Stay Signed In
Do you want to access your site more quickly on this computer? Check this box, and your username and password will be remembered for two weeks. Click logout to turn this off.
Stay Safe
Do not check this box if you are using a public computer. You don't want anyone seeing your personal info or messing with your site.
BVE is a freeware train simulation from Japan, which simulates a cabview of a train, with reasonably realistic graphics. It was made by Takashi Kojima, who calls himself "mackoy". His website, at http://mackoy.cool.ne.jp/ is the only legal website to download BVE from. Just because the program is Japanese, it does not mean there are not a great number of British add-ons for it. Indeed, nowadays there are more British routes and trains than any other country (including Japan). Some great British routes for BVE include the Tyne Valley (Carlisle to Newcastle), Edinburgh to Aberdeen, Birmingham Cross City, and the fictional Network West Midlands. And if you're a subway fan, there are also a great number of realistic London (and Glasgow) Underground, New York City Subway, and Japanese subway routes. BVE is available for download in two versions: BVE 2 and BVE 4. BVE 2 is not as realistic as 4, but is good for beginners to start on. It features a few basic safety systems, such as AWS and Driver's Vigilance, as well as graphics that, compared to BVE 4, are somewhat cartoonish. BVE 4, on the other hand, is incredibly realistic, and has been described by many real life train drivers as the next best thing to actually driving a train.
This is a screenshot from BVE 2:
Now compare this with one from BVE 4:
Improvements since BVE 2 in BVE 4 include the capability to create weather (and windscreen wiper) effects, and while the timetable shown to your top-right in BVE 2 is a basic paper one, BVE 4 timetables are fully customisable bitmap files.
BVE is well known for being the most realistic simulator in terms of visual effects and ambient sounds, and is one of the most professional simulators around. I recommend this game to anyone whose dream is to drive a train.
