Mapping the Subways of North America
via ohhleary:
XKCD, transit, and geography nerdery, all in one? This makes my day.
Uncovering the First, Fascinating Rulebook for Subway Sign Design
via theatlantic:
The 180-page binder, the key to the system’s iconic design choices, outlines a meticulous vision of signage intended not merely to look good — though it does — but to simplify navigation of the subterranean labyrinth. In its attention to passenger behavior, the manual goes above and beyond what most of us would term graphic design.
“The subway rider should be given only information at the point of decision,” proclaimed the designers. “Never before. Never after.”
Read more. [Images: NYCTA]
h/t billyflood:
Cartoon by Joe Dator. For more: http://nyr.kr/YmHMVy
As a former NYer I must say #realtalk
Without the extra time on our subway commutes, many NYers (like me) would never be able to squeeze in the extra reading time…
via paperandparticles:
A great photo set celebrating the act of reading in transit and how books take us where we’re going.
2012 Highlights from the Underground New York Public Library
Here are ten highlights from almost one thousand photographs that have become part of the UNYPL in 2012. Each photo posted in the library is beloved. The Reading-Riders have thoroughly inspired me, in their presence and in their act of transcendence. Photographing and interacting with them in the past year has impacted me as a photographer and as a person.To them, Thank you!
HT The Believer
A “best of” set for one of my very favorite Tumblrs.
Visualizing one day of activity for New York’s transit system (by STLTransit)
I rarely laugh about charts, but this Gawker analysis (and Subway’s “official” explanation) of the graph in their Advertisement made me LOL.
via ilovecharts:
At this subway station in Brooklyn, NY everyone trips on the one step that’s just a inch taller than the others…
Ahead of Its Time: Vignelli's MTA map goes Digital
The head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority asked Massimo Vignelli to revise his 1972 map for the MTA’s website.
SUBWAY DOUCHERY : Farewell to Hipster
Today we say goodbye to some old friends… My flannels… assorted thrift store denims… and several Ironic T-shirts. We’ve had a good run fellas… a real good run… but I’m pushing 30 years old and I can’t have people wondering if I’m a hipster or a vagrant anymore… They need to know I’m just a hipster…
Flannels… You guys were the best, keeping me warm and perfectly sloppy all at the same time.. you were in style… you were outta style… then back in again… and then no one was sure but we kept on wearing you because you are surprisingly comfortable yet functional.. I’m gonna miss looking like the Brawny Man’s gay son.
Assorted thrift store denims… Heck, we knew we were throwing the dice when we bought you! You smelled funny and everyone knows someone that developed a really bad rash because they didn’t wash you first… but when I was going through my Ryan Adams/Urban Cowboy phase… GODDAMIT! I didn’t know who I was but you didn’t care… you complimented my cowboy boots you didn’t make fun…
Ironic T-shirts…. where do I begin? I suppose I’m going to miss you the most… You were the stand by… the right or wrong… never say die… but when your arm pits started to yellow and harden… and the holes around the neck got too big to be cool… and then I wasn’t sure if the Billy Joel River of Dreams Tour shirts was Ironic anymore because I started actually loving the album so much… we have to say goodbye because I’m not sure who I am anymore..
You will be buried at a miscellaneous park in Brooklyn… because I’m not even sure which is the cool one anymore… I’ll see you on the other side.. in this life or the next..
*** A thousand condolences to Ironlace for sending in this picture. We’ve had a good life but we can’t keep living like this… Stay Alive & Keep on Douchin’ ***
