Unofficial Map: New York Regional Rail by Jake Berman, 2010 Directly related to the last post, here’s another map of greater New York’s regional rail. Designed by Jake Berman in 2010, this map takes a completely different approach to Carter’s work. It uses colour-coding to differentiate between agencies, rather than routes, and shows services as main lines and branches, rather than showing each and every route along their entire length. This makes for a simpler-looking, more compact map, although it means that the map doesn’t even attempt to show any service patterns. Aesthetically, the map is reminiscent of the stark, angular look favoured in the U.S. in the 1970s and early 1980s (examples here and here). What we like: The treatment of the major hub stations on this map is lovely - the grey background simply and effectively sets them apart. Inclusion of the AirTrain lines at JFK and Newark is nicely handled, while the use of striking magenta type to call out transfers to other services is fantastic. What we don’t like: One minor nitpick is that the western NJ Transit lines look a little cramped in comparison to other parts of the map. Also, the names of branch lines are quite small and hard to read because they’re contained within the route lines themselves. Our rating: A completely different way of tackling the same problem as the previous map, but equally valid and attractive. I do slightly prefer being able to trace a route from one end to the other on a map, but this is still a comprehensive guide to regional rail in and around New York. Four stars. (Source: subwaymaps/Jake Berman)

Unofficial Map: New York Regional Rail by Jake Berman, 2010

Directly related to the last post, here’s another map of greater New York’s regional rail. Designed by Jake Berman in 2010, this map takes a completely different approach to Carter’s work.

It uses colour-coding to differentiate between agencies, rather than routes, and shows services as main lines and branches, rather than showing each and every route along their entire length. This makes for a simpler-looking, more compact map, although it means that the map doesn’t even attempt to show any service patterns.

Aesthetically, the map is reminiscent of the stark, angular look favoured in the U.S. in the 1970s and early 1980s (examples here and here).

What we like: The treatment of the major hub stations on this map is lovely - the grey background simply and effectively sets them apart. Inclusion of the AirTrain lines at JFK and Newark is nicely handled, while the use of striking magenta type to call out transfers to other services is fantastic.

What we don’t like: One minor nitpick is that the western NJ Transit lines look a little cramped in comparison to other parts of the map. Also, the names of branch lines are quite small and hard to read because they’re contained within the route lines themselves.

Our rating: A completely different way of tackling the same problem as the previous map, but equally valid and attractive. I do slightly prefer being able to trace a route from one end to the other on a map, but this is still a comprehensive guide to regional rail in and around New York. Four stars.

4 Stars!

(Source: subwaymaps/Jake Berman)

  1. 17th October 2012
  2. Notes: 31
    3. #transit map #cartography #map #New York #New Jersey #Connecticut #LIRR #Metro-North #NJ Transit #AirTrain #PATH #USA #United States of America #4 Stars
Historical Map: PATH Map, New York and New Jersey, 1979 After all the diagrammatic maps we’ve featured so far, it’s nice to showcase something completely different - check out this awesome painted birds-eye view of PATH services between New Jersey and Manhattan from 1979. It also shows other rail services in New Jersey snaking off into the far distance, and even Lady Liberty standing guard over New York and the cutest little Staten Island ferry you ever did see. Have we been there? Yes, but I haven’t caught a PATH train. What we like: Just about everything! Attractive, historical, useful… this one’s got it all in spades. What we don’t like: Not a lot! Our rating: Fantastic! Its strangely distorted perspective reminds me of the famous 1976 New Yorker cover of the view of America from downtown Manhattan. Five stars! (Source: wavz13/Flickr)

Historical Map: PATH Map, New York and New Jersey, 1979

After all the diagrammatic maps we’ve featured so far, it’s nice to showcase something completely different - check out this awesome painted birds-eye view of PATH services between New Jersey and Manhattan from 1979. It also shows other rail services in New Jersey snaking off into the far distance, and even Lady Liberty standing guard over New York and the cutest little Staten Island ferry you ever did see.

Have we been there? Yes, but I haven’t caught a PATH train.

What we like: Just about everything! Attractive, historical, useful… this one’s got it all in spades.

What we don’t like: Not a lot!

Our rating: Fantastic! Its strangely distorted perspective reminds me of the famous 1976 New Yorker cover of the view of America from downtown Manhattan. Five stars!

5 Stars!

(Source: wavz13/Flickr)

  1. 3rd August 2012
  2. Notes: 43
    3. #transit map #subway map #historical #history #PATH #subway #New York #Newark #New Jersey #USA #United States of America #5 stars #1979
Historical Map: Hudson River Tubes, 1909 Basically an advertisement for the newly-opened Hudson River Tubes - still in use by PATH trains today, over 100 years later - with the H&M lines proudly and boldly displayed in red. Planning for the future is also on display, making the service look somewhat bigger than it really was. From my limited research, it seems that the extensions shown in Manhattan were never actually built. The Hudson Terminal Buildings (shown in the photo inset at top left) were replaced by the World Trade Center complex as part of the deal struck to allow the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to take over the operations of the H&M RR. (Source: Penn State Maps Library/Flickr)

Historical Map: Hudson River Tubes, 1909

Basically an advertisement for the newly-opened Hudson River Tubes - still in use by PATH trains today, over 100 years later - with the H&M lines proudly and boldly displayed in red. Planning for the future is also on display, making the service look somewhat bigger than it really was. From my limited research, it seems that the extensions shown in Manhattan were never actually built.

The Hudson Terminal Buildings (shown in the photo inset at top left) were replaced by the World Trade Center complex as part of the deal struck to allow the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to take over the operations of the H&M RR.

(Source: Penn State Maps Library/Flickr)

  1. 17th July 2012
  2. Notes: 35
    3. #transit map #map #cartography #historical #history #1909 #Hudson & Manhattan Railroad Company #PATH #New York #New Jersey #USA #United States of America