue of Astrotrain features an unprecedented orange, white and blue color scheme. The exact inspiration for this deco is unknown, with the currently prevalent theory being that it's supposed to homage ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (toyline)|Victory]]'' [[Machtackle]]'s colors.

{{-}}

{{anchor|TitansReturn}}
[[File:TF-Generations-Titans-Return-Voyager-Astrotrain.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|''And all this science I don't understand <br>It's just my job five days a week
<br>A rocket man, a rocket man...'']]
*'''Astrotrain''' (Voyager Class, 2016)
**''Accessories:'' 2 guns, [[Darkmoon]] Titan Master
:A [[retool]] of ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Sentinel Prime (G1)#Generations|Sentinel Prime]], Astrotrain can transform from robot to shuttle to battle tank-which-looks-like-a-train and back. He comes with [[Darkmoon]], a [[Titan Master]] figure which can transform from a robot into his head (but any [[Titan Master]]-class figure is compatible). Like all ''Titans Return'' Voyager-class figures, he has parts of his body designed to "bulk up" his head (although for a more show-accurate appearance it is kept undeployed). in his case they are spring-loaded pylons. Like Sentinel, the train engine ends ''can'' be used as feet, but they sit at an awkward angle that makes it hard for Astrotrain to stand upright. His two guns can combine to form one larger weapon which Darkmoon (or any Titan Master) can operate in robot mode, The largest of the two can be piloted by any Titan Master figure in both modes. His guns also attach to form his Vehicle mode weapons. 
{{TRSentinelPrimeMold}}
{{-}}

===Kre-O===
[[File:KreO-Toy AstrotrainClass85.jpg|right|thumb|250px|As close as we'll get to an Action Master Astrotrain, at least officially.]]
*'''Kreon Class of '85''' (Kreon figure set, 2015)
**''Set number'' '''B5152'''
**''Accessories'': Long rifle

: [[Kreon]] Astrotrain is a small brick-built figure, using the 2015-style construction with raised hands and the sturdier "peg-in-peg" torso/waist connection. His coloration is based on the [[Astrotrain (G1)#Toys|original Astrotrain toy prototype pictured in catalogs]], being mostly gray with a yellow visor, though his chest [[tampograph]]'s linework has the cartoon model's folded-away tailfin-chestplate.

: He was only available as part of the [[San Diego Comic-Con]]-[[exclusive]] "[[Kreon Class of '85]]" 30-Kreon set. This set was also sold online through [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] after the show.

{{-}}

===Legends===
*'''Astrotrain''' (Voyager, 2016)
**''Japanese ID Number'': '''LG40'''

{{TRInfinitusMold}}
{{TRSentinelPrimeMold}}
{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Decoy===
*'''Astrotrain''' (Decoy, 1986)
**''Decoy number:'' '''38'''

: [[Decoy]] Astrotrain is a small, purple rubber figure made available with certain toys in the [[The Transformers (toyline)|original toyline]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Decoys/Astrotrain/astrotrain.htm More information on Decoy Astrotrain at TFU.info]''

===Boss Original Figure===
*'''Astrotrain''' (Boss Original Figure, 2008)

:Released in a line of PVC figures available exclusively with containers of [[Boss Coffee]], this version of Astrotrain is rendered in grey and violet.

==Notes==
[[File:AstrotrainCharacterModel.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|That ass be fly, yo.]]
*In an early Japanese sales catalog from 1985, the black and white Astrotrain was listed as an '''Autobot''' with the [[List of Japanese ID numbers|ID number]] 16, with [[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron]] being #17 (when released, Megatron was #16, while Astrotrain was #48). In fact, the more realistic black and white deco ''does'' look more like an Autobot...
*Astrotrain's [[character model]] is a bit of a confused collection of contradictions.
**As noted above, the model was based upon an early prototype of his toy, with a different head design and color scheme. However, like most of the new season 2 characters, it is apparent that this character model was created with only a front-facing photo of the toy for reference—a ''mistransformed'' photo, in Astrotrain's case, which did not have his shuttle tailfin unfolded into its chestplate form, leading to that feature being missing from Astrotrain's cartoon and comic book appearance. Further, since his rear-view character model was then created working only from this design, the designers, unware of where it was ''supposed'' to go, wound up placing the tailfin on his back. Due to the prominence of the animation model, Astrotrain is typically depicted without a chestplate in fiction, but the feature was retained for the 2006 ''Classics'' toy.
**However, an ''earlier'' version of his model exists that has a different rear-view design that does ''not'' have the tailfin on his back. This version, which also features much more detailed wings (incorporating circular shapes that might be based on where his train-wheels end up in robot mode on the toy), can be seen in the original [[Commercial/Generation 1|commercial]] advertising the toy, and also appears in a few scenes of "[[Triple Takeover]]," drawn very inconsistently.
**Speaking of "Triple Takeover", it, along with any other episodes animated by either [[AKOM]] or the [[unknown Generation 1 animation studio]], consistently use the alternate ''colors'' from this early model for all Astrotrain's appearances, giving him a toy-accurate grey helmet, and mostly-grey shoulder wheels, when the finished animation model uses purple.
**Both early and finished models also gave Astrotrain two eyes, even though the original toy had a visor. The separate eyes were also used for subsequent depictions of the character in fiction, as well as the 2006 ''Classics'' toy.
*Astrotrain believes that [[Fandom|those who worship Transformers]] are fools. {{storylink|The God Gambit}}
[[File:TheTransformerTheMovie-Astrotrainexcaping.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Not shown: Thomas and the stationmaster's house.]]
*Astrotrain, along with Cosmos and Omega Supreme, was one of three space-faring characters added to the cartoon in 1985. In addition to the usual voice flanging given to the show's robotic characters, all three had an echoing reverberation applied to their voices, presumably to play up the "outer space" aspect.
*While Astrotrain does not appear in the [[The Transformers: Stormbringer|''Stormbringer'' comic series]] (due in part to him being on Earth at the time), the trade paperback includes a design sketch for a Triple Changer which appears to be intended as Astrotrain's pre-Earth Cybertronian form.
*In the [[IDW Generation 1 continuity]] during [[Simon Furman]] and [[E. J. Su]]'s run, Astrotrain's space shuttle is essentially a ''far'' more realistic rendering of a space vehicle, but his third mode has been upgraded to a diesel-electric six-axle locomotive resembling a [[Wikipedia:GE U28C|General Electric U28C model]], along with custom features like red and purple headlights and an all-purple paint-job. It also has a Big F**king Gun mounted on the engine cowling. That's badass. 
*From ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' onward, Astrotrain's design has been reworked to resemble his ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' toy in robot mode, minus some of the train kibble. However, he transforms into a purple D62 steam locomotive once more, like his original toy. There is probably a [[Trukk not munky|good reason]] for that.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Astrotrain''' (アストロトレイン ''Asutorotorein'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Űrvonat''' ("Space Train"), '''Űrmozdony''' ("Space Engine", first ''The Movie'' dub)
*''Italian:'' '''Triplex Uno''' ("Triplex One")
*''Mandarin:'' '''T<sup>h</sup>ài-k<sup>h</sup>ōng Huǒ-chē''' (Taiwan, 太空火車, "Space Train"), '''Dà Huǒchē''' (China, 大火车, "Big Train")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Astro-Comboio''' (Portugal, "Astro-Train")
*''Russian:'' '''Astropoyezd''' (Астропоезд, "Astrotrain")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Astrotyag''' (Астротяг, "Astrohauler")

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.tf-1.com/articles/reissue/Astrotrain_template.html Original Hasbro Astrotrain, original Takara Astrotrain and Takara reissue Astrotrain at TF-1.com]
*[http://www.tf-1.com/articles/reissue/Animeastro_template.html e-Hobby Astrotrain and original Astrotrain at TF-1.com]

[[Category:Classics Decepticons]]
[[Category:Cloud Decepticons]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Decepticon starships]]
[[Category:Decoys]]
[[Category:E-Hobby]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 gods]]
[[Category:Generation 1 starships]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Legends Decepticons]]
[[Category:Platinum Edition]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Decepticons]]
[[Category:Regeneration One zombies]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Decepticons]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:Titans Return]]
[[Category:Triple Changers]]