I would love to see a Japanese route set in Hokkaido for Train Sim World, especially the Sapporo – Obihiro section used by JR Hokkaido’s Limited Express services. This route would be a great choice for TSW because it offers a very different experience from the existing UK, German and US routes, while also showing a completely different side of Japanese railways compared with the upcoming Tadami Line. Suggested Route Sapporo → Shin-Sapporo → Minami-Chitose → Oiwake → Shin-Yubari → Shimukappu → Tomamu → Shintoku → Obihiro The route would cover approximately 220 km, making it longer than most current TSW routes, but still much more practical than attempting the full Sapporo – Kushiro journey. If necessary, some less important scenery outside stations could use more simplified distant scenery to make the route length achievable. Main Train The main train should be the: JR Hokkaido KiHa 261 Series 1000 Limited Express This would allow players to operate the Limited Express Tokachi between Sapporo and Obihiro. The KiHa 261 would also bring something very different to Train Sim World. It is a modern high-performance diesel multiple unit designed for long-distance operation in Hokkaido, with strong acceleration and high-speed running despite operating on non-electrified routes. Why This Route Would Work Well in TSW The biggest attraction would be the huge variety of driving environments within one route. Leaving Sapporo would provide a busy urban railway environment with commuter traffic and multiple tracks. After Minami-Chitose and Oiwake, the route would gradually become much more rural. The Sekisho Line between Shin-Yubari and Shintoku would be the highlight. It includes long tunnels, mountain scenery, steep gradients, high-speed running and isolated stations in the middle of Hokkaido. Tomamu would give the route a particularly recognizable location, while the descent towards Shintoku and the Tokachi Plain would create another major change in scenery. Finally, arriving at Obihiro would give the route a proper regional-city terminus rather than simply ending at a small intermediate station. Seasonal Weather Hokkaido would also be perfect for Train Sim World’s weather system. Winter operation could include: Heavy snow Snow-covered track and stations Reduced visibility Very low temperatures Difficult adhesion conditions Snow around points and infrastructure The same route in summer would look completely different, with green forests and wide agricultural areas around Tokachi. This would give the route a lot of visual variety and replay value. Additional Services and Layers If possible, additional JR Hokkaido rolling stock could appear as AI traffic or future DLC. Possible examples include: KiHa 283 Series This could represent an earlier period of Limited Express operation and would be especially interesting because of its tilting technology and history on the Sekisho Line. KiHa 40 Series Since Union Workshop is already developing the KiHa 40 for the Tadami Line, a JR Hokkaido variant could potentially be used for local services in the future. Other Hokkaido rolling stock around Sapporo and Minami-Chitose could also appear as AI traffic, even if they were not initially driveable. This would make Sapporo and Minami-Chitose feel much busier and more realistic. Possible Future Extension A future second route could continue from: Obihiro → Kushiro Players who own both routes could then potentially operate the complete Sapporo – Kushiro Limited Express Ozora journey. This would create a total route of roughly 350 km without requiring the entire distance to be developed as one DLC. It would also give Train Sim World a very good route-extension model for future long-distance Japanese routes. Why Hokkaido? Japanese railway content would add enormous variety to Train Sim World, and Hokkaido is particularly suitable because its railway environment is very different from the dense commuter networks normally associated with Japan. Sapporo – Obihiro would combine: Urban railway operation Long-distance limited express driving High-speed diesel operation Mountain railways Long tunnels Snow Rural scenery Modern Japanese signalling and safety systems It would be a very distinctive route even compared with other Japanese routes. With the Tadami Line opening the door for Japanese railway content in Train Sim World, I think Sapporo – Obihiro via the Sekisho Line would be an excellent future route. I would absolutely buy it on release.
