I am Guppyfish, or just Guppy for short! and I like to do digital art! Specifically I enjoy digital painting! I love to create ocs and chip away at a personal project of mine which involves a fantasy world filled with Spirits and Sprites! Though currently I am hyperfixated on Ingo, Emmet, and the Battle Subway from Pokemon so I've just been drawing them, also thanks to them I'm verrrrry into trains now too yup yup! Trains are so cool! :D
Above 80 points get: “Bravo! I had a fantastic time!” “Please spend time with me again soon! I look forward to seeing you!”
Gifting:
Gifting Upbound Whistle and Good Upbound Whistle: “A present for me?! Thank you very much!”
Gifting Awesome Upbound Whistle: “What a wonderful gift! My heart is filled with joy!” “Bravo! Excellent! No other words could express my gratitude!”
Gifting the Player:
Friendship lv. 1-9: “Please accept this gift!” “Knowing you, I’m sure you’ll put it to good use!”
Friendship lv. 10-29: “I’d like to give you this, [Player]!” “I hope it will help you reach greater heights!”
Friendship lv. 30+: “Oh, [Player]! Allow me to present you with this gift as a token of my gratitude!” “When you spend time with someone, your engine powers something special!” “Our time together can drive us to aim for even greater heights!”
Unique Chats:
Unlocks when Friendship is below lv. 10: “The more we spend time together and get to know each other, the stronger our bond will become!” “A strong bond is the most powerful weapon in a tag battle!” “You could say it’s an express ticket to greater heights. We’re lucky we were invited to the Trainer Lodge!”
Unlocks when Friendship is above lv. 10: “Tag Battles can make you wonder what a good combination truly is.” “For instance, two quarreling Trainers could work well together once a battle starts.” “Some bonds aren’t visible to the naked eye. You can’t measure every bond by how it looks on the surface!”
Unlocks when Friendship is above lv. 30: “Us twins are so similar, it can be like looking in a mirror.” “Perhaps we do so much together because we look and think so alike.” “Realizing we don’t always need to be together was a big step forward for me!”
A Special day with Ingo: Part 1:
“One day, Ingo called [Player] over to help with something”
Ingo: “Sorry for calling you here so suddenly!”
“I’ll just be frank”
“Could you…be my tag battle partner for a while?”
>(Ask about Emmet.): “Don’t worry! This is for Emmet’s sake too!”
>(Ask why you.): “Why you instead of Emmet? Fret not—I have a reason!”
Ingo: “My goal is to offer challengers hospitality, allowing them to reach greater heights.”
“But here on Pasio, surrounded by such strong teams, my two-car train with Emmet’s starting to feel…inadequate.”
“So by partnering up with you, I too can reach greater heights!”
“It’ll also help Emmet!”
“As twins, Emmet and I have always supported each other.”
“No matter which of us takes the lead, the other eventually catches up.”
“That’s how we’ve always improved!”
“And that’s why, even if I get a leg up on Emmet by battling alongside you…”
“I’ll know he’ll catch up in no time!”
“Which means as brothers, we can reach even greater heights!”
“So I ask this favor. What do you say?”
Player: *nods*
Ingo: “Bravo! Thank you!”
“Let’s start up our two-car train’s engines and get on track!”
A Special day with Ingo: Part 2:
“A few days later…”
Ingo: “From the bottom of my heart…”
“Thank you for battling alongside me!”
“Emmet will surely be surprised.”
“I’ve had many unprecedented experiences here on Pasio…”
“Including many chances for Emmet and I to go our own ways!”
“If I’d stuck to just tag battles with my brother, I would’ve missed so much.”
“Being apart from him helped me realize things I never did before—things that were right under my nose!”
“Through my tag battles with you…”
“I realized even the best parts of my tag battles with Emmet can improve!”
“Once again, you’ve shown me time apart is crucial for a fresh perspective!”
>(Smile and say you’re happy you could help.): “Our teamwork truly was heartening!”
>(Ask if Emmet thinks the same.): “Of course he does! No matter our distance, our hearts are one!”
Ingo: “You know, Emmet and I have met many people on Pasio.”
“But those who can train alongside us are few.”
“But you, [Player]—you understand the way of us Subway Bosses!”
“Please tag along with us brothers again—into the future!”
Emmet's Trainer Lodge:
Greetings:
Friendship lv. 1-9: “Yes? Is something the matter?”
Friendship lv. 10-29: “Passenger [Player], you’ve arrived at the lodge right on schedule!”
Friendship lv. 30+: “I am Emmet. I was waiting for you to come today, [Player]!”
Starting the Interaction:
Friendship lv. 1-9: “Sure, let’s chat.”
Friendship lv. 10-29: “I couldn’t wait to talk to you, [Player]!”
Friendship lv. 30+: “When we talk, I feel very excited!”
End of Interaction:
Below 80 points get: “That was so fun! Let’s talk again soon!”
Above 80 points get: “I had so much fun spending time with you, [Player]!” “I’m sure we’ll meet here again. Because we still have more to talk about!”
Gifting:
Gifting Downbound Whistle and Good Downbound Whistle: “Thank you, [Player]! I’ll use your present with care!”
Gifting Awesome Downbound Whistle: “Check safety. Ready to receive your present!” “I’m so verrrrry happy! I’ll definitely return the favor!”
Gifting the Player:
Friendship lv. 1-9: “This could be useful. I want you to have it.” “If you want more, I can bring you something else, too!”
Friendship lv. 10-29: “I brought this today. I want to give it to you, [Player].” “If you use it right, I’m sure it will prove verrrrry handy!”
Friendship lv. 30+: “Here you go. The best present I could find!” “It would make me so happy if you enjoyed it, [Player]. I’ll bring you more presents!” “I hope the next one brings us smiles, too!”
Unique Chats:
Unlocks when Friendship is below lv. 10: “Even here at the lodge, what I do and what I say is always the same.” “Follow the rules. Safe Driving!” “Let’s broaden our connections and chitchat with everyone!”
Unlocks when Friendship is above lv. 10: “Being “serious” isn’t the only way to have a serious battle.” “If I hadn’t come to Pasio, maybe I never would’ve learned that.” “You don’t have to stay on the same track all the time. Exploring different routes is important, too!”
Unlocks when Friendship is above lv. 30: “Teaming up for tag battles and clashing head-on…” “By repeating those things with another, you’ll deepen your bond with them!” “It’s strange, since the two are totally opposite. But now I see why it works!” “Either way, you’re serious about facing each other!”
A Special day with Emmet: Part 1:
“One day, Emmet called [player] over to help with something.”
Emmet: “[Player]! Please be my tag battle partner!”
“Hm? Why, you ask?”
“Well, looking at the sync pairs on this island got me thinking.”
“I realized everyone’s definition of a serious battle is different.”
“For me, a serious battle is one I really want to win—one where that real feeling clashes with my opponent’s.”
“But for some, a serious battle is one where they can use a specific strategy or Pokémon type.”
“There are even folks who don’t care about winning. They want showy battles that captivate the audience!”
“So I decided to learn what everyone considers a serious battle!”
“I figure I’ll have even more fun once I learn all the ways to have one.”
“And that’s when I thought of you, [Player]!”
“You always give it your all! And you’re serious about everything you do!”
“Having you as my tag battle partner would be educational for me!”
“Together, I’m sure we can discover something new!”
>(Ask if it’s OK that you’re not Ingo.): “Yep! This time, I want you as my partner!”
>(Ask if he’s told Ingo about this.): “No, I haven’t said anything to him. But it’s all right!”
Emmet: “Ingo is probably thinking what I’m thinking.”
“I’m sure he’s working toward greater heights as a Subway Boss.”
“Even when we’re apart, our combination is the best. Perfect!”
“And even if our tracks diverge, I’m sure our final destination is the same!”
A Special day with Emmet: Part 2:
“A few days later…”
Emmet: “Thanks for joining me, [Player].”
“All our tag battles together were so fun!”
“Plus, I learned something about you.”
“It’s not that you’re serious about everything.”
“You’re just serious when you face things head-on.”
“That goes for battles, Pokemon, and people’s feelings, too!”
“You have a strong desire to understand others and get close to them.”
“That’s why you also faced me seriously.”
“Battling alongside you was easy. And most importantly, it was fun!”
>(Thank him and say you had fun too.): “We were able to enjoy ourselves because we faced things seriously!” “I’m glad it was you I asked for help!”
>(Ask if he found the answer he was looking for.): “Yup!” “I found my own answer, thanks to your help!”
Emmet: “You’re a dependable partner, [Player].”
“But next time, I want to compete against you—and win as your rival!”
“I bet Ingo’s thinking the same thing.”
“Someday, when you’ve picked the best tag battle partner, let’s have a serious battle!”
“I want your real feelings to clash with Ingo’s and mine!”
“No doubt you and your tag battle partner will be a great, strong team.”
“But no matter what, we Subway Bosses won’t lose!”
(Note: This train offers a welcome drink consisting of Sparkling Apple Cider, more about this train below the read more)
Photo of the train is from this blog post by Japan Rail Club
Tohoku Emotion is a Joyful Train owned by JR East, starting operation in 2013. It made up of 3 Kiha 110 series 700 cars (a diesel train). It operates in the Tohoku region running between Kuji in the Iwate prefecture to Hachinohe in the Aomori Prefecture.
This train is focused on a dining experience! Car 1 are private dining rooms, Car 2 is the open kitchen, and Car 3 is the dining room. The route follows the Sanriku Coast so you may have a great view of the ocean while you dine. Both the exterior and interior design incorporate characteristics from the Tohoku region! Such the back wall of the open kitchen decorated with traditional embroidery from Aomori (Kogin-Zashi) or using Amber lighting in the dining room (Amber being a specialty product for Kuji)
The menu changes every 3 months. The outbound journey (Hachinohe->Kuji) includes the lunch course. It starts with a welcome drink, sparkling apple cider made from apples from the Aomori prefecture (a region known for it's apples, drinks are free flowing throughout the ride until supplies run out) and appetizers (served in a wooden bento box like the one in the drawing), which is then followed by the main course. The Appetizers and main course depends on the current season and menu. The inbound journey (Kuji->Hachinohe) is a dessert buffet, which is also subject to change every 3 months
I was stuck by the of the exterior style of the train, so I tried to emulate it in a drawing. A bit experimental. Thanks for reading! ✌
Station Rally for RAINN is a new Submas merch fundraiser project.
If you're interested in getting cool merch from cooler artists and supporting a good cause at the same time, help us get the word out by reblogging and give us a follow! More information coming soon.
Well, this wasn’t the post that I hoped to post when returning, but I’ve talked with a victim of this situation and they wished to spread awareness on what had happened. While I don't usually make posts like this. I have agreed because it is pretty serious. It is uncomfortable, but I feel like it needs to be addressed.
Content warning for grooming of minors, pedophilia, and racism and also talks of incest, rape, necrophilia, and bestiality. This is still developing, but this is the most recent compilation post of evidence: https://www.tumblr.com/isuggestnotbeingacreep/805301357397540864?source=share. There are 4 parts (this is the 4th part). I will warn you it is a really hard read, and I will only suggest going into it if you are mentally capable of it. But the summary is this:
The one we know as Marchy was a known blankshipper within the fandom, however it seems they has had a history of grooming minors. Before the Submas fandom they went as Dari and participated in the Sword and Shield fandom. They made sexual jokes and sent fetish content to minors, and manipulated minors into unknowingly making fetish content. When they were kicked out, they went under a new name (Marchy-Emmet) and continued their grooming behavior in the Submas fandom (Testimony 1, Testimony 2, Testimony 3, Testimony 4, Dari's DMs). Suvi (or Submastrain/sura-sbms) is their friend. Who absolutely knew about the minors in Marchy’s Discord server all while indulging in fetishistic content of incest, rape, necrophilia, and bestiality. (They also made a joke how it would be sooooo funny if they start a fundraiser to support RAINN, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, because it's all "consensual").
There is also the case of Nartothelar. Who doesn't seem close to Marchy, however, they were in Marchy’s Discord server (it was deleted when Marchy left the fandom). They also have had interactions with Suvi in an NSFW setting. Which makes me doubt they didn’t know at least something was happening. edit: Marchy and Nart were close, to the point where Nart gave Marchy an "anti blocklist" (Jun/ Choochooboss seems to also be close with Marchy)
So far, there have been 6 victims who have already shared their story. I hope their bravery inspires others to stand up for themselves and to know that you are not alone. If anyone else has been groomed by Marchy, or have been harmed by this circle, Edenarborart on Discord is collecting testimonies if you are comfortable doing so. Marchy is gone from the Submas fandom. Though it seems like they just created a new account and goes by a new name now (there is some evidence they are now in the Hazbin Hotel community). I can only hope that by acknowledging they hurt they caused that the people affected by this can heal.
Edit: Suvi has responded (both publicly and privately through a DM). The victims Eden, Mango, and Freddie have been extremely frustrated by the lack of accountability. They just want to be acknowledged and have their names and testimonies be heard publicly, which they have stated very clearly that is how they want closure (Eden and Mango's thoughts). While Suvi and their friends has shifted the conversation away from the grooming into “proshipper discourse” along with the whole community and it's clear they did not read any of the testimonies. (Edit 2: New DMs of Marchy and Suvi ignoring concerns even back then)
If I may put my own thoughts here, I am highly disappointed at the lack of maturity that people have handled this situation. It has made it clear to me that this community is not one that is safe, and if you are a minor I suggest you leave. Because if anything happens to you and you speak out, you will be called an “anti” (or whatever label they want to throw at you), your traumatic experiences watered down into drama, and if your try to keep talking about it people dismiss you because it's “uncomfortable” and they want to go back to “normalcy”. You can all use words to morally uplift yourself, but actions speak louder than words, and the lack of respect shown towards these victims is absolutely appalling.
Battle Subway Platform NPC Dialogue and Other Stuff
Ever wonder what the Trainers resting on the Battle Subway Platforms are talking about? Well I cataloged it! I also wanted to clear some misconceptions about the Battle Subway as well as showing off a few things I thought were cool, so if you don't care about NPC dialogue you can just skip to the end.
NPCs don't change between the Singles, Doubles, Multi lines. But they are different depending on whether you are taking the Regular Lines or Super Lines. I don't believe they change on version differences either, but for transparency's sake I did this on a copy of Black 2. Since the Super Trains go on forever, I stopped at the platform after 203 wins, because that is where you get the final item you can get from the Battle Subway.
Rosa/Nate (gender opposite to yours) only appears on the platform if taking the Multi Trains and you do not connect with a friend to take it on. I was able to catalogue their dialogue on the Regular Trains, but I was not able to get far with them on the Super Trains, so they are omitted. They mainly just encourage you to keep going anyways.
I have also decided to italicize Depot Agent quotes (that's not the greeter) so its easier to find.
Platform NPCs on the Single, Double, and Multi Lines:
After 7 wins:
“Congratulations! You’ve successfully reached a seven-win streak! Since you’ve won seven battles in a row, I present you with these Battle Points! (3 BP) Please enjoy your time here. If you would like to continue your challenge or go back to Nimbasa City, please talk to me.” -Depot Agent
“Constant battles make me nervous. I’m taking a little rest here.” -Youngster
(Continued below the read more)
“For each seven-win streak, the Trainers and Pokemon who challenge you become progressively tougher.” -Lass
“If you have wooon, the trip goes ooon! Relying on Pokemon, this vagabooond!” -Backpacker♂
“I had a taste of it… The rush of Battle… I shouldn’t… It’s too wild… But at this rate, I’m going to end up on the path of battlers…” -Lady
“My journey has just started! Neither of us can afford to lose!” -Artist
“Have you heard of the Subway Bosses? They appear only to strong Trainers, and they challenge them to battles. They are the Battle Subway’s bosses.” -School Kid♀
“OK! I’m all prepared! All Aboard for a battle journey!” -School Kid♂
After 14 wins:
“Congratulations! You’ve successfully reached a seven-win streak! Since you’ve won seven in a row, I present you with these Battle Points! (3 BP) Please enjoy your time here. If you would like to continue your challenge or go back to Nimbasa City, please talk to me.” -Depot Agent
“You’ve got a 14-win streak! Pretty good! Not bad!” -Backpacker♀
“Hey, how are you doing? I’m still going strong!” -Roughneck
“Is this the best this officer can do…? The light from the passing trains seems way too bright.” -Policeman
“About time to take it to the next level. Give it your best shot too!” -Backpacker♂
“Being alone on the station’s platform somehow makes me feel a little sad. People leave on their journeys here, and it reminds me of those memories.” -Artist
After 21 wins (Subway Bosses)
“Congratulations! You had a seven-win streak and brilliantly beat the Subway Boss! To commemorate this, I present you with these Battle Points. (10 BP) And, player name, now you have earned the right to challenge the Super Single/ Super Double/Super Multi Train! This is the end of the Single/Double/Multi Train line. When you want to return to Nimbasa City, please talk to me again. Please enjoy your time here” -Depot Agent
“Our opponents will get tougher, but that’s no problem for you and me! Let’s keep on winning!” -Rosa/Nate
“For being called a Subway Boss, that Trainer sure wasn’t as strong as “Boss” suggests. It was almost as if… As if they are simply gauging how strong we really are.” -Clerk♀
“The Subway Boss was a piece of cake! Maybe I should cut loose on the Super Train next time!” -Artist
“You beat our boss, right? Not half bad, hey! And now, super Trainer, you’ve earned the qualification to take on the Super Train! The trainers on the Super Train are really tough. If you want to know the essence of the Battle Subway, you should give it a try!” -Depot Agent
“I found this when I was cleaning. You can have it if you’d like. (Item received: PP Up) Oh, no need to thank me! After all, I just found it in the trash. I don’t understand it. Recently, many folks have been throwing away perfectly good things.” -Janitor
“It’s the end of the line already… I guess that means my Pokémon battle journey is over now.” -Gentlemen
“This is the end of the line… the trip sure ended quickly. I don’t want to go home yet.” -Socialite
“The Subway Boss was a suspicious, strange fellow. I still don’t believe he was giving it his all.” -Policeman
Platform NPCs on the Super Singles, Super Doubles, and Super Multi Lines:
After 7 wins:
“Congratulations! You’ve successfully reached a seven-win streak! Since you’ve won seven in a row, I present you with these Battle Points! (5 BP) Please enjoy your time here. If you would like to continue your challenge or go back to Nimbasa City, please talk to me.” -Depot Agent
“Well Then! It’s about time to get on the train!” -Clerk♀
“I’m going to save up Battle Points and get some items for my Pokémon to hold.” -Youngster
“The Trainers here are really tough from the very start.” -Backpacker♂
“I’ve decided to use only cute Pokémon! Do you have any unique thing you’re particular about?” -Lass
“Phew… I’m worn out. These Trainers are tough. I wonder how far I’ll get with my skills.” -School Kid♂
“That last battle was tough… I should’ve traded in my BP for a better item.” -School Kid♀
“The strength of the Trainers on the Super Train is beyond imagination!” -Rich Boy
“I hear the Super Train is endless! In other words, if you keep winning, you can keep going, on and on to wherever!” -Backpacker♀
After 14 wins:
“Congratulations! You’ve successfully reached a seven-win streak! Since you’ve won seven in a row, I present you with these Battle Points! (6 BP) Please enjoy your time here. If you would like to continue your challenge or go back to Nimbasa City, please talk to me.” -Depot Agent
“If you’ve made it this far, that means you’ve won 14 in a row. What a fluke! Fourteen is how old I am! Ha ha ha…” -Socialite
“The Trainers sure have become stronger. I’m feeling a little uneasy…” -Artist
“Challenging people is also part of my police training.” -Policeman
“There’s more to Pokémon than it seems. The world of Pokémon battling really gets deeper and deeper.” -Roughneck
“I may be a Janitor, but I have a lot of confidence in my abilities!” -Janitor
“I’d rather have an exciting battle than slowly drive the train.” -Depot Agent
After 21 wins:
“Congratulations! You’ve successfully reached a seven-win streak! Since you’ve won seven in a row, I present you with these Battle Points! (7 BP) Please enjoy your time here. If you would like to continue your challenge or go back to Nimbasa City, please talk to me.” -Depot Agent
“Where did you come from? And where are you going?” -Depot Agent
“When my favorite Poké Ball begins to shake, I tremble with excitement! You’re no ordinary Trainer, are you? Perhaps you are the Champion somewhere?”-Clerk♂
“Now just wait a minute, little Pokémon! I’ll let you battle lots and lots soon!” -Clerk♀
“Phew… This long journey is hard on this old body.” -Gentleman
“It looks like my Pokémon skill has reached its peak power. I couldn’t let go of my dreams… I’ll hang them on you, stranger, young Trainer. And this is proof. Please accept this, youngster… (Item received: PP up) I’m going to return to my home and quietly cheer myself up with art!” -Artist
After 28 wins:
“Congratulations! You’ve successfully reached a seven-win streak! Since you’ve won seven in a row, I present you with these Battle Points! (8 BP) Please enjoy your time here. If you would like to continue your challenge or go back to Nimbasa City, please talk to me.” -Depot Agent
“My my, what a weak-looking Trainer… I think I would just get bored if I battled you… I’ll give you this, so just get a little tougher, OK? (Item received: Rare Candy) I’m only interested in strong opponents… If you get tougher, I wouldn’t mind battling you.” -Ace Trainer♀
“All right! Bring out your Poke Balls! Now is the time for a battle!” -Janitor
“Winning battles feels good, but I’ve traveled quite far… I wonder if I can get back in time for work tomorrow…” -Clerk♂
“Hmm. You’ve got 28 straight wins, huh? This time, I want to keep going with this momentum.” -Gentleman
“I can’t believe a Veteran like me would get into trouble like that. Where in the world are the Trainers here training?” Veteran♂
“We Depot Agents are the protectors of peace and order in the station. We are verrry opposed to littering on the platform, shouting or playing instruments, loitering, or any activities that bother other people!” -Depot Agent
After 35 wins:
“Congratulations! You’ve successfully reached a seven-win streak! Since you’ve won seven in a row, I present you with these Battle Points! (9 BP) Please enjoy your time here. If you would like to continue your challenge or go back to Nimbasa City, please talk to me.” -Depot Agent
“Just like how a machine needs fine-tuning, Pokemon need maintenance, too. It’s a necessity. For example, rethinking the moves that a Pokemon knows.” -Depot Agent
“Even a Veteran can lose to a Preschooler if they get careless. Pokemon battling requires that you always be on guard.” -Veteran♀
“I’m going to let people know I’m still as active as ever!” -Socialite
“I can go a lot further! I can win a lot more!” -Backpacker♀
“Oh ho ho ho… I’ve already done better than I did during my last challenge!” -Artist
After 42 wins:
“Congratulations! You’ve successfully reached a seven-win streak! Since you’ve won seven in a row, I present you with these Battle Points! (10 BP) Please enjoy your time here. If you would like to continue your challenge or go back to Nimbasa City, please talk to me.” -Depot Agent
“I’ve seen elite Trainers like me all over the place, but… Seems like the battles will be tough from here on.” -Ace Trainer♂
“How are you doing, Trainer? Are you starting to get tired yet?” -Veteran♂
“Not many people left on the platform… Guess that shows how hard it is to keep winning on the Battle Subway.” -Ace Trainer♀
“My 42nd straight win… Not too shabby, eh?” -Backpacker♂
After 49 wins (Subway Bosses):
“Congratulations! You had a seven-win streak and brilliantly beat the Subway Boss! To commemorate this, I present you with these Battle Points. (30 BP) Also, to commemorate this, I give you this trophy. Please display it in your home! (celebratory music) Please enjoy your time here. If you would like to continue your challenge or go back to Nimbasa City, please talk to me.” -Depot Agent
“Even for an elite Trainer such as myself, it’s starting to get hard.” -Ace Trainer♂
“You also beat the Subway Boss, right? Someday I want to battle you too!” -Gentleman
“Just a little more to 50 straight wins! Suddenly, I’m all pumped up!” -Veteran♀
“I finally have a 49-battle win streak. If I can do this well at work, I wonder if I can get promoted…” -Clerk♂
(After this point, every set of battles you do will give you 10 BP, so I will omit the dialogue where the Depot Agent gives it to you because its all the same)
After 56 wins:
“I can legally go as wild as I want! This place! It’s paradise, isn’t it?” -Policeman
“Mumble, mumble, mumble… In order to bring good fortune, I always think about my family before a battle.” -Veteran♂
“Urk! I got motion sickness on the train…” -Clerk♀
“... Huh? What? What do you want? I’m busy planning tactics for my next battle. I don’t mean to be rude, but I really need to concentrate. Would you mind not talking to me right now?” -Ace Trainer♀
After 63 wins:
“Battle between two excellent Trainers is very artistic.” -Artist
“Hey, how are you doing? I’m still going strong!” -Ace Trainer♂
“The eyes of the Trainers here are very serious, or maybe you could say glinting.” -Backpacker♀
After 70 wins:
“You have the face of someone who absolutely loves Pokemon batting. Even now, you’re still completely hooked on battling. Amazing. Hee hee… You have a promising future!” -Veteran♀
“I’ve been watching you battle. Nice technique and judgment… Not surprising, after a win streak like yours.” -Veteran♂
After 77 wins:
“I’ve a-done it–77 straight wins! The number has a lucky sound!” -Ace Trainer♂
After 84 wins:
“No clumsy gimmicks… No unnecessary items… The only thing you can rely on is the strength of you and your Pokemon. This place is wonderful, isn’t it?” -Depot Agent
“Not many people around. But each person who is still here has shown true strength.” -Veteran♂
“I can’t believe I won 84 straight… Is this a dream or a hallucination?” -Backpacker♂
After 91 wins:
“You and I both have 91 straight wins! Which of us will reach a 100-win streak first?” -Veteran♀
“Ninety-one straight victories is nothing more than a natural result for me. My glorious record will just keep going up!” -Ace Trainer♀
After 98 wins:
“Howdy! I’m a genius Pilot! Unova’s finest! And I’m comin’ in first here, too!” -Pilot
After 105 wins (Lansat Berry):
“Over 100 straight victories… If this is all due to your strength, you’re even a match for the Champion.” -Depot Agent
“Both you and I have won more than 100 straight battles! I may have too much time on my hands, but so do you. Take this to commemorate our meeting of two similar people! (Item received: Lansat Berry) It’s a really precious Berry, but I don't know how to use it other than to eat it as a snack…” Clerk♂
(After this point all the platforms are empty with the exception of...)
After 147 wins:
“Dawn and dusk behind my battles… The rocking train softly rattles… How many hours have passed since we left Nimbasa in the past?” -Veteran♀
(and finally...)
After 203 Wins (Starf Berry):
“You… You have the same eyes as me. You love battling so much… No, it’s not just that… Battling is your reason for living. You and I are the same type, aren’t we? So…I’ll give you this. (Item received: Starf Berry) You’re continuing your battle, right? That’s because we are that type of person, aren’t we…” -Ace TrainerF
Clearing some misconceptions about the Battle Subway:
So I want to add this section because there are quite a lot of misconceptions about the Battle Subway and I wish to clear it up;
-I don't know how or why this came about, but one of the main things you are you are doing when competitively breeding Pokemon is breeding for a hidden stat called "Individual Values" (IVs), NOT Natures (I wish it was Natures ToT). If you want a specific Nature, it would be faster to reroll wild Pokemon. Or if you want even faster, get a Pokemon with the Synchronize Ability (in Gen 5 the easiest would be Munna) and put it in the first slot of your party. Then wild Pokemon have a 50% of having the same Nature as that Pokemon. You can also pass down Natures by having a parent Pokemon hold an Everstone when breeding.
IVs are a hidden stat. They go from 0-31 in each of their stat categories (which there are 6, HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed) and they are randomized when you encounter a Pokemon. The ideal is to have all their stats have perfect 31 IVs (well, it really depends on your strategy but I'm not going into that) however encountering a wild Pokemon with all perfect IVs is... About 1 in 1,000,000,000? You can lower these odds way down through breeding, but its still not that great and its kind of a huge pain in this generation (IF it pulls the right numbers it would be about 1 in 33,000. For comparison, shiny odds in this game are 1 in 8,192) Which is why it is the joke is that Emmet would have a TON of Joltiks if he's trying to breed them for his team competitively.
You also aren't able to see the specific IV's a Pokemon has, however you can get an approximation of what a Pokemon IV's are (or to tell if they are perfect) by bringing it to the Stats Judge. Where is the Stats Judge in Black and White?
HES RIGHT THERE IN GEAR STATION. THAT ACE TRAINER IN GEAR STATION IS THE STATS JUDGE. THE FIRST NPC YOU SEE WHEN YOU WALK IN.
-Not 👏 All 👏 Legendary 👏 Pokemon 👏 Are 👏 Banned 👏 From 👏 The 👏 Battle 👏 Subway. The Legendary Birds, the Legendary Beasts, the Regis, Latios and Latias, Heatran, Cresselia, the Lake Trio, the Weather Trio, and the Swords of Justice are all allowed on the Battle Subway. You can use them, and in fact, you can encounter them on the Subway!!!! The Veteran, Gentleman, and Socialite Trainer Class have a chance of having an all legendary team when fighting on the upper echelons of Battle Subway.
Like this guy, who pretends to be sick and then proceeds to send out an all legendary team:
Bruh.
-Mold breaker is objectively the best ability to put on Haxorus, as Haxorus's other ability is Rivalry, which while increases attack when the opponent is the same gender, it decreases attack when the opponent is an opposite gender. That's like a 50% chance that you'd be dealing less damage. Besides, in Ingo and Emmet's Multi Battle teams, Emmet's other Pokemon is Archeops, which would not be affected by Mold Breaker Earthquake, because Mold Breaker only affects abilities and not type (and flying type is immune to ground type moves.)
-Speaking of Mold Breaker Haxorus, Emmet has the Haxorus on his Super Doubles Team. He can send it out with his Eelktross. HE CAN DO IT TO HIMSELF. Source: I saw it with my own two eyes.
-Not a misconception, I just find it funny. You can technically ban any Pokemon from the Battle Subway by making them hold a Soul Dew.
-Also not a misconception, just something I find to be cool. If your friend on the Multi Line logs out, but you are still on the platform, when you exit the game and then return, the only option for you is to return to Nimbasa City, and to indicate this, the train will actually sit on the platform! You can walk the entire length of the train :]
Hi, I love trains! And the Trains in Unova have a surprising amount of detail? And nobody talks about it? And if I don't talk about it I will explode!?!!!
So despite Unova being inspired by New York you'd think the Battle Subway Trains would be based on The New York Subway Trains? However they look like they are more based on Japanese Railway Trains!
I'd like to preface before going into this that despite talking a lot about the Japanese Railway, I am not Japanese, while I did my best to research as best I can, some stuff may fly over my head, I also used an online translator for some information so it might not be 100% accurate.
Alrighty lets get into this! This is mainly for fun and its going to be under the Read More because it is verrrrrrrrry long, I hope that you enjoy!
If you aren't aware, each train in the Battle Subway has lore! All the lore comes from this Worker NPC on the bridge in Anville Town. Depending on the day, a different train will show up on the turntable, and he'll give you a little dialogue for that train! This dialogue is what I'll be mainly analyzing :]
Single and Anville Town Trains:
"This is a Single Train! It's the oldest train in the Battle Subway. It's for a loop line to go around the Unova region! Do you know Tubeline Bridge? The train that runs on it is this Single Train."
"As you know, this is a local train to Anville Town! Isn't it just so cute? This one is a little slow and heavy. When it runs, the whole train sways. The train car is the same model as a Single Train. Because it is an old train car, I hear the maintenance is hard, but it's the one I always ride, because I loved it as a kid!"
So! The Single and Anville Town Trains are the same model of train, you can actually see this in their designs where they both share the same face but they differ in the livery. (Livery is a term referring to the train's decor/color, the color is often associated with a particular company or in this case a particular train line.) I'm going to use this fact to assume that if one train has one feature, then it's likely that the other train also has that same feature. Such as how the description of the Anville Town Train says it sways as it runs, if that is the case then the Single Train also probably sways. (which sounds kind of awful to battle on, unless you have good train legs I suppose X_X)
It is stated that the Single Train is the oldest in the Battle Subway. I believe though, that it means the oldest train that is currently running in the Battle Subway. As there is another train that seems much older and no longer running, but I'll get to that train much much later.
Older trains are indeed harder to maintain, and expensive too. This is because the older the equipment, the harder it is to get its parts as they become more obsolete. Though I will say this, trains can last a long time! The average service life of a train is about 30-50 years, it really varies from train to train. These trains would most likely be on the older side.
There is a slight possibility that it has been continued to be maintained past it service life. Given how fond the Worker NPC talks about the train, it might have high sentimental value. Therefore if it is past its service life, it has not been scrapped or recycled yet because of it. I doubt this is the case though, usually it is never worth the maintenance cost (especially for regular operation.)
Like the description says, you can see the Single Train running on the Tubeline Bridge, here's a video of it! Apologies for the way I am recording this, I don't exactly have a capture card, but I wanted to show you guys regardless
You can see how fast the train is going as it passes below you! At least the just Singles Train anyways, seems to me like it's going about 20-30mph? I tried doing math to find the exact speed but that's difficult for several reasons (no idea how large a "tile" in Pokemon really is and objects in the overworld are not very accurate in size so I can't exactly do any comparisons. The perspective of the camera also makes it tricky.) Given how the Anville Train is described as "slow and heavy", I would hazard a guess to say that the other trains of the Battle Subway may run faster than this.
You can also see that each train is made up of 7 cars as it passes below you if you slow down the footage. Which is not surprising, you have to win 7 battles in a row to complete a "set" where you are then dropped off at a rest stop. I believe the Battle Subway trains to be electrical multiple units (EMUs) so it would probably make them 7-car sets.
It also looks like the Singles Line is very busy with the trains only being seconds apart! Now I know this is more a visual thing so the environment would be interesting to look at, but I'd like to think it indicates that the Battle Subway/Singles Line is very popular! (and very well organized!)
As for Real life train inspirations I think perhaps the Tobu 10030 series?
The Tobu 10030 is a version of the Tobu 10000 series with some minor changes, such as the design of the face and using a bolsterless bogie. (Bogie is a part of the train that refers to a frame that holds sets of wheels as well as the suspension, breaks, etc. in which the body of the train car rests upon.)(A bolster is a part that connects the side frames of the bogie and the underside of the car's central pivot point.)(A bolsterless bogie is a bogie type that doesn't have a bolster). The front of the train is covered in fiber reinforced plastic and the outer panels are "bead molded" (which... I have no clue what that means...) This series has been going under renovations since 2010.
Double Train:
"This car is a Double Train! This is a mass-produced car from a decade ago! Compared to a Single Train, the number of parts was reduced so it could be built for a lower cost. The number of parts influences the budget and construction time. The streamlined and beautiful design of the Double Train is still valued today."
So the Double Train is at least 10 years old! (That's what decade means!) Honestly though, I think the Double Train might be older than 10, in Japanese the description just says that it is a "mass-produced train from a long time ago" and doesn't mention a number... Another reason is that in the Multi Train description, it mentions that it is a test model for future trains that will replace the Double Trains. Which means perhaps that the Double Trains may be reaching near the end of its service life, which again average 30-50 years. It could be a possibility that this train may have a shorter service life than usual, who knows. This all speculation really.
As for lowering the amount of parts, from what I found it makes the train lighter. It would also probably lower the cost as well like the description says (trains are really really expensive to build! EMUs can cost $2mil-$10mil per car!)
It also mentions that it is a mass-produced car! It's a train made with mass production for commercial purposes! I believe it's usually for train lines that are really busy, where they would need a lot of trains? It typically means that there are a lot of them. (All this makes me wonder about train production in the Pokemon World...)
As for Real life inspirations, I think that the Double Train is inspired by the Tokyu 1000 series train.
The Tokyu 1000's design and equipment is similar to another train, the Tokyu 9000 series, with improvements such as improved handling and making it easier to do inspection and repair work. As well as reducing the amount of spare parts from the Tokyu 9000.
Multi Train:
"This car is a Multi Train! Few cars of this model were produced. This is a test car to develop future mass-produced cars that will replace the old Double Trains. The technology born during the creation of this train car made the Super Single Train and Super Double Train possible!"
The multi train is a test/prototype train! A little surprised that an entire line is running off a few prototypes. Like the description says, not many are produced as the purpose of a prototype is to test features and improve upon them if needed before they are put into mass production. Given that it says the technology from this train was the reason the Super Single and Super Double Train was made possible. I'm thinking it was most likely testing some eco friendly features? As it is the Super Single and Super Double Train's main feature.
Perhaps them using a model with so few trains means that the Multi line isn't that busy/popular? (Surprising then the train platform is not swarming with more train photographers haha!)
As for real life inspirations, while the livery may not be the same I think it could be the Keisei 3000 (2nd Generation.)
The Keisei 3000's body is made of lightweight stainless steel and the passenger doors have a paper honeycomb structure. When they were designing this train, they wanted it to be both environmentally (energy saving) and customer friendly (being accessible to elderly and those with disabilities.)
Super Single and Super Double Trains:
"This Super Single Train is a new mass-produced car! It's an environmentally friendly train, because they revised all the parts to drastically reduce power consumption! Newer trains have to be built in a way that's both functional and environmentally friendly. Compared to the past, they've improved significantly."
"This Super Double Train is a new mass-produced car! Such a streamlined and refined design! Beauty and utility working together! That kind of beautility is unique to mass-produced train cars! It uses the same train car as a Super Single Train. The only difference is the appearance. It is a superb train car that will go down in the history of the Battle Subway!"
The Super Single and Super Double Trains are the same model. Honestly the description of these trains doesn't give me a lot of information besides the fact that these trains are eco friendly. So I'll talk about what trains do to make themselves (even more) eco friendly!
They are stated to be eco friendly by reducing power consumption. I think it could be referring to a "VVVF inverter control" (it stands for variable voltage variable frequency. In English its mainly called the VFD or variable frequency drive.) A VVVF is a type of system for an AC motor that can reduce energy consumption! (There are two types of electrical current, DC or Direct Current and AC or Alternate Current. An AC motor is a motor that is driven by AC electricity.) It is important on energy saving trains! I won't get too much into how it works, but essentially it controls the AC motor's rotational speed by controlling the frequency. By controlling these, it can control the speed and acceleration of a train. You'll find that a VVVF is often paired with a three phase motor (I will not go into that...) Let's just say that these systems are very efficient at using power and help save energy.
Really, reducing power consumption usually means being more efficient at using power. Like using LEDs, using better insulation to retain cooling or heating, and generally using parts that use less electricity. It could be that the train is lighter in weight too (lighter vehicles use less power.)
Both of these Super Trains are mass produced! Which tells me that there are a lot of Super Single and Super Double trains! Its lines are probably busy.
As for real life inspirations, it is very much inspired by the E233-2000 series train
The E233-2000 is a little bit of an oddball in the E233 family exterior design wise. Its design was inspired by the Tokyu 5000 series. Its basic running equipment is the same as the E233 trains before it though.
I think it is a bit of a stretch, but I'll mention it anyways. The E233 (which the E233-2000 is a subsection of) is a train that has won the Laurel Award in 2007. The Laurel Award is an award given to trains by the Japan Railway Friends Association for trains with an excellence in technology and design (specifically geared towards commuter trains.) It could be what all the "beautility" comments could be referencing to? They do look verrry different though, and the E233-2000 came after the award was given...
Super Multi Train:
"This train car is a Super Multi Train! This is the latest train car! Improved acceleration and deceleration! Automated train-car controls! It's full of cutting-edge technologies. Also, a regeneration brake system, a car-body tilting system, a whatchamacallit system, a thingamabob system... I don't remember all the details, but it's just a big festival of all the latest technology!"
Ohhoho! The Super Multi Train description is a goldmine of details! This train is the whole reason I wanted to make this post! Let's run through its features!
Improved acceleration and deceleration means that it can run between stops faster, allowing for quicker operation time.
Automated train-car controls or ATC is a safety system on trains that prevents trains from going over a certain speed! If the train goes over the maximum speed permitted then the ATC will pull the brakes automatically to reduce the speed and release the brakes when it is below maximum speed. It also displays the maximum speed to the driver. It is an incredibly important safety system!! From what I understand, the term ATC is very common in Japan, in other countries the ATC would simply be a part of cab signaling (it is a safety system mainly for the driver and train crew, it tells them track status and condition information) and train protection technologies. ATC is installed on all Shinkansen trains, it is also installed in some subways and heavily used railways.
Here's an example of what it looks like! The green triangle there is the (current) maximum speed. There are a lot of different types of ATC systems and this ones a D-ATC (stands for Digital Automatic Train Control) from within an E233! There are a whole lot of different types of ATC, and they can come in many looks! I would show more examples, however, I have hit the image limit on this post... :[
A regenerative brake system is a special type of breaking that allows a train to generate electricity via breaking! The electricity can either be used immediately, stored, or returned back into the line. You might've heard this feature on electric or hybrid cars. It is a common eco friendly feature!
A car-body tilting system is a feature in trains that allows the body of the train car to tilt into a curve! It allows the train to go faster on a track (not needing to slow down on a curve) but the feature is mainly for passenger comfort! When you ride, you don't feel the centrifugal force at all when going around a curve! And it makes the ride so smooth! Here's a short video demonstrating what it looks like:
There are essentially two major ways to do a car body tilting system. There is active tilting (forced body tilting) or passive tilting (pendulum system). A forced body tilting system uses computers to tilt the train using track data or sensors, telling the train when and how much to tilt. If the calculation is not done correctly, it can leave passengers with motion sickness (An infamous example is the Advanced Passenger Train in the UK). The tilting itself I believe is done via hydraulics. Forced Body Tilting is more popular in European and American trains.
As for passive tilting, the train in the video uses it! (A controlled pendulum train!) It means it uses natural forces to tilt the train car. I'll dive deeper into this type of tilting in the Wi-Fi train section because it actually mentions it's a pendulum train! As to which tilting type the Super Multi train has... it could honestly be either.
(Ah! I forgot to mention this, but tilting trains are especially useful in mountainous regions, where there are a lot of curves.)
In the Japanese version of the Super Multi description, it also mentions that it has a "earthquake warning system" and a "tornado monitoring system".
An earthquake warning system is not something fully installed into the train, rather it's mainly a set of sensors installed along the track, coast, and major inland areas. For passenger rail, if any signs of an earthquake are detected, it will alert any trains in the affected area and drivers are required to apply their emergency brakes. For shinkansen trains it will cut off power to the affected area which will automatically activate the emergency brakes.
Well, I found something close to a tornado warning system. There is a "gust warning system" where sensors measure wind speed and to predict where strong gusts of wind would go. Again, it's not a system that is installed within the train. From what I could tell, they would restrict travel speed during strong winds. If wind speeds are too high, then they would shut down the lines. (I suppose would be very useful, especially when there's some legendaries that cause powerful storms roaming around.)
In the Japanese version of the text, it also states that the Super Multi Train is also a test train. Which again means there's also not a lot of this train. It also states that some of it's features are unnecessary due to it being a test train lol
In the description all these features are stated as "cutting edge" and "a festival of all the latest technology" when these features are not all that new? And Regenerative breaking seems to be pretty common? (Every irl train I have shown thus far all have it.) Eh, I don't think it's that big of a deal. They are just fictional trains after all.
I originally thought the train looked like an Eizan Railway Deo 800 series, but thanks to the leaks, it looks like that the JR East 205-500 was used as a base to design the Super Multi Train? With probably heavy modification to the final design. (While I don't condone the method that these leaks were obtained, curiosity did get the better of me. This is the only train that I ID-ed this way.)
This Train was exclusive to the Sagami Line, though it ended operation in 2022 and every one of these trains have been scrapped. The blue color I believe is an homage to the Sagami River that runs along the line. The Train used a semi automatic door system for its passenger doors. Which means that rather than the conductor opening and closing the doors, the passengers would press a button to open the door when the train has stopped.
Wi-Fi Train:
"This train car is a Wi-Fi Train! It is the fastest long-distance high-speed train in the Battle Subway! This is called a pendulum car. Its body tilts while going around curves, so it can run without slowing down! Faster! Farther! Our engineers' spirits are infused in it!"
A pendulum car is a very specific term!!! Like I mentioned in the Super Mutli Train section it is a type of car body tilting. There are multiple types of Pendulum systems, There is Natural Pendulum, Controlled Pendulum, Air Spring (also called Simple Pendulum), and Hybrid.
Natural Pendulum is just using the centrifugal force of when it goes around a curve to tilt the train. This type was known to cause motion sickness in riders because when it straightened out, the car would "lag" or wobble. Sometimes the force was not enough to tilt the train and this would also cause passenger discomfort. These issues were fixed later with a controlled pendulum, where there would be a degree of control to the tilting. Using mechanisms similar to forced body tilting, it would prevent wobble and ease the tilt. The air spring method, as suggests in the name, uses air springs to help with tilting. It is similar to the controlled pendulum, though it tilts less than it (controlled pendulum can tilt 6 degrees and air springs can only tilt 2 degrees). Air springs are cheaper to build though and still are able to make the train go faster. Hybrid is the combination of controlled pendulum and air springs, allowing for an 8 degree tilt.
I hope the Wi-Fi train is not a natural pendulum? You're telling me you have to battle on that and you might get motion sickness?? Though it sounds like it might be more high tech so it is most likely the other types... Hopefully...
It also states that this train is the "fastest long-distance high-speed train in the Battle Subway!" Looking at Japan's tilting trains (that are not shinkansen), they go about 120kmh-130kmh (about 75 mph-81 mph.) So it could be a possibility that the Wi-Fi goes something along those speeds.
I've looked through Japan's tilting trains, and the closest one might be the JR Hokkaido Kiha 201 series? It's not at all close though... I can't really find a good match tbh. I think the 113 series seems to be a bit more closer visually.
The one on the left is a Kansai livery and the right is a JR Shikoku livery. They are both the same train, JR Shikoku bought the 113 series from JR East to replace some aging trains and then modified it. Which is why they look a bit different. The modifications include strengthening the front of the train and adding shock absorbing material inside.
So Those are all the trains that run in the Battle Subway! However there are 2 trains that don't, instead they only show up in Anville Town on certain days. I'll be calling them "Old Train Car" and "Futuristic Train Car"
"Old Train Car"
"This train car is the kind that ran a long time ago. Compared to contemporary train cars, it has more parts, so I heard it was difficult to build. The old train cars built with lots of small parts have their own unique beauty and attract a lot of fans. Those cars no longer run in the Battle Subway, but I hear they're still used in a faraway region. Ah... I'd love to be on that train!"
So this sort of car used to run on the Battle Subway. It's said to be still running in another region, though with how old the train looks I can only think that maybe it would be running by railway preservationists.
The design of this train reminds me a lot of old Japanese electric trains and trams. Especially trams with that double roof. I don't think it's really based on any particular vehicle? Here's a couple that I found;
The only one I feel like is worth mentioning is the Jomo Electric Railway Deha 101 (this specific car is the Deha 101, others of its kind are called Deha 100 type) and the Nagasaki Electric Railway 160 type. Both of these vehicles I believe are still running to some capacity.
The Jomo Deha 101 has been running for over 90 years. While car 101 still resides at Jomo Railway, other Deha 100s have been transferred to other private companies where they have been scrapped. I believe the only existing Deha 100s today are Car 101 and Car 104 (which has been painted bright yellow.)
The Nagasaki Electric Railway 160 type used to belong to the Kyushu Electric Tramway where it was called the Type 1 Electric Tram. When it was transferred to the Nagasaki Electric Railway it was renamed into the 160 type. Today, there is a single car in operation. I believe it is the oldest wooden car in Japan that is still in service.
I suppose I will also mention the Keifuku Electric Railway Mobo 21 Type Train, it does look the most similar. Though, it's purposefully designed to look like an old style tram.
"Futuristic Train Car"
"This train car is a new train to run in the future! Wooo! Cool! Super cool! The latest motor breathes fire! Uh-oh, if it really breathed fire, that would be bad! But it is full of the latest technologies! It's undergoing a lot of testing. It's called a gauge-convertible train. It's a sweet car that can adjust its wheels to run on any rail!"
So first off, I'd like to say that this train visually kind of looks like a "Sonic" 883 series (nothing to do with the blue hedgehog, it was just a coincidence lol)
However the description!!!! A "gauge convertible train" that is undergoing a lot of testing... That description matches exactly with the GCT! (literally standing for Gauge Change/Convertible Train, though in Japanese it's called FGT or Free Gauge Train!)
The GTC is the project name for this experimental shinkansen. The one in the picture is the GTC-01, the second generation of its kind (as this is the version they would be testing before and during the development of the game, there is now a 3rd generation.) So, the term gauge refers to the distance between the two rails. Different trains run on different gauges, they can come in either narrow gauge, standard gauge, or wide gauge. Japan's rail network is mostly narrow gauge (specifically Cape Gauge.) The main exception are the shinkansen trains, which run on standard gauge. This shinkansen like the description says would be able to run on any gauge. It used to be under a lot of testing by the Free Gauge Train Technology Research Association. Today though, the GTC-01 second generation sits on display in the Shikoku Railway Heritage Museum.
There are a lot of challenges that the GTC faces. It takes a bit of time for the wheels to adjust to the gauge and you need to go slower when it's doing so. It has increased maintenance costs. The heavier specialized bogie creates more wear on the rails as well as making the train harder to detect. (Ok! Basic explanation for Railway Signaling! Tracks are split up into sections called "blocks", and a small electrical current is run between the two tracks that makes up the block. When a train runs through, the wheel and axle of the train disrupts the current, which then the system detects that block as being occupied by a train. If it is occupied, the signal lights at the end of the block will be turned red, preventing other trains from entering the same block, thus preventing collisions. The problem arises in the GTC in that the wheel and the axle are separate, thus something about this is making it hard to detect on the rail.)
With this train being a "gauge change train" it really made me wonder what gauge the Battle Subway trains runs at? I thought maybe standard gauge or maybe even wide gauge because you can only make the train so wide depending on the gauge. And you'd probably want it wider so that there is more room, especially if you are fitting a battle arena in it! However in Japanese the description mentions that "The rails are a little wider on the tracks that run at higher speeds." Which is... exactly how Japanese rail works? So the Battle Subway lines are probably narrow gauge?
Another thing that's interesting about the "Futuristic Train" is the date that it actually shows up. In Anville Town the way that each train shows up is dependent on the last digit of the day of the month, like so:
0- (10th, 20th, and 30th) "Old Train Car"
1- (1st, 11th, 21st, and 31st) Single Train Car
2- (2nd, 12th, and 22nd) Double Train Car
3- (3rd, 13th, and 23rd) Multi Train Car
yada yada you get the point (4- Super Double Train, 5- Super Single Train, 6- Super Multi Train, 7- Anville Town Train, 8- Nothing, 9- Wi-Fi Train)
The only exception is the "Futuristic Train" who will show up ONLY on February 1st, June 12th, October 1st, October 14th, and December 30th, pretty random huh? haha of course not! These dates are dates significant to the History of Japanese Railway/Transportation!
February 1st: The opening of Japan's first electric street car in 1895!
June 12th: The temporary operation of Japan's first passenger railway in 1872!
October 1st: The release of Japan's first Shinkansen, the series 0 in 1964!
October 14th: The official opening of Japan's first passenger railway in 1872, with the first two stations between Shimbashi and Yokohama! This day is also Railway Day in Japan, celebrating this event, Tokyo holds a Railway Festival and train companies like to do events on this day as well!
December 30th: The opening of Japan's first subway line in 1927, The Ginza Line!
Rails, Station Platform, and More Train:
So the Station, there are a few details I can pick up on here!
The type of track that the trains run on (at least in the station) are ballastless tracks! It means the rail is tied directly onto a slab of concrete rather than having ballast hold it up (ballast is that rocky gravel that you often see beneath the tracks.) This type of track is quite expensive to build and makes the place a lot nosier, but it has a lot of advantages! For one, because there is no ballast to maintain, it has lower maintenance cost (ballast must be packed every now and again using a ballast tamping machine. Which lifts the track and jostles the ballast beneath it. Ballast also needs to be replaced after a while because the rocks have to be irregularly shaped for it to work, and natural weathering can make them smooth out.) It is also easier to clean and has a longer lifespan. Because the rail is tied to slabs of concrete the rails are less prone to deformation, which is good! Though it is also that same inflexibility means that it is difficult to change anything about it and takes longer to repair.
Their buffer! (that little black thing at the end of the line, I think it is a buffer?) It doesn't look like that effective of a buffer... The purpose of a buffer is to stop a train if brakes fail. Though this thing seems to be more for the driver telling them where the end is, hence all the, what I presume are, lights. Let's hope they have some sort of other safety system in place.
There doesn't seem to be a third rail. I have a feeling that might be because most Japanese railway trains are powered via overhead wire (literally every irl train I have shown is powered this way.) Maybe the Battle Subway trains might be powered via overhead wire? I might be over analyzing here, they might not have thought of modeling such a small detail haha
The train itself has some sort of device on top (that box thing.) I believe it to be some sort of air conditioning unit. Given how each train car has one large unit on top of it, I believe that it uses a centralized cooling system, which means there is one large air conditioning unit. (There are 2 other types, they are distributed cooling which consists of 6-8 small units and centralized distributed which consists of a couple of medium sized units.) Central cooling systems are easier to install and maintain because there is only one unit to worry about.
Signboards:
The Buildings in between routes have a electronic news bulletin board, and depending on which city is connected to it, the news bulletin will give a little flavor text about the city. There's some flavor text about the Battle Subway when it's about Nimbasa City, and it different depending on whether you are playing the first one or the second one, here they are:
BW
"Run and battle! Trains never stop!” Battle Subway in Nimbasa City"
"They say someone who loved battles also happened to be a railway maniac, and thats why we now have the battle subway"
So, this might be a coincidence, but there is an old name that Japanese Train Fans used to call themselves. The name was "Railway Mania" (鉄道マニア direct translation). It was used up until the 1950s. Today it's seen as a derogatory term but it was used very commonly back in its heyday (even more popular than "railfan" apparently.) I think it is kind of interesting that the term "Railway Maniac" was chosen for this flavor text and I wonder if it has anything to do with this old name. However, I say it might just be a coincidence because the term "Maniac" is not unheard of word in Pokemon (Item Maniac, Poke Maniac, Hex Maniac, etc.) But regardless, there's that little fun fact for you!
B2W2
“Get on a train and fight!” Battle Subway in Nimbasa City"
"The energy generated by heated Pokémon battles is the fuel that keeps the Battle Subway running"
I'm going to get a little headcanon-y here. We can interpret this figuratively, as in if there are no battles then its not really a Battle Subway is it? But I think it would be fun to interpret it literally! What if Pokemon Moves could get absorbed somehow to power the Train? And if the Train doesn't need it it could go into the line to power something else in the Subway! I think that would be cool :]
Extra Stuff:
●I think the Battle Subway Map could also be inspired by JR East's rail map, the main reason is the single lines (dark green) which goes in a loop around the Unova Region...
Reminds me of the Yamanote Line (light green) which also goes in a loop connecting a variety of major stations together in Tokyo and is a very very important line!
●While I do believe Gear Station is inspired by New York's Grand Central Station, I do think there's a lot of design elements taken from Tokyo Station as well
●The gray bodies of the Anville, Single, Doubles, and Multi cars are probably meant to represent an exposed steel/aluminum body rather than the ones painted white like the Super Trains.
●In the Anime, the trains are said to have an ATO system, this is also a real system, it stands for Automatic Train Operation. It's a system that allows a computer to control when the train stops and goes with no driver involved! I don't think that the trains in the games run on an ATO system though, as there are Depot Agents who talk about train driving (Depot Agent Cameron who says "I’m good at driving, but I’m not good at dealing with Pokemon." at the start of battle, and a way more obscure Depot Agent whom you can talk to on the platform after 14 wins on a Super Train who says "I’d rather have an exciting battle than slowly drive the train.")
●In the Anime, there's a stamp rally, which is a real thing! There are station stamps in Japan which tourists can collect. Though, occasionally Pokemon will collaborate with JR East to create a Pokemon Stamp Rally! The most recent is this Pokemon Horizons Stamp Rally promoting the show! Here's a map of what stamps you can collect at each station and the prizes you can get!
●In the Nacrane city library there is a book that mentions that Nacrane used to have steam locomotives running through it!
"This book is about the things you can ride in the Unova region, such as Castelia City’s cruise ship and Mistralton City’s planes. Before there were planes, locomotives carried people all over Unova. The railway in Nacrene City is a legacy of those lines." (B2W2)
What kinds of Steam Locomotives? I suppose we will never know, as we never see one in game.
●There's an Roughneck NPC you can talk to at Tubeline Bridge in B2W2 where he says
"Watch it! People use “railway fan” as a catchall term, but there are many types of railway fans! There are riding fans, detraining fans, station fans, train-car fans, schedule-table fans, picture-taking fans, recording fans, and more! Don’t go thinking they’re all the same!" (B2W2)
So in Japanese, Railway is Tesudo (鉄道, testu 鉄- Iron and do 道-Road) and a Railway Fan is Tesudofan, however fans will abbreviate to just Testu and stick what aspect of trains they enjoy with it, so like 乗り鉄 (Nori 乗り-Ride, 鉄-tetsu) as a Train Riding Fan, or 撮り鉄 (Tori 撮り-Taking a Picture, 鉄-tetsu) as a Railway Photography fan. There are a lot of these and the NPC does go over some! There's also Railway Modeling Fans (Fans who collect model trains and/or construct model railways), Collecting Fans (Fans who collect railway related items such as tickets or stamps), Operation Fans (Fans who like researching railway operation and equipment), Regulation Fans (Fans who like researching railway handbooks and laws and regulations that go into a railway), Simulation Fans (Fans who like playing train driving/railway management games), Artists/Writers, Urban Explorers, and Railway Preservationist (I gave up on the last ones lol). There are lots of ways to enjoy trains!
There's also the super specific terms of "Mama Tetsu" where a mother becomes a railway fan because of their children's interest or "Oyako Tetsu" where a child becomes interested in trains because of their parents.
●The badge on Ingo and Emmet's hats probably represents the logo for the railway company that they work for, while researching about Japanese Railway Companies, I noticed that they have a lot of circular logos, here's a handful:
From what I could gather, these types of black and white circular logos are called a mon, kind of like a crest? If you wish to scroll about the logos, here is the link for the Wikimedia commons list.
The company's logo is also what's usually depicted on irl conductor's hats anyways, in the exact same place too.
(I was looking for a screenshot to showcase the hat to put here, but instead I found this promotional video! It's actually pretty good at going over the basics of what a driver and conductor actually do! Please feel free to check it out)
●The name "Depot Agent" is a little bit of a strange name, in Japanese the name is simply "Railway Worker", a depot is often referred to a train yard, however depot can also refer to a station, given where we see this trainer class working (at Gear Station), it is most likely that the depot in this case is referring to station, so they are station workers!
Final:
After all this I have come to the conclusion that somebody at Gamefreak really liked trains! And I really think all the little details are so awesome! and it really cements the Battle Subway as my favorite battle facility!
Anyways I hope you learned a thing or two and I hope you gained a new appreciation for trains and the Battle Subway! Thanks for Reading! ✌
(If I got anything wrong, please feel free to correct me, there was a lot of information I had to sift through and I am NOT an engineer * _ * and if you have something to add please do! I would love to learn more! ^ ^
i was really pleasantly surprised by this render popping up because i remember making it back in 2020 because i was shocked at how few images there were of the battle subway! i'm glad someone liked it :D
also as an aside i think it's possible that the battle subway does use third rail based on some of the likely influences. there are metro trains in japan that use third-rail power like the marunouchi and ginza lines in tokyo:
or the old lines of the osaka metro (midosuji, chuo, tanimachi, yotsubashi, sennichimae and sakaisuji):
and since we know that unova is based on new york, the new york subway also uses third rail across its entire length:
but personally i actually think it's more likely that the battle subway is based on the long-distance regional trains around new york than the subway. all the trains stop at a large central terminal station (gear station) with no through-running, akin to grand central station or pennslyvania station, while travelling long distances out of the city to connect to other cities or towns like anville town. the tilting train services could even be a reference to amtrak's acela which runs on the same tracks to faraway cities like boston or washington
Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for creating that render! There aren't a whole lot of images of the Battle Subway Trains so it was really useful to have a detailed look at the whole car! (To the point where I tried to figure out what kind of bogie the Battle Subway cars have, however I found that to be a fruitless endeavor, so that idea of a section got scrapped, but know I did try ToT)
Now I do wish to clarify. I was aware that the New York Subway is powered all over via third rail, as well as a few lines on Japanese Rail. I wanted to point out that the third rail system is not the only way to power trains. Since the trains themselves are so heavily based on Japanese trains (where overhead power is standard there) and the New York Subway was definitely an influence too, there is no real definitive environmental detail in-game to say which is which (you really would be able to tell when pulling into Anville Town, as it is an open space). So it could be either in my eyes (or both!) Though I will admit I was more biased towards the overhead wire idea when I made the post lol
...Or they are all powered via exclusively Pokemon energy :p
Thank you for adding to my post! Also hell yeah train likers 🤝
Hi! Can I ask if you have any resources or book / documentary etc recommendations about trains? Or just stuff you like? I always like to learn new things from people who have a love for it, heh
Totally okay if not! I just thought I'd ask =]
hmmm! You would have to be a little more specific as trains vary from country to country and also come in a variety of types (steam, passenger, freight, metro/subway.) My recommendation if you want to get into trains is to see if there are any railway museums or train events/conventions are happening in your local area to start with! With that being said I got a couple of train websites for ya!
This website covers a lot of aspects about railways including trains: http://www.railway-technical.com/ It's mainly from a UK perspective, it does a good job at covering the basics!
If you have a website translator, you could also try the Mintetsu website (it's in Japanese), I've landed it on the Q&A page about trains, but you can click on the sidebar to explore more railway terminology: https://www.mintetsu.or.jp/knowledge/index.html#qa
It is a bit dry, but it has good information! This webinar covers different train types and their priority on the track as well as other things from an American perspective:
As you can probably tell, I kind of learned about trains through the web, there's lots of information!
