Submitted by Harsha, who says: I’ve been a big fan of your blog for over a decade. Recently, I had the opportunity to replicate the BART transit map for a data visualization in a story I wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle. I would love to hear your thoughts on it! Transit Maps says: First off, it’s great to see a transit map-related infographic from a newspaper graphics team! As an interesting and attention-grabbing way […]
Here’s an absolutely cracking diagrammatic map that appeared as a fold-out sheet in Union Pacific annual reports from about 1978 through 1981, maybe slightly longer. I first saw this as a photograph of a partial part of the map, but it didn’t take me too long to find the whole thing on the internet via the Union Pacific Historical Society’s website. The map features a rigid and consistent use of a 30-degree angle, some neat […]
Submitted by Elliot, who says: I’ve come across this blog a couple of months ago, and have been lurking ever since. I’ve always wanted to try my hand at designing a trasit diagram, and having gotten some free time, I decided to redesign the S-Train diagram for Brussels. So here it is, my very first finished(ish) transit diagram. Transit Maps says: A great first effort here from Elliot! I’d say that its arguably more successful […]
Submitted by Griffin, who says: I work upstairs in the old Grand Central and was every excited to check out the new station this morning. Spotted this new map on the wall down there, thought you might find it interesting. Transit Maps says: Oh, I do like this. Graphically strong with bright, poppy colours and making good use of the unusual display format – eight vertical screens next to each other. The map looks to […]
Submitted by Matias, who says: Waxholmsbolaget is a big ferry operator in Stockholm, connecting most of the small islands in the Stockholm archipelago. They have recently updated their line map to a very diagrammatic style. The idea is good, to make it easier to find the lines and where you are going, but it massively distorts the network and the omission of geographic features makes it very difficult to orient yourself. What do you think? […]
The MTA released a beta version of a new online real-time subway map this morning, supposedly a fusion between the design sensibilities of the Vignelli diagram and the modern subway map’s geographical pragmatism. There’s certainly been a big PR push, with effusive articles being written about it and even a mini-documentary film by Gary Huswit of Helvetica fame. With all this hoopla, I had to go investigate myself… and I came away unimpressed. First things […]
Submitted by Aaron, who says: Worst map? High quality map I found while researching random rural transportation systems in the middle of nowhere across the country. I have to say, their website design is not much better either. Transit Maps says: It’s all so easy to look at this very basic map and say that it’s terrible, but we do need to be mindful that these small regional transit services operate on shoestring budgets with […]
This spectacular diagram from the February 28, 1903 edition of the Street Railway Journal looks for all the world like a modern schematic diagram of the International Railway Company’s lines, but there’s a bit of a twist in the tale. It’s actually a diagram of a telephonic dispatching system that the company was planning to install on its city and interurban lines, replacing a mixed telegraph/phone system. As telegraphs needed a skilled operator at every […]
A fascinating map and diagram of the Singapore MRT from the period c. 2000 (after the opening of the Bukit Panjang LRT in 1999, but before the change to a different mapping style in 2001). Both show the original method of using paired colours for each direction of travel along a route – an unconventional but memorable method of wayfinding. Take the Green line to head towards Pasir Ris, but the Blue Line to go […]
Submitted by Fern, who says: A few weeks ago, i made a fairly rough strip map of almost all Bay Area passenger rail services using some pens and graph paper. I was wondering if you’d like to review it? Transit Maps says: A nice effort at a Bay Area-wide topological diagram, Fern! It certainly fits into the long, narrow proportions of your average strip map nicely. I particularly like the use of a “half-grid” for […]
