Author: Cameron Booth

Historical Map: Map of Interurban Lines and Trolley Observation Trip, Portland Electric Power Company, c. 1923

September 6, 2018
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Here’s a handsome map of electric rail transportation in and around Portland, Oregon that – somewhat curiously – I hadn’t come across before. For the most part, it correlates with my own research into the network in the 1920s, though there are two little stub lines shown that I haven’t previously seen on any other map. The first of these is a branch on the Oregon City interurban from the Gladstone stop eastwards a short […]

Historical Map: Pacific Electric Railway System in Southern California, c. 1926 by Jake Berman

September 5, 2018
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I’m really enjoying this modern take on a map of the Pacific Electric’s sprawling electric streetcar network by Jake Berman. Obviously based on the period map shown (or an extremely similar one!), it retains a lot of the visual energy of the original – mainly because of the multiple angles used for both the route lines and labels. Normally, this might be something I’d find fault with, but I think it’s totally appropriate here when […]

Submission – Unofficial Future Map: Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop (Straightened) by Philip Mallis

August 31, 2018
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Submitted by Philip, who says: I put together a map showing a redesign of Melbourne’s rail network with the newly-announced Suburban Rail Loop (SRL). Given that this is the first radial railway proposed for Melbourne for many decades, I have built the rest of the map around a central straight line of the new Loop. More explanation and links to the map on Philip’s website. Transit Maps says: The recent announcement of this new underground railway […]

Submission – Official Map: Tram and Ferry Map of Gothenburg, Sweden

August 14, 2018
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Submitted by Hugo Simonsson, who says: The map of the Gothenburg tram (and ferry) network. I think it’s quite nice, but there’s some flaws with the huge bit of space in the top left and the complicated ferry network in the bottom left without clear routes. The choice of colours is nice and mostly clear. Transit Maps says: There’s actually is a reason for the odd combination of wasted space and cramped parts in this […]

Submission – Unofficial Map: Rail Services of Luxembourg by Simon S.

August 14, 2018
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Submitted by Simon, who says: My name is Simon and for a long time I have been a fan of your blog. I already sent you a couple of maps via this form, although I am not sure whether you received them. Recently, I have completed a simple map that I am quite proud of – it’s a map of the rail services of Luxembourg. Notwithstanding Jug Cerović’s fabulous Luxembourg bus map, the official map […]

Submission – Mini Metro Game Adds “Retro” Maps

July 28, 2018
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Not your typical “map” but the game Mini Metro recently released a 1972 Vignelli-inspired map of New York. (Early Paris and London too.) I love it. What are your thoughts? Transit Maps says: This update to the game has been around for a while, but I haven’t had the time to sit down and play seriously enough unlock the new “retro transit” levels. I got 999 once trying to unlock the old London map (you need […]

Historical Map: Tokyo Airport Access Connections, 1993

July 27, 2018
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A small inset diagram from a 1993 tourist map of Tokyo, showing the myriad transportation options between Tokyo and its airports. Nicely simplified, and also gives prices, as well as approximate travel times to Narita (then still officially known as “New Tokyo International Airport”). The distinctive shape made by the Yamanote and Chuo lines (a device also seen in this wonderful 1984 diagram by Richard Saul Wurman) forms the backbone of the diagram.  Source: David Rumsey […]

Historical Map: Strassenbahn and Stadtbahn Map, Vienna, Austria, 1933

July 17, 2018
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A map of Vienna’s city rail network in 1933, showing the extensive tram (Strassenbahn) network and the Wiener Stadtbahn, which now forms part of both the U- and S-Bahn networks. Interestingly, the stations of the Stadtbahn are only denoted by two-letter abbreviations on the map, which have to be cross referenced with a legend at the top right. This is also probably one of the earliest attempts at indicating fare zones I’ve seen on a […]

Official Map: Biotrén Commuter Rail, Concepción, Chile, 2018

July 6, 2018
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Suggested by Ricardo Tróstel on Twitter. This is an example of a map that should be pretty simple and straightforward, but the designers have made a lot of baffling decisions along the way that work really hard to sabotage it from the inside. For starters, the Biotrén network has two lines, but the map doesn’t indicate where either begins or ends. For the record, Line 1 runs from Mercado to Hualqui and Line 2 runs […]

Historical Maps: Melbourne Tram Destination Posters by Vernon Jones, c. 1930s

June 30, 2018
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A handsome pair of posters promoting easy travel by tram to destinations around Melbourne, designed by artist Vernon Jones (1908–2002), perhaps better known for his illustration work documenting WWII. The dating on these is a little uncertain, with some sources placing the first edition as early as 1925. They were used for a number of years: a later edition of the “Zoo” poster revised the time from Collins Street to a perhaps more realistic 14 minutes. […]