Submitted by Phil K, who says: On my recent trip to Cleveland, I had a chance to check out their new rapid transit system map, and was pleasantly surprised. It’s not perfect, but it’s a pretty big upgrade from the previous version (reviewed July 2012, 1 star). A few major changes to note: Awkward angles have been straightened and geography has been simplified even further in in favor of a more schematic approach; this is […]
Submitted via email by Lyle, who says: The Bay Area has one of the most complex and diverse urban transit systems in the world, including three commuter rail systems, one metro systems, two light rail systems, one heritage streetcar line, and four major bus agencies. Unfortunately, there isn’t an official map linking any of these services together, so I thought I might make one myself. Transit Maps says: There’s a lot to like about the […]
Submitted by Kara, who says: I know you’ve reflected less than favorably in the past on maps done “in the style of” the London Tube map, but here’s a piece I made redrawing Chicago’s CTA routes in the style of the current edition of London’s iconic map, complete with a hybrid TFL/CTA logo. I lovingly refer to the result as “TF-‘el’.” The style is not transcribed perfectly, I’m aware – perhaps, in light of the […]
While we’re talking about the Flatiron Flyer, I do like this simple little interactive map on the RTD website about the project. You simply click on your start and end destinations and it tells you which route(s) you can catch and what your fare options are. Neat! (Again, I think that the numbering would have worked better if the current FF5 had slid down to be FF3, moving FF3 and FF4 up one spot each, […]
Submitted by Steve Mohan, who says: RTD just began Service on the Flatiron Flyer, which is a basically a rebranding of all the Denver-Boulder routes. As part of this, they updated the timetables system-wide to include a map of the route. Because they’re selling this as BRT, they’ve added this rail-like route map. Personally, I like it. It’s simple and easy to read. The color coding of each route corresponds to the color of the […]
Submitted by xoverit, who says: I found this interesting thing inside of the 5 August 1935 Michigan Official Motor Bus Guide. It’s not a particularly good or notable map, but the logo of the Eastern Michigan System was obviously inspired by the London Underground! Transit Maps says: I’d say you’re almost certainly right… the “bullseye” (as it was called in those days, though it’s now commonly referred to as the “roundel”) was seized upon by transit agencies […]
A page from the 1977 MBTA Standards Manual showing the specifications for a map panel as installed at the entrance level of a station, using Kendall inbound as an example. Signage much like this can still be seen across most of the rapid transit network. Interestingly, there’s no Kickstarter campaign to reissue this particular standards manual, perhaps because it wasn’t created by a famed Italian modernist designer and is typeset in the most basic manner […]
Submitted by Mike, who has a lot of good things to say, much of which I agree with. Hopefully, the official map once the line is up and running will tone down the sponsorship a lot (the way the Quicken Loans logo covers up the label for the Greyhound Bus Station is particularly awful) and focus more on how the line creates vital transportation connections for the people of Detroit. Here’s Mike’s full submission text: […]
Submitted by marmarinou – who runs a cool Tumblr dedicated to Chicago-area railroads and trains. A very basic map of the South Shore Line between Chicago, IL and South Bend, IN appended to the back cover of a railfan tour brochure from 1939. The day-long tour of the line was organised by the Central Electric Railfans Association, which is still extant today. Check out the original source of the image (keep scrolling down) for the inside spread […]
Just a couple of glimpses of the subway map at the beginning, but I still love this short video featuring the stations of the New York Subway and the people who pass through it every day. Having just returned from a trip to the Big Apple, I wish I had the ability to capture the lifeblood of the city as well as this. Source: Snowday/Vimeo
