Question from lukasmaps: On your DC Metro Map redesign, why do you show the little “jog” on the red line between Van Ness-UDC and Tenlyytown-AU? No offense to your excellent work, but it ruins the visual clarity shown on the rest of the map and frankly, gets on my nerves. Again, no offense to this otherwise beautiful map. Answer: This is a fantastic question and one that I can use to illustrate how local knowledge […]
Question: Are there any resources available for exporting city map data (similar to Google Maps, etc) to vector format for importing into Illustrator? Do you utilize any pre-existing data for your projects, or do you simple start from scratch? I’m thinking of your Dallas streetcar map in particular. Answer: To be honest, most of the time, I just start from scratch. My very low-tech workflow is to quickly grab some screenshots from Google Maps or similar […]
Question: Hi Cameron, Do you know or have a good detailed transit map of Germany’s ICE/IC/RE/etc. services? I’ve Googled for it and either I’m not using the right words or I need to be using German terminology for it as what I find is lacking. Thanks! Answer: There are maps of current ICE and IC services available on the Deutsche Bahn website, but they’re pretty terrible (although they do give you an overview of where the […]
Question: What’s your opinion of Pablo Impallari’s Cabin font? The first time I saw it it screamed “transit map” at me, and I’m curious to know what you think. Answer: Seeing as the author’s own description of the typeface says this… The Cabin Font is a humanist sans inspired by Edward Johnston’s and Eric Gill’s typefaces… … I think that it would probably qualify as a fine wayfinding/transit map typeface just by pedigree alone. More Johnston […]
Question: Is there a reason that props departments often alter transit maps used in movies? Is it to get around copyright issues? Answer: Absolutely! Almost every official transit map in the world is copyrighted and owned by the agency it represents. This means that permission – and often, a hefty licensing fee – is required to use the map for commercial purposes. So, rather than go through that, most TV shows/movies will quickly pull together […]
Question: Which of Beck’s maps of the London Underground do you most prefer, and what properties does it have that elevate it above the others in your opinion as a designer? Answer: My absolute favourite Beck-drawn Tube Map is actually his unpublished 1961 Victoria Line proposal, which I wrote about in this post back in 2012. Go take a look at it – it’s simply gorgeous, with an arrow-straight lavender Victoria Line cutting directly across […]
Question: Do you know what the organizational principle is for layering subway lines on the current NYC map? I received a question from meltedchandelier yesterday that asked: Hi, I’m hoping you can solve a query that a friend and I have been able to figure out forever. Do you know what the organizational principle is for layering certain NYC subway lines on top of others where they intersect on the current version of the map […]
Question: Dear TM, on the new Sydney rail map, Homebush station is situated on a spur all by itself. Could you perhaps explain why? Answer: Yeah, the map doesn’t make the reasoning behind this very clear, does it? It’s because Homebush is a terminus for all T2 “all stations” trains from the city. However, limited stops trains that are heading further west (almost) always bypass Homebush without stopping, hence the “gap” in the main line […]
Question: Do the MAX Rail Yellow And Green lines Terminate at PSU or loop around? On the official map, they terminate and on your combined rail map they loop around. Answer: Operationally, Green and Yellow Line trains terminate southbound at the SW Jackson station. All passengers have to disembark there, but the trains do then enter a loop between SW Jackson and the SW College station for a short layover before changing their destination blinds […]
Question: I don’t think you’ve ever reviewed the actual tube map. Is there a reason for this? Answer: It’s true – I haven’t reviewed the current official Tube map, although I’ve had plenty to say about various historical and unofficial versions of it. When it comes down to it, I just don’t feel I have much to add to the conversation – it’s one of the most well-known and written about transit maps in the […]
