Electric Train and Battle Set
The Electric Train and Battle Set is an HO-scale model train set manufactured by Tyco in 1985. The set includes a diesel switcher with a "Search Mode", a gondola with coal/"proton laser cannon", a box car/weapon center, and a caboose/"Battlestar ship", all in a matching silver paint scheme with a red stripe. The set additionally includes a number of static Autobot and Decepticon figurines, the buildings for a power plant, track, a plastic layout mat, and a power pack.
History
In the 1980's, with the popularity of a number of television series including Transformers, Tyco would release a series of similarly themed train sets. All told, five train sets were released, all of which used the same basic components and cars, simply recycled into new colors and modified to some degree. In fact, of the train sets released, only one, the A-Team set would use a different locomotive. The rest of the sets, released around the same time (1983-1986) would use the same cars and engines, and in the case of the Transformers set, the same exact "map."
The exact reason for the same components has, by many collectors, been attributed to Tyco's bid for money in the mid 1980's. At that time, the company was suffering from lack of sales and interest in trains, and they needed something to revitalize the market. The licensed trains were seen as a part of this, however Tyco didn't wish to spend a great deal of money. Thus, the plan was to reuse as much as possible for each set, there by saving on tooling and production costs. Cosmetically, the four main sets (excluding the A-Team one) were virtually identical. The same locomotive, with components was used, as well as the same cars. Curiously, the only new addition came with the Transformers train, where a new designed Caboose was included. However the other carriages and locomotive were still the same ones found in the GI-Joe, Mask, and Rambo train sets.
Early runs of the Transformers train also are often found to contain parts from the other sets, including (though not limited to) wrong colored carriages, the wrong vinyl map, soldiers, and even have been found to have wrong decals, suggesting that at the time of construction all sets were being boxed on the same production line and prone to mistakes. Not withstanding the few errors, the Transformers train set does hold some value to collectors, due in large part to the fact that it was only produced for three years.
Components
The main focus of the set was the transforming engine and cars and the small plastic generic robots that interacted with them.
Engine
The engine was a slightly modified working switch engine. It transformed into "search mode" by lifting a hinged panel on the front-left side of the diesel engine and raising a ball-and-socket mounted concave plank on top; the transformation did not hinder the operation of the engine in any way.
Coal car
The gondola car came with a plank that represented a pile of coal on one side and a non-firing "proton laser cannon" on the other. The cannon was mounted on to the underside of the coal by a small peg which allowed it to swivel horizontally. Another hinge allowed it to raise vertically. Swiveling the cannon too far to one side or the other without weighing down the gondola car resulted in the car tipping. This gondola car is the exact same one used in the "Mask" set, and was unchanged save for color before being released with the Transformers set.
Box car
The box car unfolded into a "weapon center" in which the included figures could fit. Both sides were identical, except for the spot on top where a box with a concave dish mount could be affixed. The weapon center consisted of two overhangs and two boxes with window slats attached by hinges that allowed the boxes to swivel 180 degrees for a wide variety of configurations.
Caboose
The caboose transforms into a "Battlestar Ship." The wheels at the front of the caboose fold down to allow the robot mode to continue rolling on the tracks while giving it a perched or launching appearance.
The cut of the stickers for the caboose only allow for them to be applied with the broad red stripe flanked by the two narrow black stripes on bottom, while the the stickers for the engine bearing the G1 "The Trans Formers More Than Meets The Eye" slogan is only right-side up if positioned with the broad red stripe on the top.
Robots
The non-transforming "Transformer" figures consist of six distinct molds in metallic silver (Autobots) and metallic blue (Decepticons), repeated multiple times in apparently semi-random quantities.
Setting
The play mat depicted a small dam in a grassy and wooded area with a road and parking lot. The card-stock power station, plant, and two power line towers were meant to be placed around this, though a convincing layout that also left room for the standard oval-track layout was difficult to achieve.
