Astrotrain (G1)


 * Astrotrain is a Decepticon in the Generation 1 continuity family.



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 also craves having power over a massive army of train drones. Follow your dreams, Astrotrain. Follow your dreams.

Italian name: Triplex Uno

Animated continuity

 * Voice actor: Jack Angel (US), Takurō Kitagawa (Japan)

With the help of Blitzwing, Astrotrain froze Megatron and Starscream in 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. The productive day ended with him flooding the entire city, after bursting a water main. The embarrassment of these incidents forced him to creep back into the Decepticon ranks quietly. At gunpoint.

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. Not heeding a holographic warning from the Autobots, Megatron ventured further into the colony and seized an 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 punchered Megatron's chest plate, infecting him with Cosmic Rust. Oddly enough Astrotrain was never infected.

He also transported the Decepticons away after getting their aft-sections handed to them at Autobot City. He couldn't make it back to Cybertron with the amount of weight on board, so they tossed Some dead weight overboard.

Apparently, they all made it back okay.

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform: The Transformers manga
Astrotrain photographed the incomplete Autobot City, with the aid of Reflector's camera mode, allowing the Decepticons to build Trypticon from the stolen specs.

Generation 2
Astrotrain shows up among a crowd of Decepticons all fired up to tackle the armies of Jhiaxus, just before they're pretty much slaughtered.

Classics
fanclub

Dreamwave comics continuity
He isn't Quintessa.

IDW comics continuity
Astrotrain is part of a Decepticon insurgent cell that has operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, working to destabilize Earth's governing organizations and create global anarchy. He oversees the extraction and refinement of the mysterious, Energon-like substance, Ore-13, but despite having sampled its power, he is unwilling to stand alongside Starscream against Megatron.

Generation 1

 * Astrotrain (1985, 1986, 2004, 2005)
 * Japanese ID number: D-48, TFC-11




 * Astrotrain was one of the two Triple Changer toys released in 1985. Originally an unreleased Diaclone Toripuruchenjaa (Triple Changer) toy, Astrotrain transforms into both a purple steam locomotive train and a grey space shuttle. For some reason, the finaly US toy colours do not match the photos on the packaging nor the colours used on the cartoon animation models.


 * In Japan, the 1985 release of Astrotrain had a colour scheme based upon the real-life versions of the vehicles he transformed into, with a white space shuttle and a black steam locomotive. In 1986, Takara released Astrotrain in his US toy colours.


 * In 2004, Takara reissued Astrotrain his original Japanese white colour scheme, but with NASA stickers changed to ASTR, and with white paint on the shuttle side of the die-cast front. In 2005, Hasbro released this version of Astrotrain on the Hasbro Toy Shop.


 * Astrotrain (2004)
 * Japanese ID number: D-48


 * Often referred to as 'Anime Astrotrain' by collectors, this version was decorated in colors used on the original 1986 toy's packaging as well as the Generation 1 animation model. He was an e-Hobby exclusive.

Classics

 * Astrotrain (Deluxe, 2006)




 * Classics Astrotrain, like much of the Classics line, is an extensive update of the original Astrotrain designed based heavily upon their cartoon appearances and using modern toy engineering techniques. He still transforms into a NASA space shuttle, though there are two rather obvious train front halves on the sides of the rear hull, and instead of a locomotive mode, his secondary vehicle mode is a rather 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.


 * As with all Classics toys, he has a heat-sensitive rubsign.