We hope everyone is enjoying the Takasaki Line DLC and updates that were released on Tuesday,
February 30.
We have received the following comments about the Takasaki Line DLC.
"I was able to drive while enjoying the scenery without getting bored while looking out over the wide plains of Gunma Prefecture."
"The addition of the station's crowded sounds made the experience much more immersive."
"I enjoyed driving the rapid "urban"!
We are encouraged by all of these positive comments and your candid reviews.
Thank you again for the many reviews and supportive comments.
[previewyoutube=LWs5B3TXkiE;full][/previewyoutube]
Now, the next route to be distributed, the one you have all been waiting for, that route, will finally be released!(1：18：32～)
You already know what "that line" is, don't you?
・
・
・
Yes, JR Hokkaido's Rumoi Line!
Remember last April when we made this announcement?
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2111630/view/5657125992528268785
In the production of the Rumoi Main Line DLC, JR Hokkaido provided full cooperation by setting up a special train for filming just before the discontinuation of the Ishikari-Numata Station-Rumoi Station line on April 1, 2023, to record simulator images and running sounds.
▲Inside a Kiha 54 class car lined with monitors for recording
▲Rumoi Station as seen from inside a Kiha 54, which cannot be seen nowadays.
The simulator recording at that time was featured on Hokkaido Television Broadcasting(HTB).
[previewyoutube=T1H59BhjQZM;full][/previewyoutube]
A year has passed since we first announced the start of work on this simulator, and now the day has come when we can finally unveil it to you.
This is the first non-JR EAST line DLC for JR EAST Train Simulator.
- Route: JR Hokkaido Rumoi Line
- Section: in-bound line and out-bound line Fukagawa-Rumoi (50.1km one way)
- Model: Type Kiha54 Series 500 (1-car train)
- Release date: Scheduled for Tuesday, March 26, 2024
- International sales price: US$69.99 (in-bound line and out-bound line)
The Rumoi Line is a 14.4 km line connecting Fukagawa Station and Ishikari-Numata Station on the JR Hakodate Line.
The line used to extend to Masuge Station, but was phased out between Rumoi and Masuge in December 2016 and between Ishikari-Numata and Rumoi in April 2023, leaving only the line between Fukagawa and Ishikari-Numata.
In the past, there was a direct superior train from Sapporo and "SL Suzuran" operated by C11 steam locomotive, but now only regular trains run 7 times a day on both the upper and lower lines (as of March 2024).
This DLC includes round-trip trains between Fukagawa and Rumoi, including the discontinued section.
Departing from Fukagawa Station, the train heads north across the Ishikari Plain toward its current terminus at Ishikari-Numata Station.
The train then crosses the Ebishima Pass, which has a series of large curves and gradients, and follows the Rumoi River to Rumoi Station.
Along the way, you will be able to experience the uniqueness of Hokkaido in many places, such as Kita-chippubetsu Station with its wooden platform and Ebishima Station adjacent to the station building where the TV drama "Suzuran" was set.
We hope that the distribution of this product will not only allow visitors to experience driving on the Rumoi Main Line, but also to keep the memory of the Rumoi Main Line alive for many years to come.
We hope you will enjoy driving a line that you will never ride again.
In addition, the Rumoi Line DLC will implement in-bound line and out-bound line" and "Automatic Broadcasting" for the first time in "JR EAST Train Simulator"!
▶March 14 (Thursday) Press Release："JR Hokkaido Rumoi Line" live-action driving simulator is now available.
We are working hard on the production so that we can inform you of the production status as soon as possible. Please look forward to further updates!
