Submitted by Kara, who says:
At the (extremely cool) Bergenline Avenue station, [my partner and I] stumbled across this official map that I’d never seen before, depicting both the HBLR and the PATH! It was actually all over that station, and it’s definitely a relatively old map, because we also found a slightly different version (that matched the usual map by depicting the weekday-only line with a dashed stroke) that was dated to 2015.
I also have to give this map a major shout-out for a very clean and recognizable portrayal of the network, and for showing PATH connections clearly and thoroughly without cluttering the map or distracting from the HBLR routes. (And the stretched style of the transfer stations is absolutely lovely; I haven’t seen that anywhere before.) The font differences on the labels for Bergenline Avenue and the two train stations are basically my only gripes, as the map isn’t clear on what those mean. (Okay, I do also hate the little jog north of Richard St.)
Anyway, I think this map would honestly have the potential to be instantly recognizable if it were only used in more places, and I figured you and your readers deserve to see it too!
Transit Maps says:
Aaargh! This is so close to being great that it hurts. From Exchange Place upwards, it’s fantastic – clean and clear with a lovely and distinctive slanted angle that brings unity to the design… and then it all falls apart as soon as the lines turn the corner to Essex Street. Angled labels that are way too close to their station marker, wobbly route lines and weird clashing angles. It’s almost like two separate maps jammed together into one!
Kara’s right about the “stretched” transfer stations at Exchange Place and Newport, though – those are just lovely. And the PATH lines are dealt with fairly deftly as well: obviously subsidiary to the Hudson-Bergen lines, but visible enough to show the interconnection between the two systems. I’m not sure that “PATH” needs to be emblazoned on the lines three times, though… once is probably enough to be understood.
As far as the different font choices go, I’d say that the all-caps label at Bergenline Avenue is simply meant to be a “YOU ARE HERE” marker, while the treatment of Newark Penn and Hoboken Terminal is simply reflecting their relative importance as transit hubs. Yes, it could be explained in a legend, but I think the meaning is clear enough. The locality labels are set in the very old-fashioned Copperplate Gothic – that’s a first on a transit map for me!
Finally, I’m not sure about the map being old: there’s clearly a label that says “©2011–2020 New Jersey Transit Corporation” at the bottom right of the map, so it has to have been printed in 2020 or later, though it could perhaps represent a previous period in time. An oddity for sure. Is this map unique to this particular station?
Our final word: This diagram’s confidence seems to have deserted it halfway through, which is a pity. Committing to that stylish slanted angle from top to bottom would improve this immensely.