GENERATION 1
         GENERATION 2
         BEAST WARS
         BEAST MACHINES
         ROBOTS IN DISGUISE
         ARMADA

Railspike ready to transport a load of civilians

and ready to take it to the preds

VEHICLE MODE:
Railspike's vehicle mode is a stylised version of a Shinkansen; a Japanese bullet train. In this mode he looks sleek and fast - as his tech spec suggests - and appears completely unassuming. Aside from the bloody great Autobot symbol on his left side just below his cockpit and the "500 Cybertron" on the opposite side there is nothing to suggest he's anything but an ordinary train. He's mostly white along the sides with metallic blue windows down either side, these are surrounded by a line of black with a bright blue line following directly underneath. The roof of the cab is of a flatter blue that covers the top of the train from nose to rear and terminates with the same colour on his robot mode feet. The cockpit is a translucent green with some black and white detailing in front of it.

There's a lot of engraved detail on this toy that one would miss on first inspection. the Doors are etched in at the rear and front of either side, as are small details like maintenance hatches and vents along the bottom of the vehicle. the wheels are detailed well, too, with hydraulics and other parts showing on both sides. the roof of the train just behind the cockpit has some details etched in, too, such as an escape hatch and some miscellaneous grooves running down his back.

His weapon can be attached to the back via pegs on the underside between his legs, the base then folds up and the blue peg sits behind allowing one of his companions to hook on and form a chain. Somewhere along the line there was a problem with the mould of the gun barrel meaning that it doesn't sit properly between the pegs, I'm sure it could be shaved down but I don't have enough faith in my own handyman abilities to attempt it. Railspike rolls well on hard, even surfaces such as tile, wood and linoleum but doesn't budge on carpet thanks to his eight small wheels.

TRANSFORMATION (ROBOT MODE):
Firstly remove the weapon from his underbelly and set it aside. next grasp either side of the rear of the train and pull out to separate his legs, then pull each leg down to extend them. Turn each leg around 180º so they face the right way and then fold up his feet at the front and fold down the train wheels at the back to form heel support. fold out the flaps at his hips a little way, separate the two sections of his nosecone and fold them down by his side. Fold each one forward so that they face toward you, rotate his arms down then spin his forearms around. extend the cockpit section (Rail Racer's head) forward completely with Rail Racer's head facing downward as much as possible. Bend the long blue bit that attaches the head to the small blue bit upward, then fold the small blue bit between the bigger blue bit and the body of the robot downward (this'll make more sense with the toy in your hands...). His head should spring up by itself, turn it around to face you, stand him and put his weapon in either hand.

ROBOT MODE:
Railspike isn't an imposing figure, he's well balanced and articulated, but not imposing in his own right. His large shoulders are somewhat outweighed by his comparatively small arms and head, though this is by no means a bad thing. The figure gives the impression of a seasoned veteran and a great leader. He doesn't try to be an imposing or outstanding figure or someone you'd recognise on a battlefield, more a leader who stands by his troops as an equal, the sort that wouldn't give an order he wouldn't follow himself.

Like his vehicle mode there is a lot of etched detail in this mode as well. His outer legs are covered in mechanical details like vents and panels, as are his shoulders which show the missiles mentioned in his bio along with some more mechanical detailing. These details are etched big and beautiful so they can be noticed easily, but closer inspection is needed to see some of the more intricate details. There isn't much new in the way of colours except for his eyes, which are a pinkish red colour. There's more blue showing, mostly on his legs and shoulders, and the great big head thing in the middle of his chest makes the green more prominent.

Railspike is articulated at the knees (hinge and swivel joints) and pelvis (ball joints), his shoulders can swivel to raise his arms, his upper arms are on swivel joints and his elbows are on two ball joints, his neck can also turn. He is fairly well balanced and the heel support allows him to stand in a lot of different ways than simply straight up. His weapon comes with a battery already installed with allows it to light up red whenever a button is pushed. Just a nice little gimmick, tried and true.

Railspike is an excellent figure on his own, and the ability to combine with Midnight Express and Rapid Run to form the incredible Rail Racer figure is all the more reason to pick him up. He, like every other Mega sized figure in RiD, wasn't released in Australia, so if you plan to order him you may as well shell out for the other two Railbots as well. Though if you do plan to order them, you might be better off paying the extra however much for the Car Robots versions, which are higher quality and have translucent windows. At any rate Railspike and his team come highly recommended.