Photo: Map
When your system is as big and complex as Berlin’s, you need a big-ass map on the wall to show you where you’re going. Source: eelke dekker/Flickr
All posts tagged: commuter rail
Official Map: Chicago CTA “L” Commuter Rail, 2011
Chicago’s street grid is so incredibly regular that this map seems to be a rectilinear diagram. It’s only after observing some odd little twists and turns in the route lines that you realise that this is actually a fairly geographically accurate map – so much so that the downtown Loop is represented in an detail inset because it would otherwise appear too small to decipher. Even the station names pretty much conform to the grid […]
Historical Map: Stuttgart VVS Map, circa 2000
Without a doubt, this has to be one of my favourite transit maps ever. As far as I know, this isometric approach is unique and it is staggeringly effective. Everything is beautifully labelled, and lovely icons highlight important sites like the zoo, museums and sports stadiums. Unfortunately, this stunning map has since been replaced by a far more conventional diagram – a great loss in my opinion. Have we been there? I’ve changed trains at […]
Official Map: MARTA Rail System, Atlanta, Georgia, 2011
This map is a great example of how it’s attention to the little details that separate the great transit maps and the merely good. At first glance, this map has all the elements of the best: a clean layout, an excellent and consistently applied set of icons for subsidiary information (parking, restrooms, lost and found, etc. – although any information about disabled access to the system is strangely lacking), and good informational hierarchy (note how […]
Unofficial Map: MBTA Commuter Rail System by Robert O’Connell
This is possibly the best transit diagram I have seen submitted to Wikipedia. Lovely, minimalistic design with bright, eye-catching colours and good typography. No geography at all, which is actually appropriate for a heavy rail system like this – used most by commuters who travel the length of their line from their home station (on a spoke) to the city (hub). Have We Been There? I’ve been to Boston, but haven’t travelled on the commuter […]
Official Map: Barcelona Metro, 2011
An attractive and easy to follow map with a few unusual features. At first glance, it appears to be a diagrammatic map in the form of the London Underground Diagram, but it’s actually overlaid on a simplified, but accurate street grid, allowing easy reference to the features of the city. Especially prominent is the Avenue Diagonal – a major feature of the city emphasized by excellent design. It also cleverly rotates the map to fit […]
Project: Historical Passenger Rail of Portland, Oregon
Somewhat related to my previous post, here’s a new transit map of Portland for your perusal. This piece was born out of two things – a friendly after-work chat with the immensely talented Ryan Sullivan of Paste In Place, where we discussed a concept similar to this; and a chance discovery of a high-resolution scan of a 1943 streetcar/trolley map on the amazing Vintage Oregon site. Based on that map, and information gleaned from too […]