All posts tagged: cartography

Unofficial Map: Circular Tube Map by Maxwell Roberts

January 30, 2013
comment 1
Filed Under:
Unofficial Maps
Tags:

Apparently, circular Tube Maps are like London buses – none come forever, then two arrive at the same time. This one is by Maxwell Roberts, an expert on the London Underground map if there ever was one. He’s personally redrawn multiple, multiple versions of the map in just about every possible configuration, just to see what works and what doesn’t. Many are featured in his excellent book, Underground Maps Unravelled, which I promise I’ll review properly […]

Photo: Using the Floor Map as a Guide

January 30, 2013
Leave a comment
Filed Under:
Miscellany, Official Maps
Tags:

We’ve feautured a transit map on the ceiling of a train before, so why not one on the floor as well? This map shows the suburban and regional train network surrounding Milan in Italy: Milan’s Metro system can be seen in between our two touristy friends. Reading the departures board in the background, I’d hazard a guess that this map is at the Garibaldi FS station. Awkward to use when the station is really busy, […]

Historical Map: Lines of the Denver City Tramway, 1913

January 29, 2013
Leave a comment
Filed Under:
Historical Maps
Tags:

While we applaud the Denver Regional Transportation District’s current FasTracks program, which is rapidly building a comprehensive light rail and commuter rail system in the Mile High City, it’s sobering to look at a map like this and realise that 100 years ago, Denver already had a comprehensive transit system. It’s a story repeated across America – Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, Minneapolis/St. Paul and more. Source: University of Texas Libraries Map Collection

Potential Official Maps? Finalists for the new Moscow Metro Map

January 20, 2013
Leave a comment
Filed Under:
Unofficial Maps
Tags:

Further to my post regarding the unofficial “guerrilla” Moscow Metro map, Twitter correspondent @dars_dm has given me links to the maps produced by the three finalists in the official competition for a new Metro Map. I’ve reproduced them here for your edification. In order, they’re produced by Artemy Lebedev, Ilya Birman and Anton Mizinov and are all very strong in their own way. I’ll confess that I’ve had a huge soft spot for the Lebedev […]

Official Map: ART Bus System, Asheville, North Carolina, 2013

January 18, 2013
Leave a comment
Filed Under:
Official Maps
Tags:

Submitted by Matthew Frazier, who says: This is the new system map for ART, or Asheville Redefines Transit (a rather interesting name for a transit agency), from Asheville, North Carolina. I think this is a nice format for bus maps, balancing the stronger need for geographical accuracy with the simplicity of traditional rail maps. (Though I do find it amusing that the “South” route S2 ends further north than it begins.) Transit Maps says: I think […]

Submission – Official Map: Des Moines DART Bus System, 2013

January 17, 2013
Leave a comment
Filed Under:
Official Maps
Tags:

Submitted by “ZMapper”, who included a link to the full map on the official DART website. Have we been there? No. What we like: At first glance, this looks like a nice, clean, modern-looking system map – a breath of fresh air that stands out from the usual geographically-based “road map” bus maps. However, there are some serious usability issus that detract from the light and airy look, which I’ll discuss below. I do like […]

Unofficial Map: Partizaning.org “Guerrilla” Moscow Metro Map

January 12, 2013
comment 1
Filed Under:
Unofficial Maps
Tags:

Last year, the Moscow Metro introduced a completely new official map, which featured 30-degree angles. Put simply, it went down like a lead balloon (link in Russian), forcing the authorities to hastily organise a competition for another brand new design. However, some people decided they didn’t want to enter what’s essentially a no-spec design “contest” (there’s no payment for the winner, just thanks for a job well done) and set about designing their own map independently… […]

Google Doodle Celebrates the London Tube’s 150th Birthday!

January 9, 2013
Leave a comment
Filed Under:
Miscellany
Tags:

The Metropolitan Line – first part of what was to become today’s London Underground – was opened on January 9, 1863 between Paddington and Farringdon Street via Kings Cross. See my other posts about the London Underground here. Source: google.co.uk home page

Unofficial Map: Boston MBTA Commuter Rail Time-Scale Map

January 8, 2013
Leave a comment
Filed Under:
Unofficial Maps, Visualizations
Tags:

We’ve previously featured Stonebrown Design’s time-scale Boston Subway Map (Aug. 2012, 3.5 stars) – now they’ve produced a map for Boston’s extensive commuter rail network along the same lines. To my mind, this map is even more successful for a couple of reasons: firstly, the time rings are completely concentric, which makes the map easier to read and looks more aesthetically pleasing. It’s interesting to see how fare zones don’t necessarily correspond to the amount […]

Unofficial Map: Metro-North Railroad, New York by Robert O’Connell

January 3, 2013
Leave a comment
Filed Under:
Unofficial Maps
Tags:

Transit maps on Wikipedia can be a bit of a mixed bag. Anyone can contribute, so the quality can range from mediocre to awesome. However, Robert McConnell –also known as “the Port of Authority” – consistently produces some fantastic work. We’ve previously featured his Boston MBTA Commuter Rail map (October 2011, 5 stars), and here’s another fantastic piece. We’ve also featured unofficial maps that show all commuter and regional rail out of New York before […]