Hot Wheels Rapid Transit - Bendy Bus

My boys love them.

Though Hot Wheels have dominated the miniature die cast toy car market almost since their beginnings in 1968, they've been less successful with (or at least a lot less interested in) other kinds of vehicles, especially trains, the occasional train-like car and the long gone motorized Hotline Trains being the primary exceptions. With the possible exception of the almost equally long gone (and unexamined by me) Hot Wheels Railroad, nothing like the various brands of connectable and collectible wooden trains or the Learning Curve die cast Take-n-Play Thomas & Friends trains was ever attempted,...until now. In 2011 Hot Wheels introduced the Rapid Transit Series: die cast railroad engines and rail cars, plus the occasional articulated bus or tractor trailer, that snap together with rotating C-shaped plastic claw couplers placed fore and aft on every car and engine. So far they only come two to a blister pack: one locomotive and one matching passenger or freight car. One of the selling points, proudly displayed on the packaging, is that coupled consists can successfully navigate loops on regular Hot Wheels track, which turns out to be absolutely true, though an 8-car-consist was the upper limit we could ever get to go through a loop successfully, and some of the engines with projecting noses go through a loop better backwards.The V0146 Hot Wheels Bendy Bus, both sections # 412, appears to be based on a somewhat souped up modern articulated bus.Other models available are as follows:V0138 Hot Wheels Steamin' DemonV0139 Hot Wheels Rail RocketV0140 Hot Wheels Rocky Mountain RailV0141 Hot Wheels Diesel ChiefV0142 Hot Wheels West Coast FlyerV0143 Hot Wheels Super StokerV0144 Hot Wheels Fast FreightV0145 Hot Wheels Super StreamlinerV0147 Hot Wheels Turbo TrolleyV0148 Hot Wheels Steel BulletV0149 Hot Wheels Cargo CruiserW4416 Hot Wheels Turbo HaulerW4417 Hot Wheels Snake SpeederW4418 Hot Wheels Great ScotW4419 Hot Wheels Steam BlasterW4420 Hot Wheels Wild RideW4421 Hot Wheels Bullet SpeederW4422 Hot Wheels Steamin' Demon - Version 2W4423 Hot Wheels Fast Freight - Version 2W4424 Hot Wheels Super Stoker - Version 2W4425 Hot Wheels Super Streamliner - Version 2W4426 Hot Wheels Rocky Mountain Rail - Version 2The following are NOT, as their names might imply, new and different models. Instead they are mixed sets combining previously released locomotives and cars from two different sets. (This can easily be confirmed by reading the names stamped onto the bottom of the chassis through the clear bottom part of the blister packs):Y2205 Hot Wheels Diesel Trax: V0144 Fast Freight locomotive + W4416 Turbo Hauler trailerY2206 Hot Wheels Retro Railer: W4419 Steam Blaster locomotive + WW4418 Great Scot tenderY2207 Hot Wheels Turboa: V0139 Rail Rocket locomotive + W4417 Snake Speeder passenger carNote: There is now a Hot Wheels Railroad Rampage track set that comes with a two car blister pack. Sets with W4417 Hot Wheels Snake Speeder have been seen, but it is not known whether other engine and car sets can be included instead.