Having owned all JR EAST Train Simulator DLCs, there was one that I just had to wait it out and that is the JR EAST Train Simulator: Rumoi Line (Fukagawa to Rumoi) Kiha 54-500 series…two years because I wasn’t comfortable about spending $54 on a DLC when the others were way less or nearly half the price.
I held out for two years with each month telling myself “should I or shouldn’t I” but why did I end up getting this DLC?
As a person who travels a lot and has ridden on many Japanese trains throughout the country, when JR Hokkaido announced they will be closing the shortest main line railway, the Rumoi Line.
You don’t come across to many railways released on DLC in which the railway line has existed for over 115 years. Rumoi Line opened back in Oct. 23rd 1910.
And this month, a lot of specials on Japanese news have been shown in preparation for the final goodbye for March 31, 2026 and the final line being closed down on April 1st.
First and foremost, the Rumoi Line has been a big part of the lives of generations as it was a way for people to travel from Fukawaga Station to Mashike Station but like many other smaller stations that are operating on a deficit or hardly has enough passengers to keeping it around, it is known that JR Hokkaido has been having issues trying to cover such a large region which incurs a lot of operational costs and if those who wanted the line to stay open, then they need to pay up nearly $2 million US to keep it afloat.
Of course, that is way too expensive and so, the date of March 31, 2026 was scheduled as the lines final day of service.
With that being two weeks away from the date I am posting this review, this is my way of paying respect to the Rumoi Line and the Kiha 54-500. While this DLC is expensive, I have to put things in perspective and figured I paid more to travel to these locations, paid more to purchase a n-gage train and even a Plarail Real Class. $54 is perspective is not so bad.
So, why is this one so expensive? I would imagine the license for one. But also, you are getting a JR Hokkaido train and line and also a snowy area. And you are getting a line that is not JR East, but JR Hokkaido. That is important because now this could mean possible releases for JR Central, JR West, JR Kyushu.
Granted, as much as I would love to say how awesome to play in the snow, because it’s so desolate, it becomes a long, and I mean loooong drive.
In fact, the first drive that you start out with is a non-stop near hour ride from Fukagawa all the way to Rumoi non-stop. Immediately, you are introduced to the KiHa 54-500 series and how it’s much different from other trains. In a way, kind of reminded me of driving stick shift manual in a vehicle. Because you just don’t put the pedal to the metal and you are ready to go. There are a few things you’ll need to do beforehand to get this vehicle going and also to brake.
You will want to smoothly ease to various motions. The train will automatically slow down at points but the main thing is if you accidentally use EB (emergency brake), you will need to start off at P1 and then slowly build your speed to P3 and then higher.
In some ways, kind of reminded me of operating a manual bus on “Omsi 2”, so, it’s really cool to see these little differences when it comes to the KiHa 54-500. It rides differently than most of the trains on JR EAST Train Simulator.
And because of that, seeing a few reviews some may find the KiHa 54-500 difficult, but even with these differences, I personally found it easy as it is something to figure out in the beginning, but you eventually get it down. It’s more or less learning a new train and that’s the beauty of these different trains offered. You want to see differences and not everything to be all the same. As you would expect from a plane on “Microsoft Flight Simulator” to a bus on “Omsi 2”.
According to Nabassa’s guide, In the Kiha 54-500, when the emergency brake is applied, the black needle inside the pressure gauge, which is the same as the needle on the brake cylinder, points to 0. When the brake is completely released, that black needle rises to nearly 500kPa.
This black needle indicates the brake pipe pressure, and its function is almost the same as the brake setting lamp in the E233 series. In other words, the closer the black needle on the right pressure gauge gets to 0, the stronger the brake is applied, and conversely, the closer it gets to 500, the weaker the brake is applied .
So, it’s very interesting to see how the mechanics work for the KiHa.
Now, if there is one thing about in this game, you’ll need to prepare for quick braking because, you can be told to go up to 80, but then a few seconds later, it tells you to drop to 60 and then back to 75 and back 60. I was thinking “make up your mind already!”.
Other routes included?
When you are done, you will find other routes, one is the reverse of what you just did. Others where you make stop at each station or every other station or every station but two. Interesting routes, which there are plenty to choose but it’s the same more or less, so you’re not getting extra variety, nor are you getting extra trains.
If anything, this DLC should be looked at as Railway fans as more of a final goodbye to a short main line and its train. If SonicPowered can do it for the RomanceCar VSE and the JR Central KiHa 85 LE Nanki Edition, why not JR?
And with so many train lines getting closed, perhaps this is a good time for JR to take a look at their closures and possibly develop sayonara trainlines/trains. JR West Geibi Line, JR East Rikuuto Line.
While I am not sure if “Rumoi Line” was a test to see if railway fans would want more non-JR East Trains, it’s kind of hard when it’s double the price of its regular DLCs.
But again, it took me two years to finally purchasing it. Realizing, there won’t be any sale for these DLCs possibly and also, I want to make sure that I say my proper respects to the JR Rumoi Line. May not be able to ride the line or its train before closing, but I could do the next best thing and playing it via JR EAST Train Simulator.
JUDGMENT CALL:
It’s tough to recommend an expensive DLC like this, when the majority of the others are much cheaper. But you are getting a snow environment, you are getting a line and riding on a train that closes two weeks from now (in real life) and you get a train/line that is not JR EAST but JR HOKKAIDO.
The KiHA 54-500 is a different but I like adding that difference to the DLC lineup.
While the price of this DLC will push most people away, those who can afford it, look at it as a bus ride ticket and saying “Sayonara” to the Rumoi Line and riding this train via JR EAST Train Simulator. May not be the actual real life experience but it’s pretty much the next best thing and capturing Hokkaido during its cold winters while riding on the Rumoi Line. Think of it that way, it helps.
While expensive. I have no regrets. I had fun, you get a lot of routes (not the most exciting but at least you get many). JR EAST Train Simulator: Rumoi Line (Fukagawa to Rumoi) Kiha 54-500 series has its own charm and I enjoyed it despite a lot of what you see is barren snow land.
JR EAST Train Simulator: Rumoi Line (Fukagawa to Rumoi) Kiha 54-500 series while not digging its price, I will still give it a thumbs up because JR EAST is opening possibilities of more non-JR East content for DLC in the future.
